Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Great War Falklands 1914 D.S.M. group of six awarded to Chief Petty Officer D. Leighton, Royal Navy, the senior naval rating to be decorated for this action

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (124238 D. Leighton, C.P.O., H.M.S. Kent); China 1900, no clasp (D. Leighton, C.P.O., H.M.S. Humber); 1914-15 Star (124238 D. Leighton, D.S.M., C.P.O., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (124238 D. Leighton, C.P.O., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (David Leighton, C.P.O., H.M.S. Humber), edge bruising, contact marks and polished, thus good fine (6) £2000-2500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Exceptional Naval and Polar Awards from the Collection of RC Witte.

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D.S.M. London Gazette 2 March 1915. Twelve awards of the D.S.M., for this action, Leighton being the most senior rating. The original recommendation states:

‘While the ship was under heavy fire, he went along the mess deck with Commander Bedford to A3 case mate where some charges were on fire. He pulled some burning bags out from the bag racks close to the case mate and played water on them.’

David Leighton was born in Kincardineshire in February 1868 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in September 1883. Having then gained advancement to the acting rank of Chief Petty Officer in February 1899, he served off China in H.M.S. Humber in the period July-September 1900, gaining one of just 103 Medals awarded to the ship. Adding the L.S. & G.C. Medal to his accolades in April 1901, he was discharged ashore in early 1906, when he joined the Royal Fleet Reserve.

Recalled on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he joined the cruiser Kent, and quickly saw action in the battle of the Falklands on 8 December. On that occasion, the Kent pursued and sank the enemy cruiser Nurnberg, but not before a spectacular duel in which Kent was hit on no less than 36 occasions and sustained casualties of five killed and 11 wounded, of whom three later succumbed to their injuries. And of all of these hits, the most dangerous was the one that set alight charges in a gun casement - a potential disaster averted by the bravery of Leighton, who was awarded the D.S.M., and a Sergeant in the Royal Marines, who was awarded the C.G.M. - three other ratings were also awarded the former decoration. The Nurnberg, her decks a mass of twisted metal, finally succumbed to a broadside of lyddite shells delivered from 3,000 yards range and all but a handful of her complement perished.

And three months later, on 15 March 1915, the Kent was present at the destruction of the Dresden, the only enemy ship to have escaped an earlier demise off the Falklands. In February 1916, Kent sailed to South Georgia to search, without success, for Shackleton and she eventually returned to Plymouth in January 1917.

Thereafter, Leighton was employed at a succession of shore bases and ended the War at Rosyth, where he was discharged for a final time in February 1919; sold with copied research.