On May 27, 1915, the Royal Navy battleship HMS Majestic was torpedoed by a German U-boat off Gallipoli. The ship capsized, killing 49 crew members. More than a century later, the wreck still lies in the shallow waters off Cape Helles, now part of Turkey’s Gallipoli Historic Underwater Park.
This gold memorial locket commemorates the sinking, with the emblem of the Royal Marines and their motto, Per mare et terram (“By sea and by land”), on the front. The reverse is engraved “27th May 1915 H.M.S. Majestic.” Made to hold a photograph, this deeply personal jewel was likely commissioned by someone with a connection to the ship or one of its crew members.
MATERIALS: 15k gold (marked), glass lens, new 14k gold chain
AGE: c. 1915
CONDITION: Very good
SIZE: 1 1/8" length including the bale, 7/8" diameter, 18" chain