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1914-15 STAR ROYAL NAVY : HMS. 'BLACK PRINCE' : CASUALTY AT JUTLAND :
1914-15 Star - 361846 JOHN VELLA, Officer's Cook 1, Royal Navy : (JOHN VELLA - Born Valletta, Malta, 23 September 1880, a servant on the date of joining the Royal Navy as a Domestic 3rd.Class, 9 October 1903 : Served at sea in numerous ships and progressed through the rates to become Officer's Cook 1st.Class whilst serving in HMS. 'Achilles' in August 1911 : At the outbreak of war he was serving in HMS. 'Fearless' and subsequently the light cruisers, HMS. 'Dartmouth' and HMS. 'Bristol' before joining the Armoured Cruiser HMS. 'Black Prince' on 10 January 1916 : He was still serving in the ship when it went into action with the First Cruiser Squadron at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916 : Shortly after midnight, separated from the rest of the British fleet, 'Black Prince' mistakenly approached the German lines : It turned away from the enemy battleships but it was too late, the German battleship 'Thuringen' fixed 'Black Prince' in it's searchlights and opened fire. Up to five other German ships, including the battleships 'Nassau', Ostfriesland' and 'Friedrich der Gorsse' joined the bombardment, with return fire from 'Black Prince' being ineffective : The German ships were between 750 to 1500 yards distant, which was effectively point-blank range for contemporary naval gunnery and 'Black Prince' was hit by at least twelve heavy shells and several of smaller calibre, and sank within fifteen minutes, there were no survivors from the crew of 857 men : The recipient has no known grave and is commemorated on Plymouth Naval Memorial : Also entitled to the British War Medal and Victory Medal 1914-19.) : Sold with verification, copy Service Record, copy CWGC. information and related research EF - £185