United Kingdom. A Death Plaque to George Lawson Manclark, U-Boat Casualty Aboard SS Britannia, 1917

Constructed of bronze, the obverse bearing a raised depiction of Britannia, clutching a trident and laurel wreath, situated behind a lion, circumscribed by an inscription of “HE DIED FOR FREEDOM AND HONOUR”, flanked by a plaque bearing a raised recipient’s name of “GEORGE LAWSON MANCLARK”, maker marked with the logo of the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, measuring 12 cm in diameter, demonstrating moderate softening of obverse details consistent with heavy polishing, in addition to the remnants of an adhesive to the reverse, in very fine condition.

Footnote: George Lawson Manclark was a merchant mariner and fireman aboard the SS Britannia, a 765-gross-ton British cargo steamer, originally from Leith, Scotland. On 19 October 1917, the Britannia was torpedoed off the coast of Dorset England by SM UC-75, a Type UC II minelaying U-Boat, then under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Johannes Lohs (Pour le Mérite, 24 April 1918; killed in action 14 August 1918). The captain and 21 crewmen of the Britannia perished, including Manclark, whose name appropriately appears on the Mercantile Marine War Memorial at Tower Hill.