A Pair to Chief Yeoman of Signals Ash who was wounded aboard HMS Niobe at the Dardanelles

Queen's South Africa Medal (T.D. ASH, YEO. SIG. H.M.S. NIOBE); and Royal Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, Victoria (T.D. ASH, YEO. SIG. H.M.S. NIOBE). Naming is officially impressed in capitals on both medals. Un-mounted, contact marks, edge nicks, very fine. Accompanied by copies of his Service Records and Medal Rolls from the National Archives. Footnote: Thomas David Ash was born on May 17, 1868 in Seursham, Kent, England. He began service as a Boy Seaman (124245) with the Royal Navy in September 1883, becoming an Ordinary Seaman in May 1886, followed by his appointment to Yeoman of Signals in late June 1886, then being named Chief Yeoman of Signals in May 1903. He was to serve aboard a number of ships and at various bases throughout his naval career, including: H.M.S. Boscawen, Neptune, Duke of Wellington, Bacchante, Osprey, Hercules, Northumberland, Active, Victory I, Crescent, Vivid I, Grafton, Philomel, Lion, Magnificent, Blake, Niobe, Aeolus, Temeraire, Triumph, Tenedos, Cornwallis and Egmond. While serving with the Pearl-class cruiser H.M.S. Philomel, the ship was at the West Africa Station and participated in the Benin Expedition, earning Ash the East and West Africa Medal with Benin 1897 clasp. He was awarded the E&WA medal on May 16, 1898 while stationed at H.M.S. Vivid. While serving with the Diadem class of protected cruiser H.M.S. Niobe, Ash was in action during the Boer War, escorting troops to Cape Town, with the Queen's South Africa Medal subsequently awarded to the crew. Ash received the QSA medal on January 25, 1902 while stationed at H.M.S. Vivid. Upon the conclusion of his Royal Navy career, Ash joined the Royal Fleet Reserve on June 15, 1906. He was recalled for service during the First World War, serving with H.M.S. Albion and President II. He is documented as having been "wounded in action" while with the Canopus-class predreadnought battleship H.M.S. Albion. The ship had been transferred from Atlantic service to the Cape of Good Hope Station in South Africa in October 1914, where she took up duty as a guard ship at Walvis Bay through November 1914. In December 1914 and January 1915, she participated in Allied operations against German Southwest Africa. Albion was transferred to the Mediterranean in January 1915, to participate in the Dardanelles campaign. She took part in the bombardment of the Ottoman Turkish forts guarding the outer entrance to the Dardanelles on February 18-19, 1915. Albion, Majestic, and Triumph became the first Allied battleships to enter the Turkish Straits during the Dardanelles campaign on February 26, 1915, when they made the initial attack on the inner forts. Albion then supported the first Allied landings in late February 1915 and early March 1915. In action against Ottoman forts on March 1, 1915, Albion took repeated hits but sustained no serious damage. She participated in the main attack on the forts on March 18, 1915, and supported the main landings at V Beach at Cape Helles on April 25th. She suffered significant damage from Ottoman shore batteries during an attack on Krithia on April 28th, forcing her to retire to Mudros for repairs. She returned to action on May 2nd, again suffered damage necessitating repairs at Mudros. On the night of May 22-23, 1915, Albion beached on a sandbank off Gaba Tepe and came under heavy fire from Ottoman shore batteries. About 200 fragmentation shells hit her, but they could not penetrate her armor and did no serious damage, Albion suffering fewer than a dozen casualties. After efforts were made to free her by reducing her weight and by using the recoil of firing her main guns simultaneously, her sister ship Canopus towed her to safety on May 24th, Albion still firing at the Ottoman forts while being towed clear. Albion left the area for repairs on May 26th and underwent a refit at Malta in May-June 1915. Chief Yeoman of Signals Thomas David Ash, O.N. (Royal Fleet Reserve, Devonport A/1784) was Mentioned in Despatches by the Vice-Admiral Commanding the Eastern Mediterranean Squadron for good service in action, the announcement appearing in the Third Supplement to the London Gazette 29581 of Friday, May 12, 1916, on Monday, May 15, 1916, page 4831. He is listed in his records as having been Mentioned in Despatches twice. Ash is on record as having been on loan to the Royal Air Force in 1917, until January 1919. For his First World War service, he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.