1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, War Medal 1939-45 - unnamed as awarded in original box of issue addressed to Mrs H. Nation, 30 King St. Portland, Dorset.
William Nation was born on 22 March 1915 in Weymouth, Dorset. He was the son of George Frederick Nation and Hernrietta Nation (nee Edwards). William was with the Merchant Navy and was serving as the 5th Engineering Officer on the Arthur F. Corwin which was torpedoed by U-Boat 96 off the coast of Iceland on 13 February 1941. The entire crew of 46 were Killed in Action when the ship, a fuel tanker carrying 14 500 tons of motor spirit, became a straggler from convoy HX-106 - sailing from Halifax to Avonmouth.
To his family he was know as Bill Nation and he had three brothers Norman (born 1910) who married Lilian (nee Stone), George, whose wife's name was Iris (nee Stone, a cousin of Lilian) and Walter Nation. He also had three sisters, Mary Gwyneth and Thelma.
"Bill was an active sportsman - footballer and also a boxer. A keen amateur artist - he painted a freize of Disney characters around the living room and a beautiful scene of Snow White, the witch and the seven dwarfs in and around the fireplace of 30 King Street, Fortuneswell, Portland, Dorset. It is a also believed that he did some caricatures of the crew around the mess.
Bill was in his twenties when lost at sea - he had attended the school in Fortuneswell, worked for some time at the Gas Works and moved on to Whiteheads Torpedo Works - a happy jovial chap with a keen sense of humour."
The 1939 Register has him living at home - 30 King Street, Portland, with his family. He was described as being a Gas Fitter employed by the Council.
Medals are in good condition unless indicated otherwise. Sold with some research.
