Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas (Part I)

The Great War C.G.M. group of seven awarded to Officer’s Steward R. J. Starling, for gallantry in action in the Q ship Stock Force on the occasion that Lieutenant Harold Auten won the Victoria Cross

Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, G.V.R. (L.6027. R. J. Starling, Off. Std. 2Cl. English Channel. 30th July 1918) some official corrections to location; British War and Victory Medals (L.6027 R. J. Starling, O.S. 2. R.N.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Efficiency Medal, Territorial, G.VI.R., with two additional service bars (2217345 Cpl. R. J. Starling, R.E.); France, 3rd Republic, Medaille Militaire, mounted for display, good very fine (7) £10,000-£14,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas.

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Douglas-Morris Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, February 1997.

C.G.M. London Gazette 14 September 1918.

Medal Militaire London Gazette 17 March 1919.

The ‘Q’ Ship H.M.S. Stock Force, also known as Charyce, under the command of Lieutenant Harold Auten, D.S.C., R.N., was torpedoed by the U.98 at 5pm on 30 July 1918. The torpedo struck the ship abreast of No. 1 hatch, entirely wrecking the fore part of the ship including the bridge, and wounding three ratings. Officer’s Steward Starling was pinned under the wreckage of the foremost gun, his head gashed, his jaw smashed and one arm sprained. A tremendous shower of planks, unexploded shells, hatches and other debris followed the explosion, wounding the first lieutenant, Lieutenant E. J. Gray, and the navigating officer Lieutenant L. E. Workman, and adding to the injuries of the foremost gun’s crew and a number of other ratings. The ship settled down forward, flooding the foremost magazine and between decks to the depth of about three feet. The ‘Panic party’, in the charge of Lieutenant Workman, immediately took to the boat and abandoned ship, and the wounded were removed to the lower deck, where the surgeon, working up to his waist in water, attended to their injuries. Meanwhile Auten, two gun’s crews and the engine-room staff, remained at their posts.

The submarine came to the surface ahead of the ship half a mile distant, and remained there a quarter of an hour, apparently watching the ship for any doubtful movement. The ‘Panic party’ in the boat accordingly commenced to row back to the ship in an endeavour to decoy the submarine within the range of the hidden guns. The submarine followed, coming slowly down the side of Stock Force, about 300 yards away. Lieutenant Auten, however, withheld his fire until she was abeam, when both of his guns could bear. Fire was opened at 5.40pm; the first shot carried away one of the periscopes, and the second hit the conning tower, blowing it away and throwing the occupants high in the air. The next round struck the submarine on the waterline tearing her open following which the enemy subsided several feet into the water and her bows rose. She thus presented a large and immobile target into which Stock Force poured shell after shell until the submarine sank by the stern, leaving a quantity of debris on the water.

During the whole of the action, Officer’s Steward Starling remained pinned down under the foremost gun after the explosion of the torpedo, and remained there cheerfully and without complaint, although the ship was slowly sinking under him.

The Stock Force was a ship of 360 tons, and despite the severity of the shock sustained by the officers and men, she was kept afloat by the exertions of her ship’s crew until 9.25pm. She then sank with colours flying, and the officers and men were taken off by two torpedo boats and a trawler. The action is cited as one of the finest ever fought by a ‘Q’ Ship, and the well-deserved award of the Victoria Cross to the Lieutenant Harold Auten, D.S.C. was announced in the London Gazette on 14 September 1918. Officer’s Steward Starling survived the action and was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal.

Sold with copied extract from “Q” Boat Adventures, by Lieut.-Commander Harold Auten, V.C., R.N.R., covering this action.