Royal Fleet Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. GV issue 'Admiral's bust (311489 (P.O. B. 6666) F. W. S. Read. L. Sto. R.F.R.)

Important: Medal verified as awarded on, 10 March 1927 (reference ADM 171/146)

Frederick William Stephen Read, son of William Read & Elizabeth Rose Read (nee Exell) was a native of, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, where he was born on, 5 March 1889. Frederick joined the Royal Navy on 4 April 1907, however he was no stranger to seagoing life, as prior to joining the Royal Navy he had been employed as a 'Deck Boy', and was bodily colourfully decorated with multiple tattoos, described as; Woman, Two Flags, Bee & Horse's Head on right forearm; Ostrich upper right arm; Woman's Head, Victoria, Faith, Hope & Charity, on left forearm & with an Eagle on his breast. For his services during the Great War, Frederick was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War & Interallied Victory Medals (ref ADM 171/113). During the Great War, Frederick served aboard H.M.S. Sappho, 14 August 1914-30 June 1916, and H.M.S. Castor, 30 June 1917-1 August 1918. Frederick William Stephen Read is recorded as having died at, Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England, sometime during the last quarter of 1950

H.M.S. Sappho: On the outbreak of war in August 1914, Sappho was attached to the Grand Fleet. While other ships of the Apollo-class had been converted to minelayers, Sappho was initially deployed on patrol purposes, operating north-east of Shetland in early October 1914 as part of extensive deployments of the Grand Fleet to prevent German interference with a convoy carrying troops from Canada to England and north of Orkney later that month. Sappho continued on patrol duties,and was placed in charge of four Armed Boarding Steamers, which were tasked with patrolling to the north-west of the Hebrides, to stop merchant ships suspected of carrying contraband bound for Germany

H.M.S. Castor: On ,4 October 1917, the United States Navy patrol vessel USS Rehoboth suffered an uncontrollable leak in her hull while on patrol duty off France. Rehoboth's crew had to be taken off, and Castor sank her with gunfire

Condition: GVF

Code: 21235