Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War D.S.M. group of five awarded to Petty Officer 1st Class C. Potter, Royal Navy, for his services in H.M.S. Whirlwind during the raid on Ostende, 9-10 May 1918

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (188035. C. Potter. P.O. 1 Cl. “Whirlwind” Ostend. 9-10 May 1918.); 1914-15 Star (188035, C. Potter, P.O.1., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (188035 C. Potter. P.O.1. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (188035 Charles Potter, P.O 1.Cl. H.M.S. Duncan:) very fine and better (5) £1,400-£1,800

D.S.M. London Gazette 28 August 1918:
‘In recognition of distinguished service mentioned in the foregoing despatch. [see M.I.D. citation below]’

M.I.D. London Gazette 28 August 1918:
‘The following volunteered for a very hazardous service and distinguished themselves in Destroyers on the night of 9th-10th May. Lieutenant Crutchley reports: “I find it impossible to select any other names, as all behaved equally well” ... P.O., 1st Cl., Charles Potter, O.N. 188035 (Ch.) ...‘

Charles Potter was born in Ashburnham, Sussex, on 11 October 1879 and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 26 March 1896. He was advanced Petty Officer 1st Class on 23 November 1908, and joined H.M.S. Duncan in this rate on 9 August 1910. He was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 7 October 1912, and served during the Great War borne on the books of various shore based establishments. He joined the Dover Patrol Destroyer H.M.S. Whirlwind on 5 March 1918, and took part in the Ostend Raid, 9-10 May 1918, when Whirlwind was in close company to Keyes’ flagship H.M.S. Warwick, when the latter struck a mine and had to be taken in tow.

The Ostend Raid, 9-10 May 1918
Admiral Keyes’s memoirs state:
‘I gave directions for the Velox to be lashed alongside, the Whirlwind to take Warwick in tow, and the Trident to look out eastward, to give warning if the enemy destroyers were sighted coming from Zeebrugge. I gave orders that if they appeared, the Warwick was to be slipped at once, and the other three vessels were to engage them. As the Warwick was in considerable danger of sinking, all the rescued Vindictive’s crew - except Crutchley [who won a V.C. for his deeds that night], who thought he might be useful to act as First Lieutenant - were transferred to the Velox, and I sent Jackson, too, to help look after the wounded. He said as he left: “Is this what you call a quiet night, you told me we should probably only be spectators in the offing.”
Progress was very slow, and as the effective range of the Ostend guns was from 20,000 to 40,000 yards, it was a long time before we were out of their range. A much more unpleasant prospect, however, would have been the advent of the nine destroyers, which I had been hoping to meet in darkness, but which would have overwhelmed us in daylight.
I then sent the Velox back to Dover with the wounded. I wished afterwards that I had gone in her, but I did not like to leave my wounded in Warwick. At first we made fairly good progress in tow of the Whirlwind, with another destroyer lashed alongside, but the Warwick had made so much water, that I thought it advisable to get salvage tugs with pumps alongside, in case of the other bulkheads going.’

For his gallantry Potter was Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, and was still aboard the Whirlwind in early August 1918, when she was charged with conveying H.M. the King to Calais from Dover. He was advanced Chief Petty Officer on 1 April 1919, and was demobilised on 13 November of that year.