A Small Collection of Medals to the Merchant Navy

A fine Great War D.S.C. group of three awarded to Second Officer J. Mc D. Dunbar, Mercantile Marine, who was taken prisoner at sea

Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., hallmarks for London 1919; British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals (James Mc D. Dunbar), generally good very fine (3) £1200-1500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Small Collection of Medals to the Merchant Navy.

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D.S.C. London Gazette 17 March 1919:

‘In recognition of zeal and devotion to duty shown in carrying on the trade of the country during the War.’

James McDonald Dunbar, who was born in Kincardine in December 1886, was awarded the D.S.C. in respect of his gallant deeds on the occasion that the S.S. Caspian was engaged by U-34 on 20 May 1917. Hurd’s history of the Mercantile Marine in the Great War states:

‘A fight to the finish, which lasted for two hours, took place on the 20th, between the Caspian and a submarine, off the coast of Spain. Unhappily the Caspian’s 13-pounder was out ranged by the guns of the submarine, and while the ship was hit eight times and suffered heavy damage, she expended all of her ammunition, 100 rounds, without ever reaching her opponent. The Master and five of the crew were directly killed by gunfire, and altogether 25 lives were lost, including some firemen who died from exposure in the boats. The Chief Engineer, Second Officer (Mr. Dunbar), and a Gunner were made prisoners, and the ship was finally sunk by a torpedo.’

Having been removed from one of the life boats by U-34’s commander, Dunbar, and the Chief Engineer, Ernest Crafter, were landed at the enemy submarine’s base at Cattaro in Montenegro, and transported thence to the Offizer-Gefasngenlager Strohen, near Sulingen, where they remained incarcerated for the remainder of the War.

Invested with his D.S.C. at St. James’s Palace on 18 October 1919, Dunbar returned to his career at sea and is known to have applied for his Master’s ticket in 1930; sold with research, including a number of photocopies of documents pertinent to the recipient’s career.