Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Family group:

A Great War ‘Belgian Coast’ D.S.M. awarded to Chief Stoker A. Greenway, Royal Navy
Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (291090 A. Greenway, Ch. Sto. Belgian Coast 1917)

1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals, these unnamed; together with a F.W. Woolworth & Co. Ltd. Medal, for 21 Years Faithful Service (1930 M. Greenway 1951) silver, gold and enamel, in fitted case of issue; Association of Conservative Clubs Medal (R. Greenway 1937), gilt and enamel, with enamelled ‘Five Years’ slip bar and ‘Distinguished Service’ brooch bar, in damaged card box of issue, good very fine and better (7) £500-550

D.S.M. London Gazette 24 April 1918. ‘The following awards have been approved for operations on the Belgian Coast’.

Alexander Greenway was born in Dudley, Worcestershire on 30 August 1879. A Labourer by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class on 2 January 1899. He was advanced to Stoker when on Polyphemus in April 1900 and was promoted to Leading Stoker in June 1906; Stoker Petty Officer 2nd Class in July 1906 and Stoker Petty Officer in July 1907, all when serving on Kent. Greenway was given the rank of Acting Chief Stoker in October 1913 when on Agamemnon. With the onset of war he was based at Dido (depot ship for destroyers at Harwich) serving on Lawford, April 1914-September 1915, being confirmed as Chief Stoker in October 1914. He reverted to Stoker Petty Officer in May 1915 but regained the rank in August 1917 when based at Attentive II, serving on the destroyer Melpomene. He served on Melpomene, January 1917-April 1919 - the vessel being built for the Greek Navy, originally to be named Samos, was purchased from the Greeks in August 1914. With copied service papers.