Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Able Seaman W. A. Carter, Royal Naval Reserve and Mercantile Marine, who was wounded whilst serving in H.M.S. Cornwallis during the Gallipoli landing on 25 April 1915, on which date Midshipman Malleson, of the Cornwallis, was awarded the Victoria Cross, and was subsequently awarded the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Marines Royal Benevolent Society’s silver medal for a gallant rescue in the English Channel on 23 October 1937

1914-15 Star (A.5190, W. A. Carter, Smn., R.N.R.); British War and Victory Medals (5190A. W. A. Carter. Smn. R.N.R.); Royal Naval Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (4763D. W. A. Carter Smn. R.N.R.); Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners Royal Benevolent Society, silver (W. Carter. A.B. S.S. “St. Briac” October 23. 1937.) with double-dolphin suspension, good very fine and better (5) £400-£500

William Alfred Carter was born in Tollesbury, Essex, on 31 July 1891 and joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 18 October 1913. He served during the Great War in H.M.S. Cornwallis and was wounded in action ‘sustaining a gun shot wound to the left elbow, fractured arm’, on 25 April 1915, the first day of the Gallipoli Landings, when the Cornwallis acted as the landing ship for the South Wales Borderers, before going onto support the landings from the River Clyde. Numerous acts of gallantry were performed by the crew of the Cornwallis, which resulted in the award of the Victoria Cross to Midshipman Malleson, as well as two Distinguished Service Orders; five Distinguished Service Crosses; one Conspicuous Gallantry Medal; and five Distinguished Service Medals. Total casualties were 16 killed in action and 46 wounded.

Carter recovered from his wounds and went onto serve in H.M.S. Jupiter and various Defensively Armed Merchant Ships until being demobilised in 1919. He was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 22 May 1929. Remaining in the Mercantile Marine, he was awarded the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Marines Royal Benevolent Society’s silver medal for the rescue of four men from the yacht Tess on 23 October 1937. A local newspaper carried the following account:

‘Four men were rescued from the 60 ton yacht Tess when she was sinking in the Channel on Saturday by the Southern Railway Steamer St. Briac and arrived at Southampton yesterday. The St. Briac was delayed by the gale and did not reach Southampton from Havre until six hours after her scheduled time. Captain P. Lewis, the Commander of the St. Briac, said he had to launch a lifeboat to take the men off the yacht, which was then almost at the point of foundering.

Mr. McBain, one of the four men rescued, said, “We went over to Havre to bring the boat back to Poole for Mr. Bonham-Christie, who had bought her and left again on Friday night. All three engines were put out of action by water. We were nearly waist deep in spite of baling and the yacht then took a list to starboard. We sent up flares and as a last hope soaked a mattress in petrol on deck and set it alight. This was fortunately seen by the St. Briac”.’

Carter, along with five crew mates who manned the lifeboat with the Chief Officer, Mr. D. Denny, and the Captain of the St. Briac, Mr. P. Lewis, were presented their Shipwrecked Fishermen and Marines Royal Benevolent Society’s medals at a presentation by the Mayor of Southampton on board the St. Briac at Southampton on 22 December 1937. They were also awarded The Emil Robin award as they were judged to have carried out the bravest rescue of the year.

Sold with copied research.