Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Persian Gulf’ D.S.M. awarded to Petty Officer H. A. V. Puckhaber, H.M.S. Juno, later killed in action while serving in H.M. Submarine E-22

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (233222 H. A. V. Puckhaber. P.O. H.M.S. Juno) polished, otherwise good very fine £800-£1,000

D.S.M. London Gazette 19 November 1915.

Awarded for service in action with H.M.S. Juno’s landing party at Dilwar in August 1915 against the Tangistani Tribe who had been incited by Herr Wassmuss, the ex-German Consul at Bushire. On the 12th July they had raided the town, killing two British officers and several sepoys, and wounding others. Puckhaber was apparently serving in Juno’s machine gun section of 11 petty officers and men, with Captain Carpenter, R.M.L.I., in command. Carpenter and two other Naval officers received the D.S.C. for this action in which machine-guns saw significant action during the several advances and withdrawals that took place.

Herbert Albert Victor Puckhaber was born at Millwall, London, on 6 July 1887, and joined the navy in July 1905. He served in submarines from 1910 until he joined Juno on 30 July 1914. In May 1915, Juno was in Queenstown for escort duties and, on the 4th of that month, was ordered to rendezvous with the Lusitania when she arrived at a position off the Fastnet Rock. At noon on the 5th, Juno was ordered back to Queenstown, and on the 7th the Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk. Juno was immediately ordered to rescue survivors but was recalled soon afterwards because of the continuing threat from U-boats.

Puckhaber left the Juno in January 1916 and returned to submarines. He was killed in action on 25 April 1916, when serving in H.M. Submarine E-22, which was trying to intercept Hipper’s battle cruisers in the North Sea, but was torpedoed and sunk by UB-18. There were no survivors.

Early in 1916 H.M. Submarine E-22 was outfitted as an ‘aircraft carrier’ at Harwich, with two Sopwith Schneider floatplanes on her casing. In the first launching trial the fragile seaplanes were destroyed by choppy seas before they floated free. One successful trial was carried out, but the scheme was abandoned as impractical. As the submarine was sunk shortly afterwards such further experimentation was curtailed.

Sold with copy service record and further research.