Auction Catalogue

4 December 2002

Starting at 12:00 PM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

Lot

№ 1164

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4 December 2002

Hammer Price:
£920

A Great War D.S.M. group of five awarded to Sub-Lieutenant W. R. Forsyth, Royal Naval Reserve

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (S.A.2447 2nd Hd. R.N.R. “St Germain” Aux. Patrol 1917); 1914-15 Star (2 Hd. R.N.R.); British War and Victory Medals (S. Lt., R.N.R.); Mercantile Marine War Medal (William R. Forsyth) together with a Mine Clearance Service badge, good very fine (6) £600-700

D.S.M. London Gazette 6 April 1918: ‘In recognition of services in vessels of the Auxiliary Patrol between 1 January and 31 December 1917. 2nd Hand William Richardson Forsyth, R.N.R. (now Sub-Lieut. R.N.R.).’

On 26 February 1917, the armed trawler
St Germain, commanded by Lieutenant Lansley, struck a mine near Folkestone, the foremast being thrown over the side by the explosion. The trawler Strathgairn, Skipper Waters, D.S.C., R.N.R., at once went to the rescue. Lansley, thinking that the St Germain was about to sink, ordered Waters alongside, and set about transferring his confidential documents, ammunition, depth charges and small moveable gear. Then, going below, he examined the damage to his ship. She had struck the mine with her bows, and he found that a great volume of water was pouring in through a large crack in the foremast bulkhead.

With three men - William Forsyth, the second hand; Charles M. Foot, an engineman; and Albert Edwards, a leading seaman R.N.R. - Lansley determined to make every effort to save his ship. Having stopped up the crack at the bulkhead as best they could with mats, canvas and bedding, a tow-rope was passed to the
Strathgairn, and Waterswas told to tow the St Germain stern first towards the shore. The fires of the damaged ship had been extinguished by the inflow of water, but sufficient steam remained in the boiler for the pump to be kept going. The weather became bad on the way in towards the shore. However, Lansley managed to keep the water from rising, and was able to beach his vessel at Folkestone. For their share in preserving the St Germain, Forsyth, Foot and Edwards each received the D.S.M.

William Richardson Forsyth enrolled into the Royal Naval Reserve on 19 November 1915. He was promoted to Skipper on 27 December 1917, and granted a Temporary Commission as Sub-Lieutenant, R.N.R., on 18 January 1918. Sold with copies of his Merchant Navy Record Card which shows him as a ship’s Master and contains a photograph of him.