'Stoker-Joe' a Naval 'Pugilist' & Undefeated Welterweight Champion of the West of England, Second World War campaign & Hong Kong Colony long service medal group of 6: Chief Stoker Mechanician John 'Smiler' Nicholas Perks, H.M.S. Tamar

- The 1939-45 Star. No clasp
- The Atlantic Star. No clasp
- The Africa Star. With original clasp 'North Africa 1942-43'
- The Burma Star. No clasp
- War Medal
- Naval LS&GC Medal. GVI first type legend (KX.82365 J. N. Perks Ch.Sto.Mech. H.M.S. Tamar.)

Sold together with:

- Name card(S) for 'Stoker' Joe Perks, Undefeated Ex-Welterweight Champion of the West of England
- Six space medal riband bar with silver rosette on Africa Star riband. wITH hinged pin and clasp fittings

Medals Verification: Royal Navy Second World War campaign medal rolls are not available in the public domain, we are however providing the general award criteria for each medal. The Naval Long Service Medal is confirmed as entitled per below cited Admiralty medal roll source:

- The 1939-45 Star: Awarded for minimum 6 months active service in qualifying theatres 1939-45 
- The Atlantic Star: Awarded for 1 days service in theatre Providing prior qualified for a 1939-45 Star  
- The Africa Star: 1 days service in theatre 10/06/40 - 12/05/43 / clasp 23/10/42 - 12/05/43 
- The Burma Star: 1 days service in qualifying theatre providing had prior qualified for 1939-45 Star 
- War Medal: Automatic entitlement for aggregated 28 days service in the British Armed Forces
- Naval LS&GC. GVI: ADM 171/153 issued 16 July 1948 sent to H.M.S.Tamar (Hong Kong R.N. Base) 

John Nicholas Perks son of Perks was a native of West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England, where he was born, 13 February 1914. At the time of the 1921 National Census for England, John is shown as being 7 years & 4 months of age, and the son of Herbert Alfred Ault (a Toolmaker) and Priscilla Mary Ault (nee Bateman), the family residing at, 250 Bacchus Street, Birmingham, England. John joined the Royal Navy circa 1932, and was posted to the 'Stoker' branch. While serving in the Royal Navy circa 1932-1950, he latterly held the rate of Chief Stoker Mechanician, which in 1948 was a highly skilled senior rate (petty officer level) responsible for the operation, maintenance, and repair of ship machinery. John served extensively afloat, during the Second World War, seeing service in the Atlantic, the coast off North Africa, and in the Bay of Bengal / Andaman Sea. Post-War he was posted to the Far East, where he was serving at the Royal Naval Base H.M.S. Tamar, in Hong Kong Colony, and where he received his Naval Long Service Medal in 1948. During the Second World War - between active service sailing - he married Selina Myrtle Gundry (1911-2004) at, Liskeard, Cornwall, England. In his later retirement years, 'Stoker-Joe', or more commonly called 'Smiler' by his Naval-Shipmates is recorded to have lived in Chester, England. John Nicholas Perks is registered at Wrexham (Wales) District Registration Office for deaths that occurred in the counties of Cheshire, Denbighshire & Flintshire

John's Naval service apart, his greatest surviving legacy was his magnificent professional boxing record, as one of the foremost boxing greats of his time, and in the greatest traditions of Royal Navy boxers. He long held the title of 'Udefeated ex-Welterweight Champion of the West Of England'. A search of any newspaper archive will return scores of articles  / accounts of the boxing bouts he fought circa 1935-1950, several including photographs of 'Smiler' or as more commonly reported 'Stoker-Joe'. In short his professional boxing summary was:

- Weight: Welter
- Bouts: 41
- Rounds: 253
- Knock-Out's: 31.25%
- Career: 1935-50
- Alias: Stoker Perks (also Stoker-Joe)
 
The medals mounted as-worn by the recipient in the swing-style. The white metal mounting bar retaining its long hinged pin & clasp fittings

Condition: GVF

Code: 25870