WW1 1914/15 Star Trio & LSGC Medal Group RMLI

WW1 1914/15 Star Trio & LSGC Medal Group. 1914/15 Star, British War Medal 1914-1919, WW1 Victory Medal. Long Service Good Conduct Medal Royal Navy GV. Ch. 17620. Colour Sergeant. C.E. Spurden. Royal Marine Light Infantry. 
Medals mounted swing Style, as worn. In Good Condition, on old faded worn ribbons.

Cyril Edwin Spurden was born on the 27th of September 1895 in Charlton,  Woolwich. He was a Greengrocers assistant until his enlistment on the 15th of October 1912 aged 17. 

At the Outbreak of War he was serving with the Chatham division transferring to the 12th battleship HMS Vengeance as part of the 8th battle Squadron, for patrol duties in the English Channel and Atlantic.On the 15th of August HMS Vengeance was transferred to the 7th Squadron where she covered the landings of the Plymouth Marine Battalion at Ostend. 

On 25th of August 1914 in November HMS Vengeance was transferred to West Africa then to Egypt to relieve the armored cruiser's Black Prince (lost with all hands at Jutland) and Warrior as guardship to Alexandria and then to St Vincent as a guard ship. 

February 1915 saw the Vengeance in the Dardanelles, taking part in the opening bombardment of the forts, suffering some damage to the masts and rigging due to enemy fire, supporting the landings with gunfire support. While there she was unsuccessfully attacked by a German submarine. On the 15th of July she had to leave suffering from boiler trouble returning to England for a refit

Cyril Spurden was transferred to the Chatham division for 2 weeks before joining the pre-war Dreadnought HMS Jupiter from 12th of August 1915 which had just finished a refit.

The ship served in the Mediterranean sea and patrolled the Suez canal from the station at Port Said until November 1916, transferring to the base ship HMS Egmont at Malta. August 1917 saw Cyril Spurden posted to HMS Hannibal where he was promoted to L/Cpl.  HMS Hannibal was at that time a base depot ship where he continued to serve until the end of the war.

After the war Spurden served between training establishment Shotley and whilst there on the 27th September 1919 Cyril married Beatrice Evelyn Powell.

He then served at Chatham division, Victory (promoted Sgt.04/05/25). Royal Sovereign, Egmont, Royal Oak, Revenge. He was awarded the LSGC medal 5/12/28. Promoted C/Sgt.15./05/32 Cumbrian, Cardiff. He was a first-class signaler instructor and was discharged in 1934 after having served 22 years. He received a pension of £79.2s.00p. per annum.

It is not clear as to the number of children they had. According to part of his discharge paper of 1934 it states that he had a 13 year old daughter but checks on freebdm shows a son named Cyril Spurden, born at Eastney in the June quarter of 1921 and died in the September quarter of 1921. Cyril was stationed in the area at the time. There is a girl called Joyce E Spurden  born in March quarter of 1927, birth registered at Medway, again Cyril was serving in the area. He joined the post office on the third of June 1938.

In 1939 at the start of World War 2 he was recalled to the Royal Marines where he served on various Shore bases. In 1942 he was serving at The Shore base HMS Orlando when he was Court Martialed for theft and reduced to the rank of Marine!. He was also deprived of his LS medal and three Good Conduct badges.  He was removed from the base straight after the Court Martial and sent to Chatham, which probably didn't go down well with the old Marines who would have known him and also the young marines now that he was their equal.

He was finally discharged in July 1945 still with the rank of marine but he had regained his three Good conduct badges. His character and efficiency at discharge was back to his normal, very good and superior / satisfactory. At  the time of his discharge Cyril Spurden had served a total of 28 years. He  returned to the postal service upon discharge and stayed there until he retired. He was awarded a post office pension and gratuity as a sorter in 1959.

 Cyril lived to the age of 90 years old before he passed away on 9/ 08/1986. His address was 10 School Road, Ludham, Great Yarmouth and his body was cremated.

( Cyril's brother Ernest was KIA 22/04/1940 on the submarine “ Tarpon” and was lost with all hands after being depth-charged) 

This comes with lots of copy papers. A huge amount of official paperwork, two folders.