Auction Catalogue

4 & 5 March 2020

Starting at 10:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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Lot

№ 84 x

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4 March 2020

Hammer Price:
£1,000

A Great War ‘Oversea Submarines’ D.S.M. group of five awarded to Chief Petty Officer A. A. E. Phillips, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (228052. A. A. E. Phillips, P.O. Oversea Submarines 1914-6.); 1914-15 Star (228052. A. A. E. Phillips, P.O. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (228052. A. A. E. Phillips. Act. C.P.O. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (228052. A. A. E. Phillips, P.O. H.M.S. Titania.) mounted as worn, light pitting, otherwise very fine (5) £1,200-£1,500

D.S.M. London Gazette 1 January 1917: ‘In recognition of services rendered by Petty Officers and Men in submarines in enemy waters during the period from the commencement of hostilities to the 3rd August 1916.’

Alfred Albert Ernest Phillips was born at Plymton, Devon on 20 October 1885, and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 28 September 1903. He advanced through the rates to
become a Leading Seaman in October 1913, and in February 1914 joined the submarine service at H.M.S.
Forth on 10 January 1914, and on 22 February joined H.M.S. Dolphin, the submarine training school at Gosport. He served in submarines throughout the war although his record of service just lists the various submarine depot ships to which he was posted until 1 September 1916, when he was posted to Lucia for submarine G-7. On 12 February 1918 he was posted to Titania for the submarine J-6. On 15 October 1918, J-6 was sunk in error by the Q-ship Cymric whose captain mistook the boat’s identity for U-6 and, believing her to be a U-boat sunk her with gunfire, killing about half of the boats complement, Phillips being amongst the survivors. From February 1919 he served in K-9 and from August 1920, in K-15.

On 25 June 1921 K-15 was moored alongside the light cruiser Canterbury in the tidal basin at Portsmouth. Most of the crew were on leave when a watch keeper discovered that the submarine was sinking, with the stern already awash. The watch were quickly roused and scrambled aboard the Canterbury. The submarine slowly submerged amid streams of bubbles. The accident was caused by hydraulic oil expanding in the hot weather and contracting as the temperature dropped causing a loss of hydraulic pressure and causing vent to open.

Having been advanced to Petty Officer in November 1915, he qualified as submarine coxswain in June 1917, was advanced to Chief Petty Officer in December 1923, and shore pensioned on 19 October 1925. He received his L.S. & G.C. medal in October 1918 whilst serving in
Titania for submarine J-6. Sold with copied record of service, submarine card and other research.