Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War monitor operations D.S.M. awarded to Blacksmith S. T. Smith, Royal Navy
Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (M. 2725 S. T. Smith, Blksh., H.M.S. Marshal Ney), edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise generally very fine £400-500

D.S.M. London Gazette 11 January 1916.

An award stemming from Vice-Admiral R. H. Bacon’s Dover Patrol despatch, dated 3 December 1915, in which he describes a successful bombardment of the enemy’s batteries at Middlekirke, Raversyde and Westande, on 19 September 1915, an operation much assisted by the 15-inch guns of the monitor, H.M.S. Marshal Ney:

The Marshal Ney’s log book entry for this date reads:
‘Left Dunkirk for action engaging enemy shore batteries, passing through Zuidcoote Pass, 0024 hours opened fire on shore battery. Under very heavy fire from shore batteries. Lost overboard, Arthur Pearson, A.B. 4690. Retired on H.M.S. Lord Clive.
1.00 Proceeded to engage shore batteries.
1.40 Opened fire
1.55 Under very heavy fire
2.00 Retired on Zuidcoote Pass
2.20 Enemy ceased firing
4.25 Proceeded to La Panne
5.03 Opened fire on the shore battery
5.30 Under fire from shore battery
5.40 Engines out of action. Taken in tow by Viking under fire. Course and speed as required for Dunkirk.
6.15 Enemy ceased firing.’

No finer tribute to the work of the Monitors can be found than that written by Admiral Sir Reginald Bacon in his 2-volume history The Dover Patrol 1915-17, in which he describes how they served ‘day and day about in patrolling the coast’ and how they regularly bombarded Zeebrugge and Ostend, in addition to providing protection against enemy Zeppelins en route to bomb targets in the south of England. The famous naval historian, Keble Chatterton, concluded that the monitors ‘were splendidly handled and were absolutely invaluable’ and their crews deserved ‘far more recognition than ever fell to them for their services during the war.’