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Auction: 14002 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 79

A Rare Great War 'Konigsberg' D.S.M. to Stoker 2nd Class R. Thompson, H.M.S. Mersey, Royal Navy
Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (SS105721. R. Thompson, Sto.2Cl. H.M.S. Mersey.), edge bruising, good very fine

D.S.M. London Gazette 8.12.1915 Stoker (2nd Class) Richard Thompson, O.N. 105721, H.M.S. Mersey
'In recognition of services on the occasion of the operations against the "Konigsberg".'

At the outbreak of the First World War the German light cruiser Konigsberg was based at Dar-es-Salaam, German East Africa. On the 31st July 1914, she left harbour prepared for a long period at sea. For six days she was lost to sight, but on the 6th August she captured the steamship City of Winchester bound from Colombo to England with a cargo of tea valued at £250,000. The prize was escorted to Makalla, on the Arabian coast, where her passengers were transferred to the armed German merchantman Zieten. Her coal and stores were shared between the two German ships and the City of Winchester was scuttled.

The Konigsberg again disappeared, this time for about seven weeks until on the 20th September she appeared off Zanzibar and destroyed H.M.S. Pegasus, which was undergoing boiler repairs in the port. It was not until nearly another seven weeks had elapsed that she was reported by H.M.S. Chatham to be lying in a branch of the Rufiji River, screened by the forest. In order to prevent her escape the steamship Newbridge was sunk across the channel. Meanwhile the crew of the Konigsberg posted snipers and machine-guns in the jungle to hold off a land attack. An aeroplane was brought into use and was successful in directing the British gunners so that they were able to shell the ship at long range. Shortly after it had performed this service it was shot down by the Germans.

The destruction of the ship proved a tough proposition and the cruisers H.M.S. Weymouth, Fox, Cornwall, Pyramus, and Pioneer were employed in the blockade at various times. She was eventually destroyed by the monitors H.M.S. Mersey and Severn, sent from Malta. On the 6th July 1915, the bombardment by these ships began, aided by four seaplanes as spotters, and on the 11th July the Konigsberg was destroyed. The survivors of her crew escaped into the jungle and united with the German East African force.


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