A fine Great War D.S.O. and Bar group of nine awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel T. S. Eves, Royal Army Medical Corps, killed in action, 24 January 1944, when the hospital ship St. David was bombed and sunk by German aircraft off Anzio

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar, this engraved on reverse, ‘A/Lt. Col. T. S. Eves, R.A.M.C.’, silver-gilt and enamel, complete with top bar; 1914-15 Star (Capt., R.A.M.C.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Col.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45; Jubilee 1935, mounted for display, good very fine and better (9) £3000-3400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to the Medical Services formed by Colonel D.G.B. Riddick.

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D.S.O. London Gazette 1 January 1918.

Bar to D.S.O. London Gazette 26 July 1918. ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He was in charge of an advanced dressing station which was heavily shelled by the enemy and he personally and thoroughly carried out a complete change of organization. Later he was superintending the loading of ambulance cars near a railway bridge which was a special target for the enemy’s guns and although twice thrown over and bruised by bursting shells he stuck to his post till all the wounded had been evacuated. His fine performance under continuous shell fire till the enemy were almost upon him was a splendid example to all’.

M.I.D. London Gazette 13 July 1916, 24 December 1917, 30 December 1918.

Thomas Swan Eves was born in Donnybrook, Dublin on 31 March 1884. He qualified at Dublin University and Rotunda Hospital with a M.B., B.Ch., B.A.O. and L.M., after which he entered the R.A.M.C. as a Lieutenant in February 1908. Promoted to Captain in August 1911, he first saw active service in the Great War as Medical Officer to the 1st Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers during the Gallipoli campaign, 1915-16, and afterwards was attached to the Egypt Expeditionary Force, January-April 1916. He then served in France and Flanders until the end of the war, serving as Acting Major and Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel, August 1916-February 1919 after assuming command of No.36 Field Ambulance soon after his arrival. Three times mentioned in despatches, Eves was further rewarded with the D.S.O. and Bar. After the Armistice, he served in Germany as C.O. of No.139 Field Ambulance, June-October 1919. Promoted to Major in February 1920 and Lieutenant-Colonel in February 1933, he served in Egypt, 1921-26 and 1927-31 and India, 1931-36 - in the latter as C.O. of the B.M.H. Calcutta, 1934-36. He was then appointed C.O. of the Military Hospital at Holywood, Northern Ireland, 1936-39. During the Second World War he was C.O. of No.6 Hospital Ship, 1939-44. The hospital ship St. David was previously a Great Western Railway Packet Ship. Lieutenant-Colonel Eves was killed in action on 24 January 1944, when the ship was bombed and sunk by German aircraft 25 miles off the Anzio beach head; one of 57 to be killed in the attack. Sold with copied research and photographs.