GROUPS AND SINGLE DECORATIONS FOR GALLANTRY x39
A Great War ‘Dover Patrol’ D.S.M. awarded to Blacksmith S. T. Smith, Royal Navy DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL, G.V.R. (M.2725 S. T. Smith, Blksh. H.M.S. Marshal Ney) light pitting, nearly very fine
£600-800 D.S.M. London Gazette 11 January 1916.
Stephen Thomas Smith served as a Blacksmith in H.M.S. Marshal Ney during the Great War, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his services with Dover Patrol in 1915: ‘On the 19th September, with several vessels including H.M.S. Marshal Ney (Captain H. J. Tweedie), I carried out an attack against certain defences in the neighbourhood of Middlekirke, Raversyde, and Westande, which resulted in damaging and silencing the batteries. Valuable co-operation was received from the French batteries in the region of Niueport... Petty Officers and Men Specially Recommended... S. T. Smith, Blacksmith, “Marshal Ney”’ (Vice Admiral R. H. Bacon’s Despatch, published in the London Gazette, 11 January 1916, refers).
Marshal Ney’s Log Book for the afternoon of 19 September 1915, records the following: ‘Left Dunkirk for action engaging enemy shore batteries, passing through Zuidcoote Pass. 12:24 p.m. Opened fire on shore battery. Under very heavy fire from shore batteries. Retired on H.M.S. Lord Clive. 1:00 p.m. Proceeded to engage shore batteries. 1:40 p.m. Opened fire. 1:55 p.m. Under very heavy fire. 2:00 p.m. Retired on Zuidcoote Pass. 2:20 p.m. Enemy ceased firing. 4:25 p.m. Proceeded to La Panne 5:05 p.m. Opened fire on shore battery. 5:30 p.m. Under fire from shore batteries. 5:40 p.m. Engines out of action. Taken in tow by “Viking’ under fire. Course and speed as required for Dunkirk. 6:15 p.m. Enemy ceased firing.’
x40
A Great War D.S.M. awarded to Leading Stoker G. H. Bell, for gallantry when H.M.S. Botha engaged and sank the German torpedo boat A-19 before she was herself torpedoed by the French destroyer Capitaine Mehl with the loss of 13 men
DISTINGUISHED SERVICEMEDAL, G.V.R. (SS.105468. G. H. Bell, Ldg. Sto. “Botha” off Belgian Coast. 21. Mar. 1918.) good very fine
£600-800
D.S.M. London Gazette 21 June 1918: ‘For services in the action with enemy destroyers off the Belgian Coast on the 21st March 1918: Leading Stoker George Henry Bell, ON SS.105468 (Ch.).’ Nine medals and one bar awarded for this action.
On the 21st March 1918, off the Belgium coast, H.M.S. Botha was part of an Allied naval task force which engaged a German flotilla, comprised of nine destroyers and six large torpedo boats and four small torpedo boats. The allied naval task force was comprised of the British Monitors Terror, General Crauford and M-25 , the destroyers Botha, Morris, Matchless, Myngs, North Star and Swift. The British ships were accompanied by the French destroyers Capitaine Mehl, Bouclier, Oriflamme and Magon.
During the action Botha engaged the German torpedo boat A-19 with gunfire and then sank it by ramming. Unfortunately, as Botha was extricating herself from the sinking German ship she was mistakenly identified by the French destroyer Capitaine Mehl. The Frenchman thought that she was engaging a German destroyer and fired a torpedo which struck Botha causing quite serious damage and killing 13 of her crew. The French destroyer was about to continue the attack but fortunately realised her mistake and disengaged.
The engagement was a victory for the Allied naval task force. The German flotilla withdrew with the loss of two vessels and the only losses to the British and French vessels was that inflicted by the French destroyer on H.M.S. Botha.
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