Orders, Decorations and Medals

The Great War D.S.M. awarded to Chief Engine Room Artificer 1st Class J. Bentley, Royal Navy, who was decorated for his gallant deeds in the destroyer Petard at Jutland: having sunk the German destroyer V-27, and seriously damaged the S.M.S. Seydlitz in another torpedo attack, Petard picked up survivors from the Queen Mary, offered assistance to Bingham, V.C. in the crippled Nestor and was lucky to evade destruction at the hands of the Westfalen after being caught in her searchlights at point-blank range

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (269229 J. Bentley, C.E.R.A. 1st Cl., H.M.S. Petard, 31 May-1 June 1916), good very fine £1400-1600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Exceptional Naval and Polar Awards from the Collection of RC Witte.

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D.S.M. London Gazette 15 September 1916:

‘For services rendered by Petty Officers and Men of the Grand Fleet in the action in the North Sea on 31 May-1 June 1916.’

Joseph Bentley was born in Plymouth in May 1876 and entered the Royal Navy as an Acting Engine Room Artificer 4th Class in December 1897. By the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he was serving as a C.E.R.A. 1st Class in the cruiser Blake, and remained similarly employed until removing to the destroyer Nymphe in early 1916.

Shortly thereafter, he transferred to the Petard, in the 13th Destroyer Flotilla, and subsequently shared in her honours at Jutland, on which occasion she sunk the German destroyer V-27 and seriously damaged the S.M.S. Seydlitz in another torpedo attack. Moreover, Petard somehow found time to pick up some survivors from the Queen Mary, and to offer assistance to Bingham, V.C. in the crippled Nestor - but as the gallant Irishman later stated, it was an offer he had to refuse, for it “would have meant the exposure of two ships to the danger that properly belonged to me.” As it transpired, Petard very nearly met a similar fate as Nestor, after being caught in the searchlights of the Westfalen at about 500 yards range in the ensuing night action:

‘As she was apparently being attacked on both sides, the Westfalen made straight for the two destroyers, which were Petard and Turbulent. The Petard sighted the leading German ship about 65-70 degrees on the starboard bow, and 400 or 500 yards away. She had no torpedoes left, and increased to full speed, turning slightly to port to avoid being rammed, and clearing the Westfalen, thought to be one of the old Wittelsbach class, by about 200 yards. The Petard was then caught in the Westfalen’s searchlights and four shells of the 13 - 5.9-inch and 6 - 3.5-inch variety fired in three salvoes by the latter’s starboard battery hit, but no vital damage was done, though a considerable oil fuel fire in No. 2 Stokehold [part of Bentley’s domain], and speed was reduced to 28 knots, while it was thought in the Westfalen that she had been sunk in 80 seconds.’

In point of fact, Petard made it back to Scapa, her casualties amounting to nine killed and six wounded. Turbulent was less fortunate, taking nearly 30 hits from the Westfalen - she turned over and sank in five minutes.

Bentley came ashore in July 1917 and was invalided in the following month.