East & West Africa Medal 1887-99

Obverse: Head of Queen Victoria in a diadem and veil (left). Legend: 'VICTORIA REGINA'. Reverse: a group of soldiers and Africans fighting in the bush for their fallen comrades. Suspended from a bar, and yellow ribbon with a broad black edge and two narrow black central stripes. Inscription on edge: 'J.A.GILBERT, ORD. H.M.S. ST.GEORGE. MWELE. 1895'.

Joseph Atkins Gilbert (1874-1942) was born in Birmingham, the son of a labourer in a timber yard. He joined the RN as a boy 2nd class in 1891 - his brother Elisha was also in the Navy. He served briefly in battleship HMS Rodney’ and ironclad ‘Alexandra’ and on the newly completed, battleship ’Repulse’. He then joined the cruiser ’St George’ flagship on the Cape Station from 25 Oct 1894 when she was commissioned until her paying off on 18 February 1898, being promoted to Able Seaman on 1 January 1896. During this time, her crew were involved in operations in 1895 against the stronghold of M’wele in present day Kenya and the Benin punitive expedition of 1897. Her crew were presented to Queen Victoria at Osborne on their return to Portsmouth. From 1898 to 1899 Gilbert was in battleship HMS ‘Trafalgar’, guardship at Portsmouth, being promoted to Leading Seaman. From 1899 to 1901 he was in the training ship ‘Calliope’, then in HMS ‘Magdala’ coastal defence ship at Bombay harbour. From November 1901 to February 1903 he was in the training ship ‘Isis’, from August 1904 to March 1905. In 2nd class cruiser ‘Arrogant’. Then he served in battleship HMS ‘Commonwealth’ in the 2nd division home fleet. Having now passed the educational standards for Petty Officer, he was in HMS ‘Defence’ from March 1912 to Sept 1913 on the China Station. At the start of World War 1, Gilbert was a Petty Officer in dreadnought battleship HMS ‘Erin, part of the Grand Fleet 4th battle squadron. From 15 July to 2 March 1917 he was in minesweeper ‘Marigold’ and his war services in minesweeping operations were noted in his service records. His last active service from May 1917, was in destroyer ‘Mischief’ which was present at the battle of Heligoland Bight. She ran aground on the north coast of Ireland on 2 November 1918, but Gilbert remained on her books until January 1919 and was demobilised shortly afterwards. His conduct record throughout his career had been exemplary.
He then joined his brother Harry, working as a coal miner in the Newcastle on. He was retired but still resident there in 1939, living with his sister in law. Joseph never married but Elisha’s family were still living in Birmingham and Joseph died in nearby Nuneaton.