Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A scarce Great War D.S.M. group of three awarded to Leading Seaman A. Phillips, Mercantile Marine (Australia)

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (A. Phillips, Ord. Sea. (M.M.) Arctic Ocean, 1 June 1917); British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals (A. Phillips, Australia 242), generally very fine or better (3) £700-900

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Small Collection of Medals to the Merchant Navy.

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D.S.M. London Gazette 17 November 1917:

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

Arthur Phillips, who was born in Cardiff in 1891, but afterwards settled in Stanthorpe, Queensland, was decorated for his gallantry on the occasion of the S.S. Cotovia’s engagement with an enemy submarine in the Arctic Ocean on 1 June 1917, most probably as a gunlayer. Hurd’s history of the Merchant Navy in the Great War states that the Cotovia ‘kept up a running fight upon the surface, controlling her fire carefully, and finally scoring a direct hit, after which the enemy gave up the chase.’ Having then continued on her voyage, the Cotovia was sunk by a mine on her return trip in the following month, two miles S.E. by E. from Auskerry, though happily all of her crew survived.

The ship’s Master, Captain F. H. Bryant, was awarded the D.S.C., in addition to the rare distinction of a Bar to his Lloyd’s Meritorious Service Medal; sold with research.