A World War I period Royal Navy Crossing the Line certificate issued to Private Arthur J. Pitcher of the Royal Marine Light Infantry (RMLI). The document is titled FREEDOM OF THE SEA and is printed on paper with a decorative border of interlinked anchor chains and four corner illustrations of mermaids. Centered at the top is a naval crown, with a trident symbol and a stylized signature for Neptune at the bottom. The text is printed in a combination of blackletter script and handwritten ink. The inscriptions identify the recipient as Arthur J. Pitcher Pte: R.M.L.I. and the vessel as H.M.S. AFRICA, with the date 27th April 1917. During this time, HMS Africa, a King Edward VII-class battleship, was operating with the 9th Cruiser Squadron on Atlantic patrols and convoy escort duties based out of Sierra Leone. The certificate marks the traditional maritime ceremony of crossing the Equator, transitioning the sailor from a Pollywog to a Shellback.
Approximately 25.5 cm x 30.5 cm (10 x 12 inches) including frame.
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