A rare Great War D.S.M., ‘Tsar’s visit’ Russian Medal for Zeal and Tuscania Survivors Association Medal group of seven awarded to Stoker Petty Officer W. S. Noad, who was serving in H.M.S. Grasshopper when she came to the aid of U.S. Troopship Tuscania, saving over 1,500 lives

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (306741. W. S. Noad. Act. Ch. Sto. H.M.S. Grasshopper. 1917); 1914-15 Star (306741, W. S. Noad, S.P.O., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (306741 W. S. Noad. Ch. Sto. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (306741 W. S. Noad. Ch. Sto. H.M.S. Pembroke), partially officially corrected; Russia, Empire, Medal for Zeal, Nicholas II, small silver medal, unnamed; Tuscania Survivors Association Medal, inscribed on reverse ‘In recognition of valor shown by Commander and crew of H.M.S. Grasshopper in rescue of U.S. troops Feb. 5, 1918’, minor contact marks and polishing, generally very fine (7) £1,000-£1,400

D.S.M. London Gazette 5 March 1918:
‘For services in Destroyer and Torpedo Boat Flotillas during the period ending 31 December 1917’

The original Recommendation states: ‘For generally valuable services since ship recommissioned at Newport on 18 October 1917. Specially meritorious service on 16 December 1917 at Rathmullan when boiler was open for cleaning. On being ordered to raise steam with all dispatch, it was largely due to this Chief Petty Officer that steam was on main engines in five hours.’ (ADM 116/1561/MS19 refers).

Russian Medal for Zeal, confirmed in service record: awarded on the occasion of the Tsar’s visit in August 1909

William Samuel Noad was born in Aldgate, London, on 14 January 1886 and served in the Royal Marines Light Infantry, before joining the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class on 21 June 1904. Rated Stoker Petty Officer from March 1910, he served as such in H.M.S. Racoon on the outbreak of war, serving in her until he was drafted to Grasshopper from October 1917 to January 1919.

The sinking of the Tuscania is well known; but by way of summary: on the night of 5 February 1918, she had almost reached her first ‘home’ port, sailing some seven miles north of Rathlih Island, off Northern Ireland, when a German submarine located her, firmly between the cross hairs of the sub’s periscope, and launched first one torpedo, then another. H.M.S. Grasshopper came to her aid, a survivor said:
‘The work of the destroyer was magnificent and could not have been better. They were constantly in danger of being torpedoed while clearing the lifeboats. They carried on however, and when they saw they could save no more life, left the scene.’

In the aftermath of the sinking, a survivors’ association was formed and a gold medal issued to members of Grasshopper’s crew.

Noad’s service record notes he was ‘awarded Russian silver medal of St Stanislas’ in connection with the Tsar’s visit of August 1909, for which he was serving in H.M.S. Indomitable. Noad remained in naval service after the war and was discharged dead from H.M.S. Lowestoft 25 May 1925, from illness.

Note: An article by Captain Jack Boddington for the Orders and Medals Society of America’s Journal, vol. 44, considers the Tuscania medal and illustrates Noad’s actual group; the article can be seen online via the O.M.S.A. website.