Orders, Decorations and Medals

Three: Skipper John J. Colby, Royal Naval Reserve, killed when H.M. Drifter Clover Bank was sunk by German destroyers in February 1918

1914-15 Star (S.A.259, 2.Hd. R.N.R.); British War and Victory Medals (S.A.259 Skr. R.N.R.) nearly extremely fine £400-500

Skipper John James Colby, Royal Naval Reserve, H.M. Drifter Clover Bank died on 15 February 1918 when his vessel was sunk in a raid by German destroyers on the Dover Patrol. He was a native of Great Yarmouth. The D.S.M. was awarded to the sole survivor of the Clover Bank, Seaman Gunner Frederick Plane, who went on firing his gun till the boat went down under him. He was picked up later.

On the night of 14th/15th February 1918, a dramatic raid took place by German destroyers against vessels of the Dover Patrol, causing serious losses which included the sinking of one armed trawler and seven drifters. The enemy’s object was to destroy the ‘light barrier’ as they called the British flare ships, whose effect was to make the Straits of Dover almost impassable. Two half flotillas of destroyers were employed on the raid. Between Folkestone and Griz Nez there existed a series of buoys which were used to assist the patrols to maintain their positions. About two and a half miles on either side of this line were stationed trawlers, paddlers and other small craft, to either burn flares or to use searchlights. There was also fifty-eight drifters patrolling this line.

At 12.40 a.m. one half flotilla of four destroyers started the attack from the NW by shelling the paddler Newbury, whose revolving searchlight made her an easy target. The destroyers then proceeded slowly down the drifter line and sank the drifters W. Elliot and Veracity. The paddler Lingfield and a motor launch also came under fire, but some drifters managed to make their escape. The enemy then disappeared.

Three destroyers made an attack from the SE at about 12.45 a.m. near the Griz Nez end of the line. The trawler James Pond was soon on fire. The crew endeavoured to extinguish the flames and beach her, but the vessel finally had to be abandoned. Proceeding along the line, the enemy shelled the drifter Clover Bank, which took fire, and afterwards sank. The destroyers then sank the drifters Cosmos and Jeannie Murray. Only four survivors escaped from these three craft. The next to be shelled were the drifters Golden Grain, Golden Rule, Violet May and Treasure, which were all damaged. At about 1.30 a.m. the Germans turned back when about halfway across the Channel and on the return journey met and sank the drifter Silver Queen, which had taken off the survivors of the Cosmos. Finally, after firing on two more drifters, these destroyers made off. This raid cost the Patrol heavy losses of men and ships. There were sunk one armed trawler, seven drifters, and one paddler and six drifters damaged. The subsequent awards included 5 D.S.C.s, 2 Bars to the D.S.C., 3 C.G.M.s and 13 D.S.M.s. See also Lot 1299 for the D.S.M. awarded to one of the crew of the drifter Vera Creina.