Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare ‘double issue’ ‘Mine-sweeping’ D.S.M. group of ten awarded to Chief Petty Officer T. H. S. Bates, Royal Naval Reserve, who was awarded the D.S.M. in both the Great War and Second War, the first for his services in the mine-sweeper Orpheus II, and the second for his services when his mine-sweeper H.M.T. Cape Siretoko was sunk during a German air raid off the west coast of Norway on 28 April 1940; he had previously seen service in the Boer War with the Lincolnshire Regiment

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (4412C. T. H. S. Bates. Smn. R.N.R.) in named card box of issue; Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (JX.179588 H. S. [sic] Bates. 2-Hd. R.N.R.) in case of issue; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, South Africa 1902 (5008 L/Cpl. T. Bates. 3-Linc. R.) in named card box of issue; 1914-15 Star (4412.C. T. H. S. Bates. Smn. R.N.R.) in named card box of issue; British War and Victory Medals (4412C. T. H. S. Bates. R.N.R.) in named card box of issue; 1939-45 Star, in named case of issue; Atlantic Star, in named case of issue; War Medal 1939-45, in named case of issue; Royal Naval Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (4412C., T. H. S. Bates. Smn. R.N.R.) in named card box of issue, the pre-Second War awards all official duplicates; the Second War campaign awards all 21st Century later issues, generally extremely fine (10) £4,000-£6,000

D.S.M. London Gazette 2 July 1917:
‘In recognition of his services in Mine-sweeping operation between 1 July 1916 and 31 March 1917.’

Second D.S.M. London Gazette 6 September 1940:
‘For good services during attacks by enemy aircraft in Molde Fjord.’

Thomas Henry Searby Bates was born in Caistor, Lincolnshire, on 18 May 1881 and attested for the Lincolnshire Regiment, serving with the 3rd Battalion in South Africa during the Boer War. A fisherman by profession, sailing from Grimsby chiefly as a Mate, he enlisted in the Royal Naval Reserve on 16 May 1911, and served during the Great War on minesweeping duty in H.M. Trawler Oepheus II, being awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. Remaining active in the Royal Naval Reserve post-War, he was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in December 1922.

Following the outbreak of the Second World War Bates re-enlisted in the Royal Naval Reserve for the duration of hostilities on 22 January 1940, and was advanced Second Hand (rated as Chief Petty Officer). Serving again on minesweeping duty, his vessel H.M. Trawler Cape Siretoko was sunk during a German air raid in the Molde Fjord off the west coast of Norway on 28 April 1940; the crew were rescued and provisioned by the Norwegian resistance and made it back to the U.K. For his conduct and good services during this attack Bates was awarded a second Distinguished Service Medal. He was discharged, physically unfit for Naval Service, on 5 December 1942, and died in Grimsby on 25 August 1954.

Note: The recipient’s original pre-Second War medals were lost during the sinking of the Cape Siretoko, and duplicates for all of them were issued on 15 September 1940 (service record refers). His original D.S.M. was impressed ‘Orpheus II. Minesweeping 1916-7’. His Second War campaign stars and medals were issued in 2020.

Sold together with the recipient’s original Second War Parchment Certificate of Service; two United Navigation Committee, Grimsby, Certificates, appointing the recipient Third Hand, dated 19 December 1913, and Master, dated 29 June 1921; Defence Council enclosure for the Second War campaign medals; correspondence with the Ministry of Defence regarding the award of the Second War campaign medals; original newspaper cutting announcing the award of his second D.S.M.; a leather case, inscribed ‘Presented to Lce Cpl Bates by Lieut Elliot, 3rd Lincoln Regt, Beaufort West, South Africa 1902’; and copied research, including a photographic image of the recipient.