Orders, Decorations and Medals

Five: Chief Yeoman of Signals Douglas Smith, Royal Navy, severely wounded, mentioned in despatches and awarded the Russian Medal of St George for Bravery at the battle of Jutland

1914-15 Star (228073 G. Smith, L.Sig. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Y.S. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (228073 Douglas Smith, Yeo. Sig. H.M.S. Hecla); Russian Medal of St George for Bravery, 4th Class, the rveerse numbered ‘No. 1273192’, mounted as worn, polished, otherwise nearly very fine (5) £600-800

M.I.D. London Gazette 15 September 1916: ‘for good services in action in the North Sea 31 May-1 June 1916.’

Douglas Smith was born at Southwark, London, and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 1 September 1903. At the outbreak of war in 1914 he was serving aboard H.M.S. Vengeance, followed by Europa 1, Ark Royal and Russell. He survived the mining of the battleship Russell off Malta on 27 April 1916, when she was sunk with the loss of 120 officers and men. On 2 May 1916 he was taken onto the books of Pembroke 1, the naval accounting base at Chatham, and his papers do not record which ship he was serving aboard at Jutland. His papers, however, do state that he was commended for good services and severely wounded in action in the North Sea 31 May-1 June 1916. He became Yeoman of Signals in July 1917 and Chief Yeoman of Signals in May 1926. His Russian Medal of St George is confirmed on the roll compiled by John T. Mock, published in 1993. Sold with copy record of service.