Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘1918’ D.S.M. group of five awarded to Chief Engine Room Artificer 1st Class P. L. Whalebone, Royal Navy, for service on the destroyer H.M.S. Valhalla, January - June 1918

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (269769. P. L. Whalebone, C.E.R.A. 1. Cl. “Valhalla.” 1918); 1914-15 Star (269769. P. L. Whalebone. C.E.R.A. 2. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (269769 P. L. Whalebone. C.E.R.A. 1 R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (269769. P. L. Whalebone, Ch. E.R.A. 1Cl. H.M.S. Wildfire.) mounted for wear, generally good very fine (5) £700-£900

D.S.M. London Gazette 11 December 1918:

‘For services in Grand Fleet destroyers between 1st January and 30th June 1918.’

Percy Leopold Whalebone was born in Sheerness, Kent, in July 1878. He joined the Royal Navy as an Engine Room Artificer 4th Class in June 1899. Whalebone advanced to Chief Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class in April 1911, and serve with H.M.S. Vengeance (battleship), January 1913 - July 1915. During which time she covered the the landing of the Plymouth Marine Battalion at Ostend, 25 August 1914, and was subsequently heavily engaged during the Dardanelles campaign.

Whalebone served with the battleship H.M.S. Jupiter, August 1915 - December 1916. Having advanced to Chief Engine Room Artificer 1st Class in March 1917, Whalebone served with H.M.S. Valhalla (destroyer) from July 1917. He transferred to H.M.S. Wildfire in November 1919 (awarded L.S. & G.C. in August 1920), and was ‘Shore Pensioned’ in August the following year.