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Auction: 21101 - Orders, Decorations and Medals e-Auction No. 2 - including Masonic Jewels
Lot: 76

Three: Lieutenant-Commander F. W. Gray, D.S.O., Royal Naval Reserve, who won his decoration for the sinking of UC-41

1914-15 Star (Lieut. F. W. Gray. R.N.R.); British War Medal 1914-20 (Lt. Commr. F. W. Gray. R.N.R.); France, Republic, Croix de Guerre, reverse dated '1914-1917', with Palme upon riband, good very fine (3)

D.S.O. Edinburgh Gazette 20 November 1917:

'For services in action with enemy submarines.'

Frederick William Gray, a native of Hull, was born in 1872 and was a Hull Trinity House Boy. Serving an apprenticeship on the Wilson Line, he got his Master's Certificate in 1897. By 1902 he was Captain of the Swanee and worked for the Anglo American Oil Company before the outbreak of the Great War. He was swiftly enlisted and soon earned a 'mention' (London Gazette 2 July 1917, refers), before earning his D.S.O. whilst commanding H.M.S. Jacinth for his part in the sinking of the UC-41 off the Tay Estuary. The UC-41 had sunk 18 ships totaling 19,587 tons, before being detected on 21 August 1917 due to an internal explosion of one of her mines. With Gray at the helm of Jacinth, she centred on UC-41 and sunk her with depth charges, with the loss of 27 hands. Besides the D.S.O., his Second-in-Command earned a D.S.C., Gray finished the War in the rank of Lieutenant-Commander.

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Sold for
£500

Starting price
£140