British War Medal (J.44385 W.W. PAINE. BOY.1. R.N.); Victory Medal (J.44385 W.W. PAINE. BOY.1. R.N.); Memorial Plaque (WALTER WELCOME PAIN) - all in a wooden and glass frame with memorial scroll to the recipient, along with a glass-framed portrait of him.
Walter Welcome Pain was literally, just a boy when he was Killed in Action aboard HMS Queen Mary at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916. He was born in Edmonton, London on 15 May 1899 and was a Boy 1st Class when he perished
The circumstances surrounding the sinking of the Queen Mary, wherein Pain and 1266 others lost their lives, is well described in this report by one of the few survivors:
Report of Midshipman J. L. Storey, Senior Uninjured Survivor of the Queen Mary. (as forwarded to the Commander-in-Chief)
SIR,—I deeply regret to report that H.M.S. Queen Mary, commanded by Captain C. I. Prowse, R.N., was completely destroyed when in action with the German Fleet at 5.25 P.M. on Wednesday, May 31. The total number of officers and men saved was eighteen.
The circumstances of the loss of the ship are, as far as I know, as follows: At 4.20 P.M. the Queen Mary was third ship in the line of the 1st B.C.S., and action was sounded, and at 4.45 the order was given "load all guns." At 4.53 fire was opened on the third ship of the enemy's line, the range being about 17,000 yards.
The fire was maintained with great rapidity till 5.20, and during this time we were only slightly damaged by the enemy's fire. At 5.20 a big shell hit "Q" turret and put the right gun out of action, but the left gun continued firing. At 5.24 a terrific explosion took place which smashed up "Q" turret and started a big fire in working chamber, and the gun house was filled with smoke and gas. The officer on the turret, Lieutenant-Commander Street, gave the order to evacuate the turret. All the unwounded in the gun house got clear and, as they did so, another terrific explosion took place and all were thrown into the water. On coming to the surface nothing was visible except wreckage, but thirty persons appeared to be floating in the water.
At 5.55 H.M.S. Laurel saw the survivors in the water and lowered a whaler and rescued seventeen. When this number had been picked up, H.M.S. Laurel received orders to proceed at full speed, being in grave danger of the enemy's ships. All officers and men were treated with the greatest kindness by the officers and men of H.M.S. Laurel, and were landed at Rosyth at about 8 P.M., June 1.2
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant, J. L. STOREY, Midshipman, R.N.
Medals are in good condition unless indicated otherwise. Sold with some research. Please note the discrepancy in the spelling of Pain/Paine. There is a hand-written note accompanying the lot which claims that Pain was related to Brigadier General George William Hackett Pain, K.B.E., C.B. (1855-1924)
