Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Great War ‘Mediterranean Q-Ship’ D.S.M. group of five awarded to Petty Officer 1st Class W. Cosway, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (192595 P.O. 1Cl., Mediterranean 27 March 1918); China 1900, 2 clasps, Taku Forts, Relief of Pekin (Ord., H.M.S. Aurora); 1914-15 Star (192595 P.O., R.,N.); British War and Victory Medals (192595 P.O. 1, R.N.) some edge bruising, very fine (5) £1400-1800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals for the Boxer Rebellion 1900 to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.

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H.M.S. Aurora was an Armoured Cruiser of 5,600 tons, built in Pembroke Dockyard and launched in October 1887. A total of 46 officers and other ranks of the ship were entitled to the China Medal with the two clasps. Clasps confirmed.

D.S.M. London Gazette 21 June 1918. ‘... for services in action with enemy submarines’.

Wallace Cosway was born in Tiverton, Devon, on 20 July 1881. A Lace-maker by occupation, he entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in February 1897. Advanced to Boy 1st Class in November 1897, he served on the Aurora from February 1899 to April 1902, being promoted to Ordinary Seaman in July 1899 and Able Seaman in May 1901. He was promoted to Leading Seaman when on the Medea in June 1902; Petty Officer 2nd Class on the Niobe in July 1905 and attained the rank of Petty Officer 1st Class when on the Kent in May 1912. During the Great War he served aboard the pre-dreadnaught battleship Caesar, May 1914-April 1917; Vivid I, April-November 1917, and Egmont, November 1917-October 1918. Whilst based at Egmont (Malta), Petty Officer Cosway served aboard the ‘Q-Ship’ Brig II - Rosina Farrera. A report from Lieutenant W. W. Thomas, R.N.R., in command of the Rosina Farrera, dated 27 March 1918 states:

‘... sighted enemy submarine on the starboard quarter. Ship heading S.W. Heavy N.W. swell, wind light, sails flapping. Action Stations 3.45 p.m. Submarine opened fire. Range 4,000. Panic Party started to get boat over the side. Ship rolling heavily. Boat swung against bulwarks and water tanks and stove in planking making it useless. During this time the submarine closed to 1,200 and continued firing straddling ship and then securing hit through starboard bulwarks and house, striking gun and bursting through top of house exposing gun and wounding W. Cosway, P.O.1, W. Hawkes, A.B., Fowles, A.B. and Pearce, A.B., the three latter slightly and the Petty Officer seriously in the head. I then ordered “Up Guns” at 4.7 p.m.as the submarine then knew what we were. We secured three hits. The submarine ceased fire instantly and started to submerge. He then rose fully to the surface. He was undoubtedly damaged and we passed through a lot of oil on the surface in the vicinity we attacked him in. We continued to shell him until he was out of range. Gun laying was difficult owing to heavy swell. .... Submarine fired about 20 rounds. ... We fired 38 rounds, no missfires, Officers and men behaved splendidly’.

For this action Cosway was awarded the D.S.M. His papers record that he was severely wounded in action on 31 March 1918. Cosway was invalided on 13 January 1919. Sold with copied service paper and action report.