Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War “Q” Ship D.S.M. to Deck Hand C. Duckenfield, Royal Naval Reserve

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (D.A.4074 Dk. Hd., R.N.R., Atlantic Ocean, 22 Apl. 1917) very fine £800-900

D.S.M. London Gazette 20 July 1917. ‘... for services in action with enemy submarines’.

Deck Hand Charles Duckenfield, R.N.R., served aboard the barquentine Gaelic, also known variously as Q.22, Brig 11 and Gobo. The ship, 224 gross tons, 178 net, was built in 1898 and was utilised by the Navy from 6 November 1916 to 5 March 1919. As a ‘Q’ Ship it was armed with four 12 pounders and two Lewis guns.

The ‘Q’ Ship Gaelic had three engagements with enemy submarines; that of 22 April 1917 resulting in the award of the D.S.M. to Duckenfield.

On 22 April 1917, the ship, under the command of Lieutenant G. Irvine, R.N.R., was 48 miles south of the Old Head of Kinsale, steering S.E. under all fore and aft sail and making 2 knots. A submarine was spotted some 5,000 yards to the south, steering N.W. at a slow speed. The submarine opened fire as soon as it was able and fired 15 to 20 rounds before the order was given to unmask the barquentine’s guns. Six of the shots hit the ship, killing two men and wounding four others, putting the port engine out of action and seriously damaging the ship’s rigging. Unmasking the ‘Q’ Ships guns, the ship returned fire at about 4,000 yards. The submarine responded by firing a torpedo and altering course to the Eastward. Avoiding the torpedo by 100-150 yards, the Gaelic scored two hits on the submarine which altered course to the S.W. to increase the range. By then the Gaelic’s starboard engine had become useless, owing to water from the fresh water tank coming through a shell hole through he deck and with the damage to the rigging the ship was not maneuverable. Nevertheless, the ship was stiil able to fire and two more hits were made on the submarine which ceased to reply. The submarine then turned to the N.E. towards the Gaelic and took another hit from the ‘Q’ Ship. After this last hit the damaged submarine had enough and broke off the engagement and dived, making off to the S.S.E. Irvine records that some 110 rounds were fired by both vessels and that his ship was hit seven times. The following day, the sloop Bluebell located the damaged Gaelic and after rendering medical assistance to the crew, towed the ship to Queenstown to be refitted.

The Gaelic was again action on 26 June 1917, 20 miles S.W. of the Lizard and on 2 July 1917, 95 miles W.N.W. of Fastnet Light. On both occasions, after short gun duels, the German submarines broke off the engagement and dived. Sold with copied ‘Captain’s reports of the three engagements.