A Rare Great War ‘Mercantile Marine’ D.S.M. awarded to Boatswain William Gallagher, Mercantile Marine, for ‘zeal and devotion to duty’ when his ship, the S.S. William Middleton, was attacked by a German U-Boat UC-46 in the Bristol Channel near Lundy Island on 23 December 1916. As shrapnel rounds began to hit their ship, Boatswain Gallagher quickly raised the signal ‘Submarine in the vicinity’ to warn other vessels nearby to keep their distance, and in doing also alerted the Armed Motor Trawler Thuringia to the presence of the enemy. After abandoning ship, the Thuringia arrived just in time to force the U-Boat into a crash dive, thus saving the damaged ship from its final destruction, comprising: Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (Boatswain W. Gallagher, Bristol Channel. 23 Dec. 1916.); Attractively toned, minor edge bruise at obverse 4 o’clock, otherwise good very fine D.S.M.: London Gazette: 12 May 1917 – ‘to the following men of the British Mercantile Marine, in recognition of zeal and devotion to duty shown in carrying on the trade of the country during the war’Boatswain William Gallagher was born on 14 April 1888 at Londonderry, and served with the Mercantile Marine during the Great War. Whilst aboard the S.S. William Middleton on 23 December 1916 in the Bristol Channel, heading for Newport or Gloucester 4 miles North-West of Lundy, it came under fire from an unseen enemy U-Boat at 8.50am. As the ship itself began receiving shrapnel fire, Boatswain Gallagher hoisted the signal ‘Submarine in the vicinity’ to warn of other nearby vessels, such as the Bertrand, which sped away as the U-boat fired two shots in her direction. The crew of the William Middleton stopped her engines and commenced throwing all Admiralty instructions and sensitive paperwork overboard in a weighted box and began to abandon ship, which had been holed by the enemy. The submarine UC-46 came alongside the ships boats and interrogated the Master of the William Middleton, demanding the ships papers, but upon learning that they had been destroyed the vessel departed in preparation to destroy the ship.At the point of doing so, at 11.30am the Armed Motor Trawler Thuringia sighted the William Middleton and the enemy submarine, which it immediately engaged. Firing some six shots, the submarine ‘crash dived’ and fled, and the Thuringia took in all of the William Middleton’s crew. At around midday, some of the crew (Master, Chief Mate, two Engineers, and the Boatswain – William Gallagher) re-boarded the damaged vessel, which was escorted to Tenby, where emergency repairs allowed her to reach Port Talbot.Reflecting after the action, the Master of the William Middleton reported that he considered ‘his (Gallagher’s) conduct most gallant…recommending him for distinction by separate letter. By hoisting the warning signal he saved his own vessel and two others.’Ex D.N.W. 24 February 2016 and 26 June 2008

Estimate: GBP 800-1000