Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Great War D.S.M. group of seven awarded for gallantry on land in France to Master-at-Arms W. C. Hatherley, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (196082. W. C. Hatherly, Sh. Cpl. 1Cl. Service in France.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (W. C. Hatherley, Ord. H.M.S. Terrible.); China 1900, no clasp (W. C. Hatterley, Ord. H.M.S. Terrible.); British War and Victory Medals (196082 W. C. Hatherley. M.A.A. R.N.) the War medal officially re-impressed; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (196082 W. C. Hatherly, Ship’s Corpl. 1CL., H.M.S. New Zealand) note variations in spelling of surname, together with H.M.S. New Zealand silver commissioning medal 1913, generally good very fine (7) £1800-2200

D.S.M. London Gazette 21 January 1916.

The recommendation for a Distinguished Conduct Medal (Immediate) was submitted by Major-General C. Barter, Commanding 27th (London) Division in France, and states:

‘For gallant conduct at the QUARRIES near VERMELLES on December 30th 1915. The detachment of a Machine Gun having all become casualties owing to shell fire, this Petty Officer, assisted by Petty Officer W. Bright, voluntarily manned the gun and brought it into action again, thereby materially assisting to repulse a German attack.’

Very few D.S.M.’s were awarded to the Regulating Branch in W.W.1; two only to Ship’s Corporals, including Hatherley, and six to Masters at Arms.

Photographs of both Hatherley and Bright were published in The War Illustrated, 13 May 1916, with the caption: ‘Petty Officer W. Bright and Ship’s Corporal W. C. Hatherley, both awarded the D.S.M. While visiting the front line trenches, seeing a gun-team knocked out, they manned the gun at once and kept it in action most successfully.’

William Cecil Hatherley was born at Kenton, Devon, on 12 March 1882, and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class aboard H.M.S. Impregnable on 19 October 1897. He served in South Africa and China aboard H.M.S. Terrible, from September 1899 to October 1902. He achieved Petty Officer status in November 1906 and joined the Regulating Branch in August 1910, as Ship’s Corporal 2nd Class, advancing to Ship’s Corporal 1st Class in February 1911 and to Master-at-Arms in July 1917. He joined H.M.S. New Zealand in November 1912 and remained in her for most of the war, including the battle of Jutland. He was awarded the L.S. & G.C. medal in March 1915 and is also entitled to the 1914-15 Star. Hatherley was discharged to pension on 11 March 1922. Sold with copied record of service and other research.