DECK HAND W. LAVERTON, ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE (PREVIOUSLY PRIVATE 1/4TH BATTALION, GORDON HIG

DECK HAND W. LAVERTON, ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE (PREVIOUSLY PRIVATE 1/4TH BATTALION, GORDON HIGHLANDERS). British War Medal (officially impressed: 11946D.A. W. LAVERTON D.H. R.N.R.). Attractively toned, Good Very Fine to Almost Extremely Fine.

“D.A.” suffix to service number indicates enlistment as a deck hand in the Trawler section, Royal Naval Reserve.

Medal accompanied by 4 pages of copied Royal Naval Reserve service papers, 6 pages of Territorial Army service papers, WW1 medal rolls (2), copied Medal Index card, extract from 1891 census, etc. Medal Index card confirms also entitled 1914-15 Star and Victory Medal.

William Alexander Laverton was born 21/6/188 in Aberdeen. A pre-war member of the Royal Naval Reserve, he enlisted into the 4th Battalion Gordon Highlanders on 9/10/1914 and saw service in France with the 4th Gordon Highlanders from 19/2/1915 to 26/8/1916. He was discharged on 27/8/1916, after re-enlisting into the Royal Naval Reserve (Trawler section). Whilst with the Royal Naval Reserve during WW1, Laverton saw service with a number of shore bases and ships, including the trawler Thalia (28/8/1916 to 31/3/1917). In addition to his war gratuity, Laverton also received two allocations of Naval Prize Money, £4 11 shillings 8 pence on 22/6/1920 and £6 17 shillings and sixpence on 10/10/1922. Laverton is recorded in the 1891 census as living in West North Street, Aberdeen.

The Thalea, 32 tons, whose home port was Lowestoft, was requisioned by the Royal Navy in 1916, for service at sea in the campaign against the German submarine menace. On the 8th October 1918 when on route from Rouen to the Tyne she was torpedoed by German submarine UC-17 and sunk when 4 miles ESE from Filey Brig, Yorkshire.

The 1/4th Battalion Gordon Highlanders sailed for France on 19/2/1915, landing at Havre the following day. Whilst Laverton was serving with the battalion it saw service initially in 8th Brigade, 3rd Division from 27/2/1915 and from 10/10/1915 with the 76th Brigade, 3rd Division, and from 23/2/1916 with the 154th Brigade, 51st Division. The 1/4th Gordons saw service with the 154th Brigade during the battle of the Somme in 1916, first seeing action during an attack on the German front line from High Wood on 23/7/1916, and by 26/7/1916 had suffered some 328 casualties.