Miniature Medals

A Great War Destroyer Commander’s D.S.O. group of eight awarded to Rear-Admiral G. H. Knowles, Royal Navy


Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R.; 1914-15 Star (Lt. Commr., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Commr., R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal; Coronation 1911, mounted as worn, good very fine (8) £800-1000

D.S.O. London Gazette 8 March 1918: ‘For services in destroyer and torpedo boat flotillas during the period ending 31 December 1917.’ Invested with the D.S.O. by the King on board the Queen Elizabeth on 22 July 1918.

M.I.D. London Gazette 14 March 1916, for services during the evacuation of Gallipoli.

George Herbert Knowles commanded destroyers the entire war. He was in command of Lydiard from 3 October 1914 to 3 May 1916, and participated in the Cuxhaven Raid on 25 December 1914, at Dogger Bank on 23 January 1915, and in the Dardanelles. He was commended and mentioned in despatches for services at W Beach in the evacuation of Galliopli. In command of Goshawk from May to December 1916, and present at the battle of Jutland in the 1st Destroyer Flotilla, attached to the 5th Battle Squadron. He was in command of Rosalind, December 1916 to March 1918, and of Grenville, March 1918 to March 1920.

After the war he commanded H.M.S. Douglas, July 1920 to May 1921, Vampire, May 1921 to January 1922, Cape Town, May 1924 to June 1926, and Douglas again from August 1926 to January 1928. He was Chief of Staff, Rear-Admiral, Gibraltar, April 1928 to May 1930, and in command of H.M.S. Cornwall, on the China station, 1931-33. He was promoted to Rear-Admiral on 10 October 1933, retired 11 October 1933. Recalled to active duty in September 1939 as Commodore 2nd Class R.N.R., Commodore of convoys from Liverpool. Assigned to H.M.S. Minos as N.O.I.C. Lowestoft in the rank of Captain, and was commended by C-in-C Nore on 19 February 1945, for good servcies and devotion to duty upon reversion to the retired list.