Beschreibung:

Six: Petty Officer Henry W. Davey, Royal Navy, whose services in H.M.S. Nottingham during the war, included the battles of Heligoland Bight, Dogger Bank and Jutland; he subsequently survived her sinking by the U-52 in August 1916, on which occasion he was awarded the silver Al Valore Militare for ‘manning and working the 6” gun, and firing at the periscope which had appeared. He did not leave the forecastle until the water was above his knees.’ Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-04 (H. W. Davey, A.B., H.M.S. Highflyer.); 1914-15 Star (194017, H. Davey, P.O. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (194017 H. Davey. P.O. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (194017 Henry Davey, P.O. 2 Cl., H.M.S. Impregnable); Italy, Al Valore Militare, silver, mint-mark crowned ‘Z’ over ‘F.G’, unnamed as issued, good very fine and scarce (6) £1400-1800 Footnote Award of ‘Silver Medal for Military Valour by King of Italy’ in A.W.O. No. 4181 of 23 November 1917, and announced in the London Gazette of 17 November 1917. The original recommendation states: ‘After H.M.S. Nottingham had been torpedoed on the 19th August, 1916 and was sinking, and orders had been given to abandon ship, he was conspicuous in manning and working the 6” gun, and firing at the periscope which had appeared. He did not leave the forecastle until the water was above his knees.’ Henry Davey was born at Kenton, Devon, on 1 August 1879, and was a clerk before joining the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 15 June 1897. He served in Highflyer during the operations in Somaliland 1902-04, being advanced to Able Seaman in February 1901, and received his L.S. & G.C. medal as a Petty Officer 2nd Class in Impregnable in February 1913. In April 1914 he joined the recently completed light cruiser Nottingham and took part in most of the early fleet actions including the battles of Dogger Bank, Heligoland Bight and Jutland, where she was screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet as part of the Second Light Cruiser Squadron. On the evening of 18 August 1916 the Grand Fleet put to sea in response to a message deciphered by Room 40 that indicated that the High Seas Fleet, minus II Squadron, would be leaving harbour that night. The German objective was to bombard Sunderland the following day, based on extensive reconnaissance conducted by Zeppelins and submarines. Part of the German plan was to draw the British ships through a series of submarine ambushes and Nottingham fell victim to one of the awaiting U-boats, U-52, about 06:00 the following morning. The submarine was spotted about a half-hour prior despite the morning haze, but she was believed to be a small fishing boat and disregarded. U-52 initially hit the cruiser with two torpedoes that knocked out all power, but Nottingham was not in danger of sinking until she was hit with another torpedo 25 minutes later. Her half-sister Dublin had reported the first attack; in response, Beatty dispatched two destroyers to render assistance and they arrived about 10 minutes before Nottingham sank at 07:10. The ship lost 38 crewmen in the attack. After the sinking of Nottingham, Davey was appointed to Vivid I briefly before joining Glorious on 13 October 1916, in which ship he remained for the duration of the war.