Exceptional Naval and Polar Awards from the Collection of RC Witte

The Great War D.S.C. group of three awarded to Commander G. S. Brown, Royal Navy, who was decorated for his gallant command of the Q-ship Redbreast in a hotly contested action in the Mediterranean in March 1916

Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., hallmarks for London 1920; 1914-15 Star (Lieut. G. S. Brown, R.N.); British War Medal 1914-20 (Lieut. G. S. Brown, R.N.), generally good very fine (3) £1800-2200

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.C. London Gazette 25 October 1916.

George Samuel Brown was born at Greenville, Waterford in March 1888 and entered the Royal Navy as a Naval Cadet in Britannia in September 1903. Appointed Midshipman in the battleship Magnificent in the Atlantic Squadron in March 1905, he was advanced to Lieutenant in December 1910, in which year he attended a submarine course and served in the C. 2 and A. 12. But by the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he had returned to normal fleet duties, and was in command of the destroyer Sunfish.

Having then served as “Jimmy the One” in the M. 20, he assumed command of the steamer Redbreast on the Mediterranean Station - up until March 1916, she had been employed carrying supplies to Mudros, but shortly thereafter, on account of her looking most ordinary and unlikely to arouse suspicion, she was fitted out as a Q-Ship. And on 16 July, while steaming along ‘that busy route from Malta eastwards towards Crete’, she encountered a U-Boat at six miles range, steering north-east to head off the Q-Ship:

‘There now ensued a battle of wits between the German and Lieutenant G. S. Brown, R.N., Redbreast’s captain. Sending his men to action stations, the range was closed to 6,000 yards, when the enemy did a quick dive at a big angle in preparation for torpedoing; but by altering course five points to port and increasing speed to 12.5 knots this put the German off his attack. The latter therefore returned to the surface ten minutes later, showed up on the steamer’s starboard quarter, and opened fire with his gun. Ten shells - all good for direction but 200 or 300 yards short - were loosed off, after which Brown was about to stop engines and pretend to abandon ship. But just as he was going to ring down “Stop,” the enemy must have seen some item that aroused nervous doubt even as the boats were being cast loose. For the German had suddenly changed his mind, could not be tempted to renew his attack, but went off ... ’ (Seas of Adventures refers).

Not to be denied an opportunity to engage the enemy, Brown changed course for the Messina-Alexandria route and ran up Greek colours, in addition to quickly changing other features in the Q-ship’s appearance. Over two hours later, his ploy succeeded, an enemy submarine surfacing about 500 yards from the Redbreast’s port bow:

‘Alarm gongs were rung from the bridge, and the moment this U-Boat’s deck emerged clear seven British projectiles shot across. Three hit, the first blowing off the conning-tower’s top, killing the captain, who was leaning over the fore part, half in and half out, with his arms folded. Black smoke then issued from the boat ... and she dived obscurely. Unquestionably she was in a bad way, listing heavily to port, and Lieutenant Brown reasoned that she would either founder or make for the Adriatic. Redbreast accordingly spent the night cruising about the scene and informed two trawlers to look out. She was painted a light slaty-blue, and identified as the same submarine met earlier in the day. Lieutenant Brown was awarded the D.S.C., two of the crew were given the D.S.M., and a sum of £1000 was awarded to the ship. Nevertheless that submarine was not destroyed. Remarkable though it may be, she got back home in spite of her wounds, and this narrow escape must be reckoned in the same category as that of the U-93 and several other enemy submarines.’

Appointed to the command of the destroyer Acorn in September 1916, he remained similarly employed in the Aegean Squadron until removing to the command of the Perigrine in October 1918, and likewise the Tarantula on the China Station in at the end of that year. Indeed Brown appears to have remained employed out in the Far East until May 1920, thereby perhaps accounting for the later hallmark date on his D.S.C. Be that as it may, he was placed on the Retired List as a Lieutenant-Commander in November 1920, was advanced to Commander (Retired) in March 1928 and died in April 1935.