Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Dover Patrol’ D.S.M., ‘Zebrugge’ M.I.D. group of five to Chief Engine Room Artificer W. May, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (270362 C.E.R.A. 2Cl., “Phœbe” Dover Patrol 1918); 1914-15 Star (270362 E.R.A.1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (270362 C.E.R.A.2, R.N.); Royal Navy L.S.& G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (270362 E.R.A.1Cl., H.M.S. Duke of Edinburgh), mounted as worn, very fine (6) £1000-1200

D.S.M. London Gazette 20 September 1918.

M.I.D. London Gazette 23 July 1918. ‘For distinguished services on the night of 22/23 April 1918’ (Raids on Zebrugge and Ostend).

William May was born in Plymouth on 8 December 1879. An engine fitter by occupation, he entered the Royal Navy as an Acting Engine Room Artificer Class 4 on 4 February 1901. He received promotions to E.R.A. 4th Class in May 1903, 3rd Class in November 1904, 2nd Class in November 1908 and 1st Class in November 1913. At the start of the war he was serving aboard the armoured cruiser Duke of Edinburgh, and was with her at the battle of Jutland. Still on the Duke of Edinburgh, he was promoted to Acting Chief Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class in August 1916 but was posted to Vivid II in the following month and thence to the destroyer Phœbe in December 1916, in which he served throughout the remainder of the war. He was mentioned in despatches for his services aboard the Phœbe in the raid on Zebrugge, 22/23 April 1918 and awarded the D.S.M. for his services aboard the Phœbe in the Dover Patrol during that year. Late in the war he was commended for his conduct on the occasion of the collision between the Phœbe and the Miranda on 7 November 1918. He was pensioned ashore in 1923.