1914-15 Star

Awarded to Alfred William Newman RN (1889-1984). A uniface star of four points, the upper covered by a crown, with two crossed swords entwined by a short scroll. Inscription: '1914-15.' An oak garland superimposed upon the whole. Inscription: 'G'. with a 'V' within it. Inscription Reverse: 'GNR A.W. NEWMAN. RN.' Fitted with a ring and red, white and blue watered-silk ribbon. Mounted with three other medals.

Newman entered the Marine Society Training Ship ‘Warspite’ and was drafted into the Royal Navy in August 1903. He specialised in gunnery and torpedo work. During WWI he served on HMS ‘Laurel’ at the battle of Heligoland. He was promoted to Acting Gunner in 1915 and appointed Mate of HMS ‘Tetrarch’ in June 1917. He was awarded the Albert Medal for extracting the cartridges from a smoking box of cordite in the magazine. They were passed on deck and thrown overboard. Commander Newman was presented with the Albert Medal by King George V at Harwich in 1918. In April 1919 he was Mentioned in Dispatches for services in late 1918 and in December that year was promoted to Lieutenant. In 1939, Newman now a Lieutenant-Commander was recalled because of his unique knowledge of boom defence work. Promoted to Commander he was in West Africa from 1941-43 in charge of defending harbours in Gambia and from 1943-45 he was in charge of harbour defence based at Aden, covering the area from Suez to Bangkok. After further service in the Mediterranean Commander Newman retired in 1948. He died in1984.

Object Details

ID: MED2035
Collection: Coins and medals
Type: War medal
Display location: Not on display
Events: World War I, 1914-1918
Date made: circa 1918
People: Newman, Alfred William
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Overall: 44 mm
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