A scarce silver S.G.M. group of six awarded to Gunner S. C. A. Smith, Royal Navy, for services at the wreck of the Delhi, 1911, who was shot dead by an Arab fanatic on 1 February 1915

Sea Gallantry Medal, G.V.R., silver (Samuel Charles A. Smith, R.N. “Delhi” 13 Dec. 1911); Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Persian Gulf 1909-1914 (Gunr. S. C. A. Smith, R.N., H.M.S. Mashona); 1914-15 Star (Gnr., S. C. A. Smith, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Gnr. S. C. A. Smith, R.N.); Royal Humane Society Medal, small, bronze (successful) (Samuel C. A. Smith, R.N. 15th Dec. 1911) with bronze buckle on detached ribbon; Memorial Plaque (Samuel Charles Arthur Smith); together with dress miniature medals of the Sea Gallantry and the Royal Humane Society Medals, good very fine and better (9) £1800-2000

Samuel Charles Arthur Smith was born in Ashted, Birmingham on 19 October 1877, the son of Samuel and Alice Smith. A Printer by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on St. Vincent on 6 December 1892 and was advanced to Boy 1st Class in May 1894. When on Redpole he was promoted to Ordinary Seaman in October 1895 and to Able Seaman in May 1896. He was promoted to Leading Seaman in September 1898 when on Excellent and to Petty Officer 1st Class in September 1901 when on Nymphe. On 28 August 1900 Smith, then 22 years of age, married Miriam Caroline Louisa Cappa, aged 21 years, at Kingston Church, Portsea, Portsmouth. Smith was advanced to Acting Gunner in September 1905 when at Victory I and was confirmed in that rank on 4 May 1906.

He was posted to the battleship London in August 1911. Serving aboard the vessel he was involved in the rescue operations at the wreck of the S.S. Delhi, stranded during a gale on the coast of Morocco, near Cape Spartel, on 13 December 1913. Amongst the passengers were the Duke and Duchess of Fife (The Princess Royal) and their two daughters which only gave further urgency to a grave situation. His service papers record, ‘Great zeal shown in assisting in removal of passengers and crew from “Delhi” wrecked off Algerian coast.’ For his notable services during the five-day rescue operations, Smith was awarded the Sea Gallantry Medal in silver. For his actions on 15 December he was awarded the Royal Humane Society Medal in bronze -

‘At 3 p.m. on the 15th December, 1911, as the Lascars were being landed from the wrecked steamer “Delhi” near Cape Spartel, Morocco, one of them was washed away by the rough sea. S. C. A. Smith, gunner, H.M.S. “London,” swam after him and succeeded in getting him back to the “Delhi,” where they were hauled on board.’ (R.H.S. case no. 38838).

Smith was presented with his S.G.M. by King George V on 10 October 1912. For the ‘Delhi’ rescue operations, eight S.G.M’s. were awarded in silver and 54 were awarded in bronze; in addition, eight gold ‘Foreign Services’ medals were awarded.

After leaving H.M.S. London in March 1912, Gunner Smith was appointed to St. George for service with torpedo boat flotillas, June 1912-November 1913. In November 1913 he was appointed to the armed launch Mashona for operations in the Persian Gulf (44 medals to R.N. personnel and 66 to Indian ratings). He joined the R.I.M. ship Comet in the Persian Gulf on 1 January 1915, but was shot dead by an Arab fanatic on 1 February 1915. Gunner Smith was buried in the Basra War Cemetery. At the time of his death, his wife was living at ”Eastfield”, 3 Keswick Avenue, Copnor, Portsmoth.

With original Birth and Marriage Certificates; a letter to his wife, Miriam, signed “Charlie”, dated 18 October 1914; a letter to his wife from the Admiralty dated 4 February 1915, expressing their regret at his death; together with a folder containing detailed research. An account relating to the man and his medals was published in Family Tree Magazine, January 2005 (with lot).