An unusual Great War D.S.M. pair awarded to Junior Reserve Attendant S. Rothwell, Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick Berth Reserve, attached Royal Naval Air Service Seaplane Base, Dunkerque

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (M. 15814 S. Rothwell, Jun. Res. Att., R.N.A.S. Dunkerque, 27 June 1917); France, Third Republic, Croix de Guerre 1914-1918, with bronze leaf riband fitment, the first with minor official correction to unit, edge nicks and contact marks, nearly very fine or better (2) £1,000-£1,400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The James Fox Collection of Naval Awards.

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D.S.M. London Gazette 11 August 1917.

The original recommendation states: ‘M. 15814 Stanley Rothwell, Sick Berth Attendant, was injured in the foot which was badly bruised, blistered and swollen, and must have been extremely painful. He, however, limped about his duty and although the first aid gear was scattered and broken by the explosion, attended to all the casualties before he had himself attended to. This occurred after a 15-inch shell exploded outside the Seaplane Base, Dunkerque, as a result of which three men were killed and 13 wounded. There was apparently no doctor present’ (TNA AIR/74 refers).

French Croix de Guerre London Gazette 19 December 1919.

Stanley Rothwell, who was born in Warrington, Lancashire in March 1894, entered the Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick Berth Reserve in October 1915, and served at the R.N. Hospital Haslar until being attached to the Royal Naval Air Service’s Seaplane Base at Dunkirk in March 1916. His subsequent deeds in the attack of 27 June 1917 also won him his Croix de Guerre (TNA ADM 116/1576 refers), while his rate of Junior Reserve Attendant on his D.S.M. may well be unique. Rothwell was demobilised in April 1919.