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Auction: 24001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 129

A superb 'Minelaying 1916' D.S.M., Second World War B.E.M. group of six awarded to Chief Armourer T. Anthony, Royal Navy, who served in that capacity aboard Princess Margaret for three years during the Great War

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (342614. T. Anthony, Ch. Armr. H.M.S. Princess Margaret.); British Empire Medal, G.VI.R. (Teleford Anthony. D.S.M.); 1914-15 Star (342614. T. Anthony. Ch. Amr., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (342614 T. Anthony. Ch. Arm. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (342614 Teleford Anthony, Chief Armourer., H.M.S. Naiad.), mounted as worn, contact marks, overall very fine (6)

D.S.M. London Gazette 1 January 1916, ADM137/1103/201, states:

'H.M.S. Princess Margaret Minelaying 1915. For services in connection with minelaying in enemy waters. One of four DSMs awarded to the crew of HMS Princess Margaret for five operations including operations "OQ" and "CY"'

B.E.M. London Gazette 15 June 1945.

Telford Anthony was born at Gosport and 23 December 1880. He enlisted on 1 March 1899 and was first posted afloat with Mars in 1902 and promoted Armourer in 1904. He was stationed with the minesweeper Speedwell when advanced Chief Armourer on 15 April 1911.

Stationed with the obsolete cruiser Naiad at the outbreak of the Great War Anthony served with her for the first year of the conflict. Transferring to Princess Margaret on 9 March 1915 he was to serve with her for the rest of the war. As Chief Armourer he was heavily involved in the minelaying operations of the ship which was to deploy over 25,000 mines in the course of the War. This was more than any other Allied ship, making Princess Margaret one of the most effective minelayers of the war.

Posted ashore on 24 November 1918 he was demobilised on 5 March 1921. Anthony settled Portsmouth where he married and had a daughter named Ivy. He continued to put his engineering skills to good use as a Laboratory Mechanic with an Admiralty Outstation. During the Second World War his daughter joined the ARP and lost an eye in a bombing raid but returned to work again just a few nights later. Anthony was awarded the B.E.M. for his work as a Laboratory Mechanic with the Admiralty; sold together with copied medal rolls, service papers, London Gazette extracts and blog posts on H.M.S. Princess Magaret as well as a copied extract from the Portsmouth Evening News.

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Sold for
£1,400

Starting price
£1000