A rare Great War Distinguished Service Medal and Al Valore Militare group awarded to Chief Officer’s Steward Arthur Smith, Mercantile Marine, for services when the paddle minesweeper H.M.S. Haldon stuck a mine laid by UC-44 in Clonakity Bay, Ireland on 7th August 1917. He would receive the Distinguished Service Medal in the London Gazette of 29th August 1917 and the Al Valore Militare in silver in the London Gazette of 17th November 1917.
Group of 4: Distinguished Service Medal, GVR, (A.A.W. SMITH. CH. STD. (M.M.) H.M.S. HALDON. 5-6 JULY 1917.) British War Medal and Victory Medal with oak leaf emblem; (A.A.W. SMITH. CH. STF. M.F.A.) Italy – Kingdom: Al Valore Militare, in silver, unnamed as issued and with mint mark crowned ‘Z’. loose-mounted for wear, Good Very Fine
Condition: loose-mounted for wear, Good Very Fine
Provenance: Ex Jason Pilalas Collection
Along with a photograph of the recipient in customs uniform wearing his medals.
Arthur AA.W. Smith saw service as a Chief Steward with the Mercantile Marine during the Great War and would receive the Distinguished Service Medal in the London Gazette of 29th August 1917, the recommendation stating:
‘H.M.S. Haldon damaged by mine on 7th August 1917. In accordance with standing instructions was at my side throughout ready to carry messages and orders with the greatest coolness. Their Lordships conveyed.’
He would later also be awarded the Al Valore Militare in silver in the London Gazette on 17th November 1917, the recommendation stating:
‘On the 6th July 1917 in Clonakity Bay, Ireland, he behaved with great coolness and intelligent attention to instructions, and assisted in the salving of a German mine, there being a considerable motion on both the boat and the mine, he successfully threaded a wire through one of the lifting bolts of the mine’
H.M.S. Haldon was a racecourse class paddle minesweeper that saw service during the Great War having been built in Dunlop, Bremner & Co Ltd Shipyard in Glasgow. The mine that the ship struck was placed by the German Submarine UC-44 by Kapitanleutnant Tebbenjohanns.who was taken prisoner just two days prior to Haldon striking the mine
