A Great War D.S.M. awarded to Deck Hand Arthur Reilly, Royal Naval Reserve, for services in action with enemy submarines in the Bristol Channel

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (S.D.1133 A. Reilly, Dk. Hd. R.N.R. Bristol Channel. 22 Dec. 1917) very fine £600-800

D.S.M. London Gazette 22 February 1918: ‘For services in action with enemy submarines’.

Possibly awarded for services when S.S. Hunsbrook was torpedoed by a U-boat in the Bristol Channel on 22 December 1917, the ship being successfully beached with the loss of three lives.

Arthur Reilly was born in Wicklow, Ireland, on 15 July 1882, and enrolled into the Royal Naval Reserve on 28 May 1915. He was serving in the Idaho from 6 November 1917, a steam yacht requisitioned by the Navy in April 1915 and fitted with a machine gun for use as a patrol vessel, based at Milford Haven. Lieutenant A. J. Mackenzie, R.N.V.R., of the Idaho, won the D.S.C. on the same occasion. It is noted on Reilly’s record of service that he deserted on 1 May 1918 and that he ‘voluntarily surrendered’ at Milford Haven on 17 May. He was duly awarded 60 days imprisonment with hard labour in Carmarthen Gaol. Sold with copied record of service.