Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Great War D.S.M. group of five awarded to Petty Officer P. E. Coulter, H.M. Submarine H4, for the destruction of the German U-boat UB-52 in the Adriatic Sea in May 1918

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (236379. P. E. Coulter, P.O. “H.4.” Adriatic. 23rd May. 1918.); 1914-15 Star (236379 P. E. Coulter, L.S., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (236379 P. E. Coulter. P.O. R.N.); Italy, War Cross; together with named white metal school attendance medal for 1900, nearly extremely fine (6) £4000-4500

D.S.M. London Gazette 14 September, 1918.

Italian War Cross London Gazette 5 October, 1920.

D.S.M. awarded for the destruction of the German Submarine UB-52 by the submarine H4 whilst on patrol near Durazzo, to the north of the straits of Otranto, on 23 May 1918. Shortly after 11 p.m. H4 fired two torpedoes at a range of 250 yards. Both torpedoes hit and detonated, one under the conning tower and one in the engine room, causing the enemy submarine to sink in just 15 seconds. Only 2 survivors were found, the Captain and the Quartermaster, both of whom were picked up, and H4 returned home.

Believed to be one of only two D.S.Ms. awarded for this incident, the other being to Engine Room Artificer William Field (sold by D.N.W. June 1994). Both men, together with Petty Officer E. C. Tibbals, also awarded the Italian War Cross.

Percy Edward Coulter was born at St Pancras, London, on 12 February 1889, and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 14 May 1906. He engaged for 12 years on 12 February 1907, as Ordinary Seaman, being promoted to Able Seaman in August 1908 and to Leading Seaman in May 1915. He joined H.M.S. Dolphin, submarine depot ship, in August 1915, and was appointed to the new Holland Class submarine H4 on 1 April 1916, becoming Petty Officer in November 1916. Awarded the D.S.M. and Italian War Cross, as detailed above, the latter award was subsequently upgraded as per an annotation on his service record which states: “C.W. 4156/25 Awarded ‘Croce di Guerre al valore militare’ in lieu of War Cross.”