A rare Great War land operations D.S.M., Second World War civil B.E.M. group of eight awarded to Boatswain R. McDonald, Royal Navy, who was decorated for his services with Naval Siege Guns in Flanders in 1915 - he was specially promoted to Boatswain in January 1917 after being severely wounded

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (197544 R. McDonald, P.O. Cl. 1 Cl., Siege Guns, Belgium); British Empire Medal, (Civil) G.VI.R., 1st issue (Robert MacDonald, D.S.M.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (R. McDonald, A.B., H.M.S. Forte); 1914-15 Star (197544 R. MacDonald, P.O. 1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Bosn. R. MacDonald, R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (197544 Robert McDonald, P.O. 1 Cl., H.M.S. Pembroke); Belgium, Order of Leopold II, Chevalier’s breast badge, silver and enamel, note variation in ‘Mc’ and ‘Mac’, the first with minor official correction to ‘Belgium’, the last with chipped enamel work, otherwise generally good very fine (8) £1800-2200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals The Property of a Gentleman.

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D.S.M. London Gazette 7 August 1915.

B.E.M. London Gazette 4 January 1943.

Belgian Order of Leopold London Gazette 14 March 1916:

‘The King has been pleased to give and grant unto Petty Officer Robert McDonald, R.N., His Majesty’s Royal Licence and authority to wear the insignia of Chevalier of the Order of Leopold, which decoration has been conferred upon him by His Majesty the King of the Belgians in recognition of valuable services rendered by him.’

Robert McDonald was was born in Stirling in June 1881 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in January 1898. Advanced to Able Seaman in May 1900, he served briefly off South Africa in H.M.S. Forte during the Boer War (sold with roll verification), and was awarded the L.S. & G.C. Medal in June 1914.

A Petty Officer 1st Class in the Magnificent on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he was seconded for services with the Naval Siege Guns in Belgium in the following year, in which capacity he won his D.S.M. and sustained shell wounds to both thighs and legs and a large abdominal wound (his service record refers). Although difficult to discern, another relevant entry appears to state he was serving in armed river boats at the time.

The first Naval Siege guns, a 9.2-inch and two 6-inch, were landed in France in 1914, and served under Commander H. C. Halahan, R.N., who was later killed at Zeebrugge. In the summer of 1915 four short 9.2's Mark VI were landed from the monitors which, due to their relatively short range had been found unsuited for coastal bombardment, and were mounted well up at the front near Nieuport Bails. Two of the guns known as “Eastney” and “Barbara” were mounted in concrete pits, the other two, mounted at first in the open, were afterwards similarly protected and became “Carnac Battery”. “Barbara” and “Carnac” were manned by the Royal Navy; “Eastney” was manned by the R.M.A. under Captain J. H. Hollingsworth. The whole unit formed the Royal Naval Siege Guns. In addition to these large calibre guns, eight 7.5-inch guns from H.M.S. Swiftsure were landed and mounted, on ship’s pivot mountings, well forward near Oost Dunkerke to assist in counter battery work.

Evacuated to the U.K., on recovery from his wounds he was employed as an Executive Officer’s Secretary in Brilliant from April 1916 to January 1917, in which latter month he was ‘specially promoted for war services’ to Boatswain. Having then taken up an appointment in Pembroke, he was pensioned ashore in October 1919 as a result of ongoing complications with his old wounds.

McDonald was awarded his B.E.M. for services as a Storeholder at Ordnance Services, Scottish Command in the 1939-45 War; sold with a file of research.