Awarded The Naval Good Shooting Medal.

1914 - 15 Trio.
George V Naval Long Service & Good Conduct Medal. HMS Hibernia.
Edward VII Naval Good Shooting Medal. HMS Bulwark.
189502 R. Watkins, Petty Officer, Royal Navy.

Robert Watkins was born in Islington on 10th December 1880 and joined the Royal Navy at the age of 15 on 4th July 1896. He was just over 5' tall, with a fresh complexion, brown hair and eyes and a scar on his left hand. Initially rated Boy 2nd Class, he commenced training on HMS St Vincent, a training ship moored permanently at Haslar. Nine months later, Robert was rated Boy 1st Class and continued his training at HMS Pembroke and Thetis. On his 18th birthday, he was rated Ordinary Seaman and soon afterwards joined HMS Pylades, a satellite-class composite screw corvette serving on the Australia Station. He would stay with this ship until April 1902, during which time he was rated Able Seaman.
Robert was rated as a Qualified Gunner in November 1902 and, in 1905, he served as a Seaman Gunner aboard HMS Illustrious, a Majestic-class pre-dreadnought that had been launched in 1896 and was now part of the Atlantic Fleet, and gained advancement to Leading Seaman. Service on HMS Resolution in 1906, followed by two years aboard HMS Triumph, saw Robert Watkins promoted to Petty Officer 2nd Class. He passed educationally for Petty Officer on 2nd March 1909.
HMS Bulwark was a Formidable-class battleship that had been launched in October 1899. In 1908, Captain Robert Falcon Scott, the Polar explorer, became Bulwark's commander, becoming the youngest junior battleship commander at that time. Robert Watkins joined the ship as a Petty Officer 1st Class on 1st March 1910, the same day that HMS Bulwark was commissioned into the Reserve at Devonport with a nucleus crew, as flagship of the Vice Admiral, 3rd & 4th Divisions, Home Fleet. It was also in this year that Robert was awarded the Naval Good Shooting Medal for excellent gunnery performance in the annual Fleet Competition, using the 12" breech-loading guns which were Bulwark's most powerful armament.

The reverse of the Naval Good Shooting Medal, showing a nude figure of Neptune, holding five thunderbolts in each hand. The Latin motto VICTORIA CURAM AMAT translates as "Victory Loves Care". The recipient's name, number, rank, ship and calibre of gun are impressed around the rim in upright capital letters. A total of 974 medals and 62 bars were awarded between 1903 and 1914, when it was discontinued.

HMS Bulwark was lost in November 1914 when an accidental explosion in the after magazine tore the ship apart. Out of the ship's crew of 750, only 14 men survived, two of whom subsequently died from their injuries. Read more about HMS Bulwark here.

Robert Watkins passed professionally for Petty Officer on 8th December 1910 and later served on HMS London, a Formidable-class battleship with the Atlantic Fleet. In May 1912, this ship was involved in a collision with the merchant steamer SS Don Benite. Soon after, Robert joined the crew of HMS Hibernia, a ship he would stay with for over five years. In November 1912, as a consequence of the Balkan War, Hibernia was sent to Malta and then participated in the blockade of Montenegro and the occupation of Scutari. In the early part of the Great War, Hibernia was part of the 3rd Battle Squadron and saw service with the Grand Fleet and the Channel Fleet. In November 1915, she was sent to the Dardanelles, arriving there on 14th December, and covering the evacuation from V and W Beaches at Cape Helles.

HMS Hibernia arrived back at the Devonport Dockyard in February 1916 and, after a refit, rejoined the Grand Fleet in March. In October 1917, the ship returned to port and became an overflow accommodation ship. Read more about HMS Hibernia here. Robert Watkins ended his naval career as a Chief Petty Officer and transferred to the Royal Fleet Reserve on 5th March 1921.