SENIOR PETTY OFFICER STOKER JOSEPH ALDER, ROYAL NAVY, KILLED IN THE DISASTROUS EXPLOSION OF HMS VANGUARD AT SCAPA FLOW ON 9/7/1917. Five: Africa General Service Medal, Edward VII, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1908-10 (officially impressed: S.S.101825 J. ALDER, STO. 1CL., H.M.S. BARHAM.) 1915-15 STAR (officially impressed: K.9694. J. ALDER., STO. R.N.) British War and Victory Medals (officially impressed: K.9694. J. ALDER. S.P.O. R.N.) Memorial Plaque "JOSEPH ALDER". Silver medals attractively toned, generally Extremely Fine and virtually as struck.
Group accompanied by copied service records and Commonwealth War Graves details.
Joseph Alder was born in Fulham, London, on 21/7/1881. He enlisted into the Royal Navy on 1/12/1905 and at the time of enlistment gave his trade as bricklayer's labourer. He saw service on a wide variety of ships during his career with the Royal Navy, including HMS Barham 27/1/1909 - 7/3/1910. Alder joined HMS Vanguard on 22/2/1917 and was killed aboard her when she exploded at Scapa Flow on 9/7/1917.
Joseph Alder has no known grave and is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial.
HMS Vanguard was a dreadnought battleship. Shortly before midnight on 9/7/1917, whilst anchored at Scapa Flow, she suffered a series of magazine explosions and sank almost instantly, killing 843 of the 845 men on board.
