WWI BWM. Dudley. Birmingham. Survived the sinking of HMS Warrior after damage at Jutland.

Correctly named J39578 W Dudley O Sig RN

Walter was born on April 27th 1898 to Herbert and Emily.

In 1911, we find him at school living at 4 Cambridge Cottages, Cape Street in Birmingham.

He enlisted in 1915 and served aboard HMS Warrior and was present at the Battle of Jutland when the Warrior was lost on the June 1st after damaged sustained at the battle after over 20 hits by the High Seas Fleet.

Warrior joined the Grand Fleet in December 1914 and was assigned to the 1st Cruiser Squadron under Rear-Admiral Sir Robert Keith Arbuthnot. At the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916, the 1st Cruiser Squadron was in front of the Grand Fleet, on the right side. At 5:47 p.m., the squadron flagship, HMS Defence, and Warrior spotted the German II Scouting Group and opened fire. Their shells felt short and the two ships turned to port in pursuit, cutting in front of the battlecruiser HMS Lion, which was forced to turn away to avoid a collision. Shortly afterwards they spotted the disabled German light cruiser SMS Wiesbaden and closed to engage. When the two ships reached a range of 5,500 yards (5,000 m) from Wiesbaden they were spotted in turn at 6:05 by the German battlecruiser SMS Derfflinger and four battleships who were less than 8,000 yards (7,300 m) away. The fire from the German ships was heavy and Defence blew up at 6:20.[10] Warrior was hit by at least fifteen 28-centimetre (11 in) and six 15-centimetre (5.9 in) shells, but was saved when the German ships switched their fire to the battleship HMS Warspite when its steering jammed and caused Warspite to make two complete circles within sight of much of the High Seas Fleet.

Warrior was heavily damaged by the German shells, which caused large fires and heavy flooding, although the engine room crew – of whom only three survived – kept the engines running for long enough to allow her to withdraw to the west. She was taken in tow by the seaplane tender HMS Engadine who took off her surviving crew of 743. She was abandoned in a rising sea at 8:25 a.m. on 1 June when her upper deck was only 4 feet (1.2 m) above the water,[15] and subsequently foundered.

He was recalled in 1939 for WWII service where he served on convoys with HMS President III.
e was released form service in October 1945.

The medal has an original silk ribbon.