Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War anti-U-boat operations D.S.M. group of 5 awarded to Petty Officer 1st Class R. Tozer, Royal Navy, who was decorated for his gallant deeds aboard the destroyer H.M.S. Acorn on the occasion of the probable destruction of an enemy submarine off Malta in January 1916

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (193194 R. Tozer, P.O., Special Service, 28 Jan. 1916); 1914-15 Star (193194 R. Tozer, P.O. 1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (193294 R. Tozer, P.O. 1, R.N.); Royal Navy L.S.& G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (193194 Richard Tozer, P.O. 1 Cl., H.M.S. Egmont), contact marks but otherwise generally very fine (5) £600-800

D.S.M. London Gazette 31 May 1916.

Richard Tozer was born in Co. Sligo in July 1881 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in March 1897.

Advanced to Petty Officer 1st Class in May 1911, he was serving in the training ship Defiance on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914 and, with the exception of time in Vivid I in the period March-May 1915, remained similarly employed until removing to the destroyer Acorn in August of the latter year. And it was for his services on the occasion of Acorn’s encounter with a U-boat off Malta on 28 January 1916 that he was awarded the D.S.M. His captain, Lieutenant-Commander A. G. Peace, R.N., who was awarded the D.S.O. on the same occasion, submitted the following report:

‘Acorn immediately proceeded to position specified at full speed arriving within signalling distance of S.S. Malta at 12.35 p.m.

On receiving report as to where submarine was last seen, Acorn carried out search in vicinity.

At about 1 p.m. periscope was sighted about 600 yards ahead and though attempt was made to ram submarine Acorn passed over her - a depth grenade was dropped but with no apparent result.

At about 1.20 p.m. a periscope was again sighted from 200-300 yards 2 points on port bow, submarine apparently steering an almost opposite course but crossing slightly to starboard.

Acorn passed right over submarine and a depth charge - Type E - was dropped practically on top of her.

Directly depth charge had exploded, the helm was put hard over (ship turning to starboard) and when ship had turned about 20 points periscope was seen on starboard bow about 100 yards off, the submarine obviously trying to rise.

Submarine fired immediately and as Acorn passed over her a second depth grenade was dropped right on top of her.

Nothing else was seen of submarine.

Wreckage (broken spars) was observed immediately large charge had exploded and also shortly afterwards a small amount of black oil.

Acorn carried out systematic search from this position (clearly marked by fish float that had been attached to depth charge) for four hours and on passing over spot marked by fish float a considerable quantity of black oil was seen about two hours after the explosion.

I consider that undoubtedly depth charge Type E was dropped within a few feet of submarine if not on top of her and on her trying to come to the surface the second grenade was dropped on top of her and that she then sank.’

Tozer, who was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in February 1917, remained actively employed in the Malta Auxiliary Patrol in the Acorn until the end of hostilities, and was advanced to Chief Petty Officer in May 1919. Pensioned ashore in August 1921, he enrolled in the Royal Fleet Reserve and, according to his service record re-entered the Royal Navy as a P.O. (Pensioner) in June 1926; sold with copied service record.