A Naval General Service ‘Persian Gulf 1909-1914 and R.N. Long Service and Good Conduct Pair awarded to Yeoman of Signals Sydney J. Cross, Royal Navy, who was present aboard H.M.S. Canada at the Battle of Jutland, and was later wounded in action in 1922 with a dhow at Ras-el-Ara, Yemen – a known market for smuggled arms and munitions, comprising: Naval General Service, 1909-62, G.V.R., single clasp, Persian Gulf 1909-1914 (J.2712 S. J. Cross, Sign, H.M.S. Proserpine.); Royal Navy Long Service and Good Conduct, G.V.R. (J.2712 S. J. Cross. A-Y.S. H.M.S. Dolphin);Pair mounted in incorrect order on card, heavily polished with some putting and minor edge grazes, fine, reverses better (2) Yeoman of Signals Sydney James Cross was born on 28 February 1893 at Portsmouth, Hampshire. Enlisting for service with the Royal Navy as Boy 2nd Class on 28 February 1911 at Portsmouth, he served for 16 years with the Royal Navy. Serving aboard H.M.S. Proserpine between 7 June 1910 and 29 August 1912, he took part in service in the Persian Gulf for which he received the N.G.S.M. with clasp ‘Persian Gulf 1909-1914’. According to his service papers, he was wounded in action with a dhow at Ras-el-Ara on the Yemeni coast – a known market for smuggled arms and munitions. While the date of this action is not entirely clear, it would stand to reason that this occurred early in his career during his time in the Persian Gulf (his papers also confirm bullet wounds to the left thigh and right knee – seemingly for the same action).His initial service during the Great War was aboard H.M.S. Queen Mary, later transferring to H.M.S. Canada as Leading Seaman and seeing action at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916 – 1 June 1916. Late in the war he transferred to the Concord, then the Monarch, and Vernon (aboard the tender, Tarpon) as of 14 September 1921.

Estimate: GBP 250-300