Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War minesweeping operations D.S.M. awarded to Deck Hand H. Terry, Royal Naval Reserve, for services in the Banffshire steam herring drifter Betsy Slater in 1918

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (DA. 12941 H. Terry, Dk. Hd., R.N.R. “Betsy Slater”, Minesweeping, 1918), very fine £500-600

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

Harry Terry was born at Kingsbridge, Devon in November 1896 and enrolled in the Royal Naval Reserve direct from the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in November 1916. He was subsequently drafted to the Betsy Slater, a Banffshire steam herring drifter that had been requisitioned by the Admiralty for war service in 1915 - armed with a 6-pounder gun, she was employed as an anti-submarine net vessel and minesweeper. Awarded the D.S.M. for like services in 1918 - and the recipient of an award from Naval Prize Money - Terry was demobilised from the requisitioned carrier H.M.S. Zaria at Fraserburgh in March 1919; sold with copied service record.