NAVAL GROUP 1914/15 STAR TRIO-VICTORIA LONG SERVICE MEDAL-DIED ON H.M.S.VIKNOR JANUARY 1915 ALONG WITH CAPTURED GERMAN SPIES- KING-ARMOURER PENSIONER

1914/15 Star trio, named to: 132458 W KING ARMR .R.N.
Royal Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal,(Victoria, narrow suspension) named to W.KING ARMOURER H.M.S.TRAFALGAR.
Medals extremely fine,trio on original silk full lenghth ribbons.
Armourer pensioner William King,132458 H.M.S.Viknor died on 13th January 1915.Commemorated on the Portsmouth Memorial.
William King was born at Northfleet,Kent,on13/09/1864.
He served on various Ships and Shore establishments, including: Pembroke/Excellent/Tourmaline/Ringarooma/Crescent/Victory/Resolution/Vernon/Trafalgar/Royal Sovereign/Duke of Wellington/Hannibal/Latona/Tamar/Nelson/Cressy and Viknor.
In January,1915, H.M.S. Vikonor was ordered to apprehend the SS Bergenfjord which was suspected of carrying German Spies.(British intelligence had been tipped off that persons boarding the ship in New York as neutral citizens,were in fact German Reservists) She was duly apprehended North-East of the Pharoe Islands,and a boarding party searched the ship,and two Stowaways and Six Gemans were found aboard.One of the Ships passenger list was a Mexican, Rosato Spiro, who admitted on close examination to be Baron H.Wedell,a notorious arch-spy of the German Secret Service.Another passenger, listed as a Norwegian,Dr Rasmus Bjomstad was aslo suspect.They were removed to Viknor,and a prize crew put aboard the Norwegian Vessel, which headed for Kirkwall.On the night of 15th January, the Viknor was lost off Tory Island,with the loss of all hands,and the German spies..She was believed to have hit a mine,
or sunk in the heavy seas-no distress signal was received.

Code: 51090