Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 5019 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 182

An Outstanding 1917 ´North Sea´ D.S.M. to Trimmer H. Pearson, Royal Naval Reserve Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (ST.3000. H.Pearson, Trimr. R.N.R. H.M. Tr. Gaul. North Sea. 26.Apl.1917), edge bruise, otherwise nearly extremely fine Estimate £ 600-800D.S.M. London Gazette 20.7.1917 Trmr. Harry Pearson, R.N.R., O.N. 3000 ST. ´For services in action with enemy submarines.´ On the 24th April 1917, the Grimsby fishing fleet was at sea 10 miles north east by north of the Spurn. The fleet´s armed escort on this occasion consisted of two armed trawlers, the Gaul and the Margate. An enemy submarine was sighted four miles to the south west of the Gaul. The submarine, armed with two guns, immediately opened fire on the fishing trawler Mayfly. The Gaul sent an S.O.S. signal and rushed to the defence of the fishing trawler, engaging with the submarine for the next half an hour. In that time the Gaul managed to fire off 17 rounds, whilst she received five hits from the enemy, one of which was a direct hit on her gun, killing one of the gun crew and wounding another. The consistently accurate fire of the submarine continued to take a heavy toll, with the Skipper (J. Kime awarded a posthumous D.S.C.), the Second Engineman a Trimmer all being killed, whilst the Signalman was also wounded. The Gaul now taking on water, and without use of its gun was saved by the timely intervention of the Margate. After a valiant struggle which lasted an hour and a half against a foe that out gunned her 2 to 1, the Margate was sunk taking one officer and eleven men down with her. The fishing fleet itself suffered the loss of four ships, and would have undoubtedly have lost more had it not been for a heavy fog that covered its retreat back to port. The Gaul also managed to limp back to port, thanks to seven hours of continuous baling by four of the crew. (History of the Great War, The Merchant Navy, Volume III, by Sir A. Hurd, refers).

Sold for
£1,150