Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The British War Medal awarded to Commander R. Salmon, Royal Naval Reserve, who was awarded the D.S.O. for the ‘Manx King’ mine incident of 12 December 1917, and died in service on 17 February 1940

British War Medal 1914-20 (Commr. R. Salmon. R.N.R.) nearly extremely fine £160-200

D.S.O. London Gazette 6 April 1918:
‘For services in the recovery of a German mine, which had fouled the wire of HM Trawler Manx King on 12th December 1917. By the measures ordered and personally superintended by him the mine was eventually rendered innocuous. He set an excellent example to all on board by his coolness and courage in a dangerous situation.’

The incident was well reported in the press at the time and Swept Channels (Captain Taprell Dorling, D.S.O.) refers:
‘They proceeded to sea the next morning with Mr Blackmore, in command of the trawler Manx King, in charge of the division normally commanded by the officer in hospital. The work occupied two full days, several mines being swept up and destroyed under the direction of Commander R. Salmon, D.S.O. R.N.R., who was acting as Port Minesweeping Officer. On 12th December, it was decided to carry out a final sweep over the area to make quite certain it was clear, after which a Memorial service was to be held over the spot where the Apley had been lost. This was to be conducted by a Lieutenant R.N.V.R. in command of the coastal motor-boat attending on the sweepers, who in civil life happened to be a clergyman.
The sweep was carried out without incident. No more mines were found, and shortly after noon the order was given to slip the sweep-wires and haul them in. While this was being done Mr Blackmore was amazed to see a mine come up in the kite of the Manx King. Because of its resemblance to the rounded end of the plunger kite, it was not noticed until it was hove up to the head of the arched steel gallows on the ship's side.
There was a choppy sea and considerable motion on the ship. And as the mooring-wire of the mine was wrapped in bights round the kite, the mine fell upside down as its mooring, still attached to the heavy sinker on the bottom, tautened out and anchored the trawler by the stern. “Thank God!”, Mr Blackmore writes, “The horns just cleared the gun-whale as the mine fell over”. Even so there was imminent danger of an explosion. The mine, swinging to and fro with the movement, had one of its horns within a few inches of the gun-whale.
The men on board were given the order to abandon ship by jumping overboard, being picked up by other trawlers and boats close by. Mr Blackmore and the 2nd Hand, remained on board securing the mine as best possible, as it could not be slipped for fear of explosion. They then removed the horns and lashed the mine so it could not move. The crew were then re-embarked. The mine was then destroyed under Commander Salmon's direction.’

Reginald Salmon was born in Little Bredy, Dorset, in 1870, the son of the Reverend Frederick Salmon of Honiton, Devon, formerly of The Parsonage, Little Brady. He was commissioned in 1899 having gained his Master's Certificate from the Board of Trade on 31 October 1899. He served in the Royal Navy gaining a 1st Class Certificate in Torpedo (H.M.S. Defiance) and 2nd Class Gunnery (H.M.S. Cambridge) in 1898. On H.M.S. Curacao, 12 July 1899, he was noted as 'thoroughly trustworthy and intelligent officer. Recommended for supplementary list, R.N.' In February 1900, Salmon states that he severed connection with the Merchant Marine and will in all probability be employed by the Hydro Depot of the Admiralty. Then in May 1900, 'Admiralty have promoted him (Lieutenant) in view of proposal to employ him as a civilian assistant in Newfoundland Navy.’ He was promoted Lieutenant Commander, Royal Naval Reserve, in 1908.
At the time of the Manx King episode, acting Commander Salmon was serving as Port Mine Sweeping Officer, Portsmouth, and in the Navy List as 'Miscellaneous Services Officer' (H.M.S. Victory). The Navy List 1919 notes that Salmon (borne on H.M.S. President) was serving as one of a small number of officers in the Minesweeping Division under Captain Lionel G. Preston, C.B. He was promoted Commander on 11 November 1918, and died, aged 69, on active service on 17 February 1940 serving with the Royal Naval Reserve (H.M.S. Bacchante), and is buried in Edinburgh (Seafield) Crematorium.

Sold with copy photos of Commander Reginald Salmon, one with ‘the’ mine on 'Manx King', and other copied research.