Miniature Medals

A good Jutland D.S.M. group of four awarded to Wireman G. J. Ellisdon, H.M.S. Tiger

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (M13438. Wiren. 2Cl. H.M.S. Tiger. 31 May-1 June 1916); 1914-15 Star (M.13438. Ar. Cr. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (M.13438. Wmn. 1 R.N.) good very fine (4) £700-900

D.S.M. London Gazette 15 September 1916: ‘For services rendered in the action in the North Sea 31 May - 1 June 1916.’

H.M.S. Tiger was hit 15 times by heavy shells (11-inch) and 3 times by 5.9-inch shells from the German 1st Scouting Group. She fired 303 13.5-inch shells at the enemy and had 24 killed and 46 wounded in the action.

The following extract describes the circumstances surrounding the award of Ellisdon’s D.S.M., and is taken from H.M.S. Tiger at Bay by Victor Hayward: “I [Hayward] went forrard through the 6 inch battery, then down the port forrard hatchway to the port stokers messdeck. Here was more trouble. A heavy German shell had exploded against B turret barbette protecting the magazine. The main force of the explosion had been taken up by the shell penetrating the ship’s side. The chief trouble here was that the crew of the low-powered electric generating room had been trapped beneath the flour store.

The pumps were dealing with the water but the hatch had become buckled and slowly water was seeping down into the generating room below. Everyone feared that eventually the water would rise to the level of the 20-volt generators and so put out of action the low-powered systems. If that happened, the secondary batteries would last for only a few hours and power would then fail to the gun control circuits, searchlights and torpedo circuits, telephone exchanges and the 20-volt lighting systems in various parts of the ship. Navigation instruments, including the gyro compass and its repeaters, would also be affected.

Our Captain up on the bridge kept up a word of good cheer, telephoning every quarter of an hour to the trapped lower power crew, promising them release as soon as possible. Many hours later by means of crowbars and chain purchases, the armoured hatch was forced open sufficiently to allow escape for the courageous crew. The leading wireman received the DCM (sic) for his part in this episode.”

Ellisdon was the only wireman awarded the D.S.M. for Jutland. Sold with copy service record.