The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals (Part 2)

Five: Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (148718 E. W. Pettingale, Ch. Yeo. Sigs. H.M.S. Mersey); 1914-15 Star (148718 E. W. Pettingale, D.S.M., C.Y.S., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (C.Y.S., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (148718 E. W. Pettingale, Ch. Yeo.Sigs., H.M.S. Euryalus) good very fine (5)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals.

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D.S.M. London Gazette 8 december 1915 ‘For services on the occasion of the operations against the Königsberg.’

E. W. Pettingale, Chief Yeoman of Signals, is noted in the official report of these operations as having ‘displayed great coolness during both actions.’

At the outbreak of the First World War the German light cruiser KÖNIGSBERG was based at Dar-es-Salaam, German East Africa. On 31 July 1914, she left harbour prepared for a long period at sea. For six days she was lost to sight, but on August 6th she captured the steamship CITY OF WINCHESTER bound from Colombo to England with a cargo of tea valued at £250,000. The prize was escorted to Makalla, on the Arabian coast, where her passengers were transferred to the armed German merchantman ZIETEN. Her coal and stores were shared between the two German ships and the CITY OF WINCHESTER was scuttled.

The KÖNIGSBERG again disappeared, this time for about seven weeks when, on September 20th, she appeared off Zanzibar and destroyed H.M.S. PEGASUS, which was undergoing boiler repairs in the port. It was not until nearly another seven weeks had elapsed that she was reported by H.M.S. CHATHAM to be lying in a branch of the Rufiji River, screened by the forest. In order to prevent her escape the steamship NEWBRIDGE was sunk across the channel. Meanwhile the crew of the KÖNIGSBERG posted snipers and machine-guns in the jungle to hold off a land attack. An aeroplane was brought into use and was successful in directing the British gunners so that they were able to shell the ship at long range. Shortly after it had performed this service it was shot down by the Germans.

The destruction of the ship proved a tough proposition and the cruisers WEYMOUTH, FOX, CORNWALL, PYRAMUS and PIONEER, were employed in the blockade at various times. She was eventually destroyed by the monitors MERSEY and SEVERN, sent from Malta. On July 6th 1915, the bombardment by these ships began, aided by four seaplanes as spotters, and on July 11th the KÖNIGSBERG was destroyed. The survivors of her crew escaped into the jungle and united with the German East African force.