Orders, Decorations and Medals

Four: Skipper A. E. Sayers Royal Naval Reserve.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS, G.V.R.; 1914-15 STAR TRIO (Skr., R.N.R.), together with Bronze Memorial plaque, extremely fine (5)

D.S.C. London Gazette 13th September, 1915. The following extract is taken from 'The Auxiliary Patrol' by E. Keble-Chatterton:- ‘The Peterhead trawlers, while on patrol in July, 1915, had a meeting with a U-Boat. The Searanger, Cameo and EasiwardHo were off the same coast when Cameo 'sighted a submarine, made for her, and informed the others. The enemy began firing with his gun and tried to get round Cameo's stern, but Skipper Albert Sayers cleverly outmanoeuvred him and opened fire with nothing better than a 3-pounder against the enemy's 3.4-inch plus one other gun. A shell came, struck the Cameo's wheel house, passed through the steel plating, smashed the upper part of the ship's wheel and passed out of the open door at the after-side of the wheelhouse. It was a pretty narrow escape from death for Skipper Sayers, who was wounded in his right side and eye, but he remained at his post steering with the remainder of the wheel in his hand. A second shot struck 'Cameo 'on the starboard quarter just above the deck and a third exploded inside the galley, wrecking it. Owing to the direction of the wind Eastward Ho heard neither the firing nor Cameo's whistle, but saw the splash of the shells, so made for the submarine after the engagement had been going on for a quarter of an hour. But the submarine at once ceased firing, and made off at high speed on the surface. For his plucky conduct Skipper Sayers was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross and the gunner a D.S.M.’ Skipper Albert Edward Sayers, D.S.C., R.N.R. was killed by a mine explosion in the English Channel on 18th January 1918, whilst serving on H.M. Trawler 'Gambri'. He was forty-seven years old. Skipper Sayers's name is inscribed on the Naval Memorial at Chatham.