Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry 34 Sold by order of the family


The remarkable Great War D.S.C. group of three awarded to Captain Robert Hughes, Mercantile Marine, Master of the S.S. Woodfield when attacked and sunk by U-38 off the coast of Morocco on 3 November 1915; following a 2 hour pursuit under constant shell-fire, during which eight men were killed and fourteen wounded, including Captain Hughes in the right leg and shoulder, the survivors abandoned ship in four small rafts, all of which reached the Moroccan shore, whereupon all were captured and interned for ‘the duration of the war’ but eventually escaped and made their way to Gibraltar


Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., the reverse hallmarked London 1918, in its Garrard & Co. Ltd. case of issue; British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals (Robert Hughes) nearly extremely fine (3)


£1,800-£2,200


D.S.C. London Gazette 17 January 1919: ‘Captain Robert Hughes, Mercantile Marine. For carrying on trade.’


The following letter, dated London, 17 December 1918, was sent by the Admiralty, Whitehall, to Messrs. Woods Tylor & Brown, 44 Leadenhall Street, London E.C.3., owners of the Woodfield:


‘Gentlemen, I am commanded by My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to inform you that they have under consideration a report of the sinking of your S.S. “WOODFIELD” (Captain Robert Hughes) by an enemy submarine on the 3rd November, 1915. At 7.45 A.M. on that date two shots were fired at the ship from a Northerly direction, and fell about 100 yards ahead of the ship. A submarine was then sighted 3-4 miles off flying signal “Abandon ship immediately”. The course was altered to bring the submarine astern, ensign hoisted, and fire returned, although the shots from a 3 pounder gun fell 1-1.5 miles short. Submarine and ship continued action for two hours firing respectively about 50 and 30 rounds, and from then onwards nearly every shell found its mark. One burst in the soldiers’ quarters killing four men; another near the bridge fatally wounding the Carpenter and wounding the Master in the right leg and shoulder. At 9.45 A.M. when eight men had been killed and fourteen wounded, including the Gunners, the Master decided to stop and get some of the boats away, and ceased fire. The Chief Officer was directed to get everyone away except the senior Gunner (Phillips). The Master then ordered Phillips to come aft with him to man the gun, but found that he (Phillips) was too seriously wounded to do so. The submarine now ceased firing, submerged and about twenty minutes later torpedoed the ship amidships. The Master, Senior Gunner and a soldier named Wand who had his arm broken but had stayed on board with his chum who was fatally wounded, and had just died, were the only persons on board at this time. These three put two rafts over the side and all managed to get on one. It was however too small for three, so the Master although badly wounded in the leg and shoulder jumped overboard and swam about sixty yards to the other. The ship was boarded by one of the submarine’s crew for the ship’s papers, and two more shots were fired into her and she sank at 10.30 A.M. All survivors reached shore in the ship’s boats.


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