Orders, Decorations and Medals

An exceptional Great War ‘Q-Ship’ D.S.C. group of three awarded to Lieutenant N. F. Smiles, Royal Naval Reserve

Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R.; 1914-15 Star (Lieut., R.N.R.); Victory Medal 1914-19 (Lieut., R.N.R.) good very fine or better (3) £600-800

D.S.C. London Gazette 17 November 1917.

Nicholas Frederick Smiles served aboard the Q-ship Stonecrop, alias Glenfoyle which on the 17 September 1917 successfully engaged and sank the U88, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Schweiger, who, when in command of U20, had been responsible for sinking the Lusitania on. The following day Stonecrop was herself hit by a torpedo from a German submarine, and began to sink quickly necessitating the order to ‘abandon ship.’

The following is extracted from Danger Zone - The Story of The Queenstown Command, by E. Keble Chatterton: ‘Owing to one of the life boats being smashed in the explosion, there was accomodation in the remaining boats for only 44 men, but 23 (including Lieutenant Smiles) managed to climb on some floating timbers. Smiles was First Lieutenant, and his conduct is an amazing example of pluck, patience, enterprise, and good leadership, such as could scarce be excelled in the annals of seafaring. The planks were now collected by the boats, and under his supervision were lashed into a crude raft. At 6pm Lieutenant Booth in one boat was ordered to sail off in the direction of Berehaven to summon assistance; for there had been no chance of sending out an S.O.S.. Throughout that afternoon Smiles’ was a perfect example of self help, as he toiled about in the water fixing up this impossible ocean raft, and finished his job as night came on.

The first boat, under Booth, with one officer and twenty men was rescued by one of the M.L’s.. Meanwhile, patrol vessels were sent forth to search for the others, but after two days the task had to be abandoned as hopeless. Now was evidenced the magnificen seamanhood of Smiles. At daylight he and his twent two companions looked out on to a lonely sunrise and a wilderness of waves. On the makeshift raft their supplies consisted of three gallons of drinking water and one tin of biscuits. He decided to make a fair wind of the problem, rigged an oar and a piece of canvas, and sailed eastwards till dark, when the treacherous breeze veered to N.N.W. blowing them down the Bay of Biscay, which was hard luck. The sea then became so bad that the sail had to be lowered, and about 10pm a cruel wave washed them all off the raft. Back they climbed, to find one gallon of water and all the biscuits missing.

They had now one and a half gallons of water and nothing else, so Smiles took charge, put his party on a tiny ration, and thus passed September19. Parched with thirst, one of the men foolishly drank sea water, and their leader now gave them a serious warning. During the 20th some of the party disregarded this caution, and two went mad at night and threw themselves overboard. To increase their sufferings the rest twice sighted American destroyers steaming about, but the latter could not perceive this blob on the ocean. Nor is there any wonder. Then, about five miles away, moved a vessel which seemed to be a three funnel light cruiser, but the sea was so rough that it took the wretched men all their time to avoid being swept off, and no signal could be made.

On the 21st two more men succumbed. Next day died Engineer Lieutenant Ayres, and five men. At 10pm Smiles sighted the Fastnet lighthouse to the north east. An hour later two more men perished. Sunday 23rd arrived, and about dawn Smiles disconnected part of the raft, sending four men away in one half, while the other six remained in the second portion. They kept company till 2:50pm that afternoon, when the sloop Zinnia came along from Queenstown and rescued the two surviving officers and eight men. Having been blown about, continually wet, and practically starving ever since Tuesday afternoon, they were now in a precarious condition, with legs and feet fearfully swollen, and there minds unhinged. Captain Wilson tells me that the rafts were ‘of a most primitive construction’, yet thanks to Smiles, he had brought some of his party past death into deliverance.’ Lieutenant Smiles was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for these exploits.