Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Great War D.S.O. and Bar group of nine awarded to Captain P. R. P. Percival, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Persian Gulf 1909-1914 (Lieut., R.N. H.M.S. Muzbee); 1914-15 Star (Lieut., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Commr., R.N.); Defence & War Medals; Delhi Durbar 1911 (Lieut., H.M.S. Sphinx. 1911); Legion of Honour, Knight’s breast badge, silver, gilt and enamels, mounted ‘Court’ style as worn, some very minor enamel chips, otherwise extremely fine (9) £2000-2500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals Formed by The Late John Cooper.

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See Colour Plate II

D.S.O. London Gazette 26 April 1918: ‘Operations on the Belgian Coast.’

Bar to D.S.O. London Gazette 21 June 1918: ‘Honours for services in the Action with Enemy Destroyers off the Belgian Coast on the 21st March 1918. Lieut.-Commander P. R. P. Percival, R.N., Commanding H.M.S. Morris. For the great initiative and promptitude shown by him. Kept good station during the first stage of the action, opening fire with Botha. On the latter being disabled, showed great initiative in continuing and pressing home the action, torpedoing and sinking an enemy torpedo boat. Showed great promptitude in taking Botha in tow and brought her safely into harbour.’

Percy Ralph Passawer Percival was born in Vienna on 13 July 1886, son of Captain H. F. P. Percival, Army Service Corps. He joined the Britannia Training Ship in September 1901 and became Midshipman in February 1903; Sub-Lieutenant in April 1906; and Lieutenant in December 1908. He was in command of the armed launch Muzbee in the Persian Gulf during the arms running operations in 1911 (Lieut. Percival, one Gunner, 8 R.N. ratings and 15 Indian ratings from Muzbee received the Persian Gulf clasp, the second rarest ship for this clasp). He received the 1911 Delhi Durbar Medal while in Sphinx.

Percival was in command of H.M.S. Mermaid in the bombardment of the German Army’s right wing on the Belgian Coast, 18 October 1914 and subsequently (M.I.D. London Gazette 13 April 1915). In command of Afridi from December 1915 to January 1917, and then of H.M.S. Morris until March 1919. Both ships were in the Dover Patrol. On 24 March 1916 Afridi searched for, and rescued, passengers from S.S. Sussex which had been torpedoed in the English Channel. There were a number of American citizens on board and the incident caused a considerable stir in Washington. On 24 April 1916, Afridi finished off a German U-boat with her explosive sweep which had been crippled by the drifter Gleaner of the Sea (mentioned in despatches London Gazette 23 May 1917).

On 21 March 1918, Percival was on patrol off Dunkirk in Morris, in company with the Botha, when they saw gun fire. On investigation they became engaged with several German torpedo boats, one of which was rammed by Botha and cut in two. Botha’s gun fire hit another of the torpedo boats but she was herself torpedoed. Percival, in Morris, torpedoed and sank another torpedo boat and then took the crippled Botha in tow back to harbour. Percival was invested with both his D.S.O. and Bar by the King at an investiture at Buckingham Palace on 29 June 1918. He was in command of Petard from March 1919, Romola from March 1920, Restless from February 1922, Vanquisher from August 1924, and Serapis in China from January 1927. He was promoted to Commander in 1922 and placed on the retired list, as Captain, in 1932. Percival was mobilised in September 1938, served in Lucifer from August 1939, and commanded Fledgling from 1943 to 1944. There were only 69 bars awarded to the D.S.O. in the Royal Navy (including R.M., R.N.A.S. etc.) during the Great War.