WW1 and WW2 Royal Fleet Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Group, Able Seaman James Frank Lee

J. 83069 Able Seaman James Frank Lee.

Born on the 5th August 1901, he joined the crew of the HMS Impregnable (Boy’s Training Establishment) on the 17th January, 1918 as a Boy 2nd Class and was promoted to Boy 1st Class on the 22nd June, 1918.

• HMS Pembroke I (Chatham Accounting Base – 14th September, 1918 to 20th October, 1918)
• Borne on books of HMS Hibiscus (Aubrietia class sloop – 21st October, 1918 to 31st May, 1919)
• HMS Cormorant (Shore Establishment Gibraltar – 21st October, 1918 to 31st December, 1918)
• HMS Caesar (Majestic class battleship – 1st January, 1919 to 31st May, 1919)(A Depot Ship for RN vessels operating in the Black Sea against the Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution.)
• HMS Marlborough (Iron Duke class battleship – 1st June, 1919 to 1st November, 1920)(Operated in the Black Sea rescuing members of the Imperial Russian Family from the Crimea. Also supported the White Russians, bombarding Bolshevik positions during the Russian Revolution. Later supported the occupation of Constantinople.)
• Promoted to Ordinary Seaman 5th August, 1919 and later promoted to Able Seaman 1st September, 1920
• HMS Victory I (Portsmouth Holding Barracks/Accounting Base – 2nd November, 1920 to 22nd January, 1921, where he was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal
• HMS Excellent (Shore Establishment/School of Gunnery, Whale Island, Portsmouth – 23rd January, 1921 to 8th August, 1921) When the census was completed on 19th June, 1921, he was stationed with the Portsmouth Naval Battalion “A”; Emergency Service Battalion, Tredgar Park Camp, Bassaleg, Newport,
  South Wales.
• HMS Victory I (Portsmouth Holding Barracks/Accounting Base – 9th August, 1921 to 15th November, 1922)
• Borne on books of HMS Worcester (Thames Nautical Training College – 16th November, 1922 to 26th April, 1926)
• HMS Columbine (Firth of Forth Naval Base – 16th November, 1922 to 23rd August, 1923)
• HMS Victory II (Portsmouth Accounting Section – 24th August, 1923 to 7th October, 1923)
• HMS Diligence (Destroyer Depot Ship – 8th October, 1923 to 31st March, 1924)
• HMS Sandhurst (Destroyer Depot Ship, Mediterranean – 1st April, 1924 to 31st October, 1925)
• HMS Egmont II (Malta Accounting Base – 1st November, 1925 to 15th March, 1926)
• HMS Victory II (Portsmouth Accounting Section – 16th March, 1926 to 26th April, 1926)
• HMS Victory I (Portsmouth Holding Barracks/Accounting Base – 27th April, 1926 to 9th July, 1926)
• HMS Excellent (Shore Establishment/School of Gunnery, Whale Island, Portsmouth – 10th July, 1926 to 15th August, 1927)
• HMS Victory I (Portsmouth Holding Barracks/Accounting Base – 16th August, 1927 to 20th September, 1927)
• HMS Excellent (Shore Establishment/School of Gunnery, Whale Island, Portsmouth – 21st September, 1927 to 3rd September, 1928)
• Borne on books of HMS Wallace (Thornycroft type destroyer leader)
• Records transferred to card (from the large ledger books) on 1st January, 1929, but no further records kept due to Able Seaman Lee being transferred/re-numbered as P/JX 164962
  Later transferred to the Royal Fleet Reserve (Portsmouth), numbered B18032
• He received the Royal Fleet Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (granted on 19th July, 1940) It was issued to Able Seaman Lee on 3rd August, 1940 whilst serving with HMS Dauntless (Danae class light cruiser) During WW2, Dauntless operated in the South Atlantic before being transferred to the China Station in December, 1939. From May, 1940, it operated with the British Malaya Force.

He died aged 74 in Redbridge, London, on the 13th of February, 1976

Correctly impressed on War and Victory Medal: J. 83069 J. F. LEE. BOY. 1 R.N.

Correctly impressed on RFR Long Service and Good Conduct Medal: JX. 164962 (PO. B. 118032) J.F. LEE. A.B. R.F.R.

Condition: Very good, the group has been remounted.