Orders, Decorations and Medals

A good Great War anti-submarine operations D.S.M. group of three awarded to Carpenter G. R. Pidd, Mercantile Marine

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (Carpenter G. R. Pidd, Atlantic Ocean, 10 March 1917); British War and Mercantile Marine Medals (George R. Pidd), the first with repaired and re-pinned suspension and severe edge bruise, nearly very fine or better, and rare to the Mercantile Marine (3) £1200-1500

D.S.M. London Gazette 12 May 1917:

‘In recognition of zeal and devotion to duty shown in carrying on the trade of the country during the War.’

George Richard Pidd was decorated for his gallant work on the S.S. Aracataca’s 12-pounder during an encounter with an enemy submarine off the Irish coast in March 1917. The official history of the Mercantile Marine takes up the story:

‘On 10 March, the Aracataca, on her way to Liverpool from Costa Rica, was nearing the Irish coast, when at 1 p.m. an enemy submarine opened fire upon her from astern. The Master (Mr. John H. Scudamore) had carefully rehearsed his officers and crew for such an encounter, and returned fire with his 12-pounder, firing altogether 40 rounds in reply to 35 from the submarine. Three times the ship was hit, the second shot from the submarine passing through the firemen’s quarters, killing one man and injuring four others. Another shell struck the bridge, between the Master and the Second Officer, injuring the latter; the third passed through the funnel and wrecked the galley. The Master successfully dodged the remainder of the shots by his coolness and skilful navigation, noting the position of each splash, and zigzagging accordingly. He was well seconded by everyone on board, and in his report of the encounter he gave special praise to the Chief Steward for his first aid to the wounded, and to the two gunners, one of whom was the ship’s carpenter [Pidd], for their effective handling of the gun from a particularly exposed position. Some three-quarters of an hour after the attack commenced, a British war vessel arrived to give assistance, but already the submarine’s gun had been silenced for minutes, and the Aracataca had registered at least one hit. The merchant ship had out-manoeuvred and out-fought the submarine before help came to her.’