Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War patrol boat operations D.S.M. group of six awarded to Seaman Rigger A. L. Levin, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (J. 14107 A. L. Levin, A.B., H.M.S. P. 32, 1917); 1914-15 Star (J. 14107 A.B., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J. 14107 A.B., R.N.); Coronation 1937, privately inscribed ‘J. 14107 A. L. Levin, Sea. Rig., H.M.Y. Victoria & Albert’; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, fixed suspension (J. 14107 Smn. Rgr., H.M.Y. Victoria & Albert), the first with officially corrected number, contact marks, edge bruising and polished, otherwise about very fine or better (6) £600-700

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals for Services at Sea from the Collection of the Late Oliver Stirling Lee.

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D.S.M. London Gazette 8 March 1917: ‘For services in destroyers and torpedo boat flotillas for the period ending 31 December 1917.’

Alexander Louis Levin was born in Holloway, London in February 1895 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in September 1911. He subsequently witnessed active service aboard the destroyer H.M.S. Fearless in the Home Fleet from August 1914 until October 1915, when he came ashore to an appointment at Excellent, and afterwards in the patrol boat P32 from April 1916 until the end of hostilities. During the latter period, the P32 was present at the demise of the UB-81 off the Isle of Wight on 2 December 1917, an incident that may well have contributed to Levin being awarded his D.S.M. Certainly it was a most unusual affair, seven Germans making their escape via a torpedo tube, but not their captain, Saltzwedel, who had in his previous command fought a famous pitched battle with Q-Ship legend Captain Gordon Campbell; for further details of the final patrol of UB-81, see E. Keble Chatterton’s Beating the U-Boats.

Levin joined the Royal Yacht Victoria & Albert in July 1924 and was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in February 1928, but until such time the remainder of his service record is released, no further information is available on his subsequent career.