Noonans Mayfair
Lot 93
Five: Commissioned Gunner P. W. Tregillis, Royal Navy, later Lieutenant Commander (retired) East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Gambia 1894 (P. Tregillis. Ord. H.M.S. Raleigh.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (P. W. Tregillis, P.O. 1 Cl., H.M.S. Beagle.); 1914-15 Star (Gnr. P. W. Tregillis, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Ch. Gnr. P. W. Tregillis, R.N.) very fine and better (5) £400-£500 --- Percy William Tregillis was born in Hastings, Sussex, on 16 December 1875, and commenced naval service on 15 September 1891, as Boy Second Class, H.M.S. St. Vincent. He was advanced to Boy 1st Class on 24 November 1892, briefly transferring to H.M.S. Invincible in March 1893, prior to joining H.M.S. Raleigh on 15 April 1893. He was advanced to Ordinary Seaman on 16 December 1893, and to Able Seaman on 26 January 1895. In this ship he took part in the campaign off the Gambia in 1894. He joined H.M.S. Excellent in April 1895 to train as a Seaman Gunner, qualifying on 11 September 1895. From there he joined H.M.S. Vernon, for a few months, before serving in H.M.S. Royal Oak from January to November 1896, and then in H.M.S. Prince George from 26 November 1896 to 26 June 1899, advancing to Leading Seaman on 2 April 1899. On 27 June 1899 he returned to H.M.S. Excellent remaining there until 23 February 1901, undergoing further gunnery courses for, on 2 December 1900, he advanced to Petty Officer 2nd Class and on 4 April 1901, qualified as a Gunnery Instructor. On 21 May 1901 he joined H.M.S. Beagle and was advanced to Petty Officer 1st Class on 21 October 1901. He remained in her until 4 September 1902, qualifying in her for the Queen's South Africa Medal and, a year later, on 29 October 1903, was promoted to Acting Gunner and appointed to H.M.S. Centurion on the China Station on 4 November 1903. He was in receipt of two Good Conduct Badges but was promoted before he had sufficient time to qualify for the third, or for the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. He then went to H.M.S. Virago in January 1905, also on the China Station, before returning Home to H.M.S. Leviathan in April 1907 ("for instructional purposes"), H.M.S. Excellent in August 1909 ("for duty with Tenders") and H.M.S. Ganges in March 1911 ("for instructional duties") at the Boys' Training Establishment. In August 1912 he was lent to the newly formed Royal Australian Navy in H.M.S. Encounter, arriving home in November 1916, before joining H.M.S. Boxer in February 1917, and H.M.S. Glory in November of that year. On 13 September 1918 he was promoted to Chief Gunner and in 1919 to Commissioned Gunner with the same seniority date. In September 1919 he was appointed to H.M.S. Hermione and in August 1920 joined H.M.S. Philomel on loan to the Royal New Zealand Navy. On 22 August 1922, he was promoted to Lieutenant, returning to the Royal Navy before being placed on the retired list on 16 December 1925, his 50th birthday. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander on the Retired List on 12 August 1930, and died on 11 September 1937, aged 62.
