Royal Navy Gun Tompion from HMS Windsor

HMS Windsor, pennant number F12 was of the V/ W class destroyer of 1,100 tons, launched in 1918. She was based at Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands, from where she served for the rest of World War and was present at the surrender of the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet in November 1918. Her pennant number was changed between the wars to D 42 and she served with distinction throughout WWII, winning Battle Honours for the Atlantic 1939–1940, Dunkirk 1940, Arctic Convoys 1942, English Channel 1942–1943, North Sea 1942–1945 and Operation Overlord and the invasion of Normandy in 1944. During Operation Dynamo, the evacuation from Dunkirk, Windsor came under repeated attack but still made an amazing 6 trips and in total safely evacuated 3,991 of the stranded troops. She was then back off the coast of France for the invasion or Normandy in 1944 on convoy escort duties. Following the Japanese surrender she was decommissioned and broken up in Charlestown, Fife, Scotland, in June 1949 after 27 years of outstanding, and predominantly wartime, service.

Windsor was a 'W' Class Destroyer and following the Warship Week National Savings campaign in March 1942 she was adopted by the Urban District of Windsor, Berkshire who raised an impressive £300,000. We assume the ships badge features the famous Royal residence of Windsor Castle. The earlier 'V' Class proved to be a sturdy, reliable workhorse with sufficient stability to carry a heavier gun armament which led to the modified 'W' class on which the 4" guns were replaced with 4.7" to produce what were the fastest and most heavily armed destroyers in the world at that time. Our tompion measures 4.5" diameter (12 cm) so would have been fitted to a 4.7" gun. It is mounted on a more recent oak display shield and is cast from a substantial piece of solid brass, depicting a Kings Crown in relief. This design forms the top section of HMS Windsor's ships badge that features a silver castle, surmounted by the same Royal Crown, set against a red field, as shown for illustrative purposes only in our picture section. The official design was submitted and approved in November 1919 and likewise the ships motto "Stat fortuna domus" which translates to "May the fortune of the House stand". Below the tompion is an engraved plaque with the ships name, whilst on the reverse is a label indicating 'Gun tompion from the forward gun turret of HMS Windsor (acquired) on the ships visit to Bristol in 1936'. How this piece of Royal Naval (and His Majesty's) property came to part company with the ship 88 years ago is lost in the mists of time, but we surmise this 'loss of inventory' might be defined in retail terms as 'shrinkage'?

Whatever the story this is a rare survivor from an outstanding vessel and is the first item we have been able to acquire from HMS Windsor in the quarter of a century we have been trading and it remains in excellent original condition. Small but beautifully formed, it is definitely a one off that we are most unlikely ever to be able to repeat. It could make the ideal Christmas present for the naval collector in your life.