Lloyd’s Medal for Saving Life at Sea, 2nd small type, silver (Captain G. F. W. Sim, D.S.C., S.S. “Blaydonian”, 31st May 1918) renamed, otherwise nearly extremely fine £100-150

D.S.C. London Gazette 7 August 1918. ‘The King has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of decorations and medals to the undermentioned Officers and Men of the Mercantile Marine in recognition of zeal and devotion to duty shown in carrying on the trade of the country during the war’ ‘Captain George Francis William Sim.’

Captain Sim was awarded his Lloyd's Medal and a cheque for £50 for his services on 25 May 1921.

On 31 May in 1918 the C-Class destroyer H.M.S. Fairy was escorting an East Coast convoy off Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire, when the merchant steamer Blaydonian (Captain Sim) sighted and rammed the German U boat, UC-75. The stricken U-boat surfaced only to be rammed twice more by H.M.S. Fairy. The submarine sank after the second impact, holed between her gun and conning tower. Two of the German crew escaped drowning by leaping onto the destroyer's forecastle. The collision took its toll on the destroyer as well and she foundered.

George Francis William Sim was born in Aberdeen on 4 November 1865. He died in 1926.

With a copy photograph of the recipient being presented with his Lloyd's Medal by the Mayor of South Shields, where Captain Sim resided and the coaster Blaydonian was built in 1915. With copy of recipient’s death certificate and other research.