Description
East and West Africa, bar Benin River 1894, 1914-15 Star (copy), British War and Victory Medal, Stoker James Sankey, Royal Navy, HMS Philomel in 1894.
E&W Africa officially impressed: “J. Sankey, Stoker, H.M.S. Philomel”.
1914-15 Star a good quality copy used as a “Gap-filler”
WW1 Pair officially impressed: “150511 J. Sankey. Sto. 1 R.N.”
Confirmed on the medal roll, about 170 clasps to the Philomel.
The scarce Benin River 1894 clasp, was only awarded to men from 4 Royal Navy Ships, the Alecto, Philomel, Phoebe and Widgeon.
These ships took part in the expedition against Chief Nanna of Brohemie, from 24th August to 30th September 1894.
The campaign was fought against Nana Olomu (Olumu), a powerful Itsekiri Chief and Palm Oil Merchant from the Niger Delta region in Southern Nigeria, he was the Governor of Benin River.
However after many years of relations the connection between Nanan Olomu and British began to decline about 1892, which led to the campaign.
James Sankey was born in Warrington, Cheshire, on 13th may 1870.
Having worked as a “Coal Getter” he signed on for the Royal Navy on 25th June 1889 as Stoker 2nd Class.
on the Serapis he rose to Stoker on 1st Dec 1889.
He would notably see service on HMS Philomel from 1st October 1893 until 30th November 1894, during which time he took part in the “Benin River” campaign.
He would end his Navy service shortly afterwards on 19th January 1895 on HMS Grafton when he was discharged to “Shore per order of Commander in Chief”.
He would however sign on with the Royal Fleet Reserve at Portsmouth from 5th Apirl 1902, and later chose to re-enroll for another 5 years on 5th April 1907.
He would re-enroll once more from 11th August 1911, which during this time he ended up being recalled for active service in WW1.
He saw the following WW1 period service:
“HMS Glory, 2nd August – 5th July 1915, Stoker 1st Class.
Europa I, 6th July 1915 – 11th August 1915
HMS Anemone, 12th August 1915 – 17th March 1916
HMS Victory II, 18th March 1916 – 25th May 1916
HMS Osborne, 26th May 1916 – 26th September 1919.
HMS Victory II RFR service, 9th April 1921 – 4th June 1921 when demobilised.
Starting off the war on HMS Glory, he joined the 8th battle Squadron, Channel Fleet, before being detached to serve at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada as a Guard Ship and to support the North America Squadron.
Notably the ship escorted a Canadian Troop Convoy in October 1914, and she rendezvoused with the Convoy on 5th October off Cape Race covering the for 3 days. On the 8th October the Glory and the rest of the squadron left the convoy.
The ship later moved over to the Mediterranean in May 1915 to assist in the Gallipoli Campaign.
His next ship posting was the HMS Anemone, a newly built and launched Acacia Class Sweeping Sloop, under command of Cdr Aubrey W. Peebles, from August 1915 until March 1916.
His last posting from May 1916 until September 1916 was the “Osborne” which was not actually a ship but the Royal Naval College tasked with training new Naval Cadets, where he probably assisted in a teaching capacity.
