Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War D.S.O. group of eight awarded to Commander Daniel McDowell, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., reverse cypher loose; 1914-15 Star (Lt. Commr. D. McDowell. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Commr. D. McDowell. R.N.); Defence and War Medals; French Croix de Guerre 1914-1917, with two bronze palms; Spain, Order of Civil Merit, Commander’s neck badge, silver and enamels, some enamel damage but generally very fine or better (8) £1200-1500

D.S.O. London Gazette 1 January 1917: ‘In recognition of bravery and devotion to duty during minesweeping operations.’

Croix de Guerre London Gazette 30 November 1917: ‘For distinguished services rendered during the war.’

Order of Civil Merit of Spain, Commander, London Gazette 18 February 1949: ‘Commander Daniel McDowell, D.S.O., R.N. (Retired), honorary Vice-Consul of Spain at Fowey.’

Daniel McDowell was educated in H.M.S. Conway and H.M.S. Britania and went to sea as a Naval Cadet in H.M.S. Gibraltar in 1896. Promoted Sub-Lieutenant, 1900; Lieutenant, 1902; Lieutenant-Commander 1910. As Sub-Lieutenant of H.M.S. Excellent was stationed with the guard of honour at Windsor during the funeral of Queen Victoria, 2 February 1901. Specialised in Physical Training at R.N. Barracks, Portsmouth, 1906; was Mine-Sweeping during the whole of the Great War, in command of Speedwell and Aries II; was notified in French Army Orders and awarded the French Croix de Guerre, November 1917; commanded Delphinium in the Mine Clearance Service, May 1919, and was Senior Officer of Sheerness Mine-Sweeping Trawlers in H.M. Trawler Aries II, attached H.M.S. Actaeon, Sheerness. He retired with the rank of Commander at his own request in 1923.

McDowell was Spanish Vice-Consul in Fowey from 1926 until his death in 1949. He was recalled to service during the Second World War and was Consular Shipping Adviser at Antwerp from 5 April 1940 until the German invasion of Holland on 10 May 1940. One of the last to leave Antwerp, he returned to England aboard H.M.S. Bulldog. Thereafter he was employed as an extended Defence Officer, responsible for anti-submarine booms, minefields and coastal defence generally in the Firth of Forth, May to August 1940, and at Dover, September 1940 to March 1942; R.N. Officer at Huntstanton, Norfolk, March to September 1942, and at Akureyri, Iceland, from November 1942 to January 1943; Maintenance Commander, Weymouth, February 1943 to April 1944; Officer Commanding R.N. base, Weymouth (H.M.S. Boscawen), April to October 1944. Commander McDowell died from a cerebral haemorrhage on 27 September 1949. Sold with additional research including copied service record, copied portrait photograph and others of ships he served on, and an interesting letter from his son which gives further background details.