Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War armed merchant cruiser operations D.S.M. group of five awarded to Private W. Reynolds, Royal Marines Light Infantry

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (PLY. 6548 Pte.W. Reynolds, R.M.L.I., H.M.S. Cedric); 1914-15 Star (PLY. 6548 Pte., R.M.L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (PLY. 6748 Pte., R.M.L.I.), note slight difference in number; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (PLY. 6548 Private, R.M.L.I.), good very fine and better (5) £800-1000

D.S.M. London Gazette 7 August 1915: ‘For services in patrol cruisers since the outbreak of war.’

William Reynolds was born in Norfolk in November 1874 and enlisted in the Royal Marines Light Infantry at Norwich in July 1893. Enjoying a number of seagoing appointments over the next two decades, he was awarded the L.S. & G.C. Medal in September 1908 and was discharged in July 1914 in the rank of Private. Mobilised shortly afterwards, he served aboard the armed merchant cruiser (ex White Star Line) Cedric from December of the same year until January 1916, largely on the Northern Blockade, and aboard another armed merchant cruiser, the Teutonic, from the latter date until February 1917, when he came ashore to an appointment in the Plymouth Division, R.M.L.I. Reynolds - who was paid a salvage award for the S.S. San Tirso in August 1918 - was demobilised as a Private in February 1919.