WW2 Silver ID bracelet for Royal Navy Acting Stoker Petty Officer – W.T. Hide – Service No. KX75718 – H.M.S. AURORA

Here on offer is a privately purchased WW2 sterling silver ID tag, made in the style of a lucky horseshoe.

It is engraved on the front:

W.T. HIDE. (ACT) S.P.O.
7 MESS
H.M.S. AURORA
KX75718

This translates to the fact he served on H.M.S. AURORA during WW2 and was an acting Stoker Petty Officer, allocated to Mess number 7 and he had a service number KX75718.

The K indicates he joined as part of the ‘Stoker and Mechanicians’ section and had a joined for a Long Service of 12 years plus optional 10 years to qualify for pension.

The X after the main letter indicates that the rating was engaged after the new pay code of the early 1930s was introduced.

On the reverse it has address, that still exists:

3 Tennyson Rd
Copnor
Portsmouth

It is also stamped STERLING and REGd PENDING

I believe it originally would have had a leather strap fitted through the slots each side, allowing it to be worn as an ID bracelet.
I have done some basic research on his name and service number, with no easily available results about his service history.


Some history regarding H.M.S. AURORA

H.M.S. AURORA was an Arethusa-class light cruiser, built at Portsmouth Dockyard and launched on the 20 August 1936. She served with the Home Fleet in 1939 as part of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron, escorting convoys to Scandinavia and joining the hunt for Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. In July and August 1941, she was involved in operations to Spitsbergen and Bear Island (operation Gauntlet) as part of Force "K" with the Home Fleet. In autumn 1941 she was transferred to the Mediterranean and arrived in Malta on the 21st of October 1941 to join a new Force "K". She saw action in the Battle of the Duisburg Convoy. Aurora was badly damaged by on the 19th of December 1941, when the ships of Force K sailed into a newly laid Italina Minefield. Neptune and Kandahar were sunk and Penelope was also damaged. HMS Aurora was patched up at Malta then sailed home on 29 March 1942 for repairs at Liverpool.

Returning to the Mediterranean she joined Force "H", and in November joined the Centre Task Force for the Landings in North Africa, Operation Torch. In December she was part of Force "Q" at Bône against the Axis convoys between Trapani and Tunis. Aurora took part in the invasion of Sicily and the Salerno landings. She moved to the Aegean in October 1943 where she was damaged by bombs on the 30th of October, and withdrew to Taranto for repairs which were completed in April 1944. In August 1944 she supported the landings in the south of France, then assisted in the liberation of Athens.

H.M.S. AURORA was sold on the 19th of May 1948 to the Chinese Navy and was renamed Chung King. She later defected to the Communists and was renamed Tchoung King. In March 1949 she was sunk in Taku harbour by Nationalist aircraft but was later salvaged.

The silver tag is in great condition and would make a wonderful addition to a Royal Navy collection.

The tag measures 1.2” (3cm) wide by 1” (2.5cm) high and weighs 5g.

Please see my pictures for the details of the condition, which complement this description.

Please see my TERMS OF BUSINESS regarding Deliver Charges and Insurance regarding additional insurance cover, should you require it, BEFORE the item is dispatched.

The responsibility lies with the customer to check with your Customs restrictions that this item can be imported into your country.

Many thanks for taking the time to look.

Code: 51513