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Auction: 22003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 155

The British War Medal awarded to Commander C. A. Peal, Royal Naval Reserve - who was in command of the Q-Ship Rhododendron when she was sunk by the U-70 on 5 May 1918

British War Medal 1914-20 (Lt. Commr. C. A. Peal. R.N.R.), minor official correction to unit, very fine

Charles Arthur Peal was born on 5 April 1881 and served Royal Naval Reserve. He served aboard H.M.A.S. Australia from 1 September 1915-15 December 1917, being attached to the Royal Australian Navy. Peal was made Lieutenant-Commander and placed in command of the Q-Ship H.M.S. Rhododendron in 1918.

On 5 May 1918 whilst she was on patrol off Westray, Orkney Islands, when at approximately 1630hrs there was an explosion aft. Peal was heading to check the damage when there was a second larger explosion 30 seconds after the first. It was found the entire stern of the vessel had gone. It was initially thought by the Commander it was a depth charge accident.

However, that was far from the truth. Twenty minutes after the two explosions the order was given to abandon ship. In the Court of Enquiry Peal stated that around thirty minutes after abandoning ship a U-boat surfaced, approached and then started questioning crew in one of the other lifeboats. Someone was in the conning tower scanning the lifeboats with binoculars and he was worried that the U-boat may be looking for him to take prisoner. He hid his jacket that he had given to a Stoker to wear.

The U-boat then manoeuvred around what was left of the stern of Rhododendron and fired five shells into the ship. At this time there were still men onboard as some of the lifeboats had proved unseaworthy and the crew had returned to Rhododendron. Peal stated he did not understand why they didn't open fire on the U-Boat.

Petty Officer Kensit in his evidence to the court gave a very interesting account of his interaction with the U-boat crew. He said he saw a periscope coming towards his lifeboat, the U-boat surfaced and approached them shouting questions. There were some issues with the language so Kensit was taken onboard the U-boat and taken to its Commander in the conning tower. He commented that the U-boat felt very steady underfoot and did not move much with the swell.

Kensit was asked where the Master of the vessel was which he replied that he was dead, Kensit was then given a pair of binoculars to check the other lifeboats to make sure that he was not in one of the other lifeboats.

The U-boat Commander then asked for the vessels name but could not understand the answer so Kensit wrote it down. Kensit then asked for the U-boats number but was told it was secret, he then asked how many torpedoes had been fired and was told one. Kensit was then asked what he thought the cause of the second explosion was which he answered maybe the magazine aft. Kensit was then asked the tonnage of ship which he answered 1000 ton which the U-boat Commander refused to believe. Kensit was then returned to the lifeboat and the U-boat left and fired some shots into the stern of Rhododendron before leaving the area.

Two trawlers were later seen and were signalled, which were the Boscobel and Kennymore. All the survivors were recovered and Boscobel was ordered to Kirkwall while Kennymore stood by the Rhododendron.

It later transpired that it was the U-70 of Kapitänleutnant Otto Wünsche who had been responsible. The bow section of Rhododendron remained afloat all night and was followed by the trawler Kennymore. There was a fire onboard and at 0600hrs there was a violent explosion from within the ship followed by a series of smaller ones. At 0930hrs it was decided to try and take the sloop in tow but as they approached the vessel it rolled over to starboard and sank. The wreck was located in 1995 using paper-trace side-scan sonar.


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Sold for
£110

Starting price
£40