Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part II)

A rare Great War U-Boat action D.S.C., Lloyd’s M.S.M. group of four awarded to Captain C. R. King, Mercantile Marine, a retired Lieutenant-Commander, Royal Naval Reserve

Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., hallmarks for London 1918, in its Garrard & Co., London case of issue; British War and Mercantile Marine Medals (Charles R. King); Lloyd’s Medal for Meritorious Services (Captain Charles Reginald King, S.S. “Chupra”, 22nd March 1918), lacquered, good very fine or better (4) £2200-2500

D.S.C. London Gazette 7 June 1918:

‘In recognition of zeal and devotion to duty in carrying out the trade of the country during the War.’

In point of fact, as revealed by the original recommendation, an award for a specific action against an enemy submarine on 22 March 1918, when King was in command of the S.S. Chupra, bound from New Orleans to Gibraltar:

‘At 1.15 p.m. the Chupra was attacked by gunfire from a submarine. The ship was zigzagging at the time using a model of the Master’s own, and steaming at 10 knots. The submarine opened fire at a range of four miles and fired 35 to 40 rounds from two guns. The ship replied at once and fired 12 rounds with what result is not known. Smoke boxes, “D” type were thrown overboard, and did not prove an effective screen. The ship was hit once by a shell which passed through the bridge, two feet from the Officer of the Watch, penetrated the iron deck and buried itself in the sacks of wheat in the hold, without exploding. At 1.40 p.m. the submarine gave up the chase, and the ship subsequently reached port in safety. The Lascar deck crew got into a state of panic, but were controlled by the Chief Officer. The Quarter-Master left the wheel, which was taken by the Master in person. He is deserving of credit for the way in which he handled his ship.’

King was awarded his Lloyd’s M.S.M. for the same action, in May 1918, ‘for extraordinary exertions on the occasion of the S.S. Chupra encountering an enemy submarine on 22 March 1918’, an action which is featured in F. A. Hook’s Merchant Adventures.

Charles Reginald King was born at Westward Ho, Devonshire in 1874, the son of a clergyman. Trained as a Cadet in the Worcestershire, he first went to sea as a Midshipman in Green’s Carlisle Castle, but afterwards transferred to the British India Steam Navigation Company. By the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he was in command of the S.S. Bankura, and between January 1915 and taking command of the Chupra in April 1917, similarly employed in the Lhasa. A Younger Brother of Trinity House, and an Associate of the Institution of Naval Architects, King died suddenly in March 1924.

Sold with an original portrait photograph taken of the recipient in uniform (and wearing an additional medal riband); his “R.N. Transport” embroidered cap badge and “Worcestershire” Training Ship belt buckle, the reverse of which is engraved ‘C. R. King’; the 1939-45 campaign awards bestowed on his son, WX. 35965 S. R. King, Australian Forces, all officially inscribed as issued; and a portrait photograph of the recipient’s wife, together with one of her bracelets, the links bearing photographic portraits of family members.