Exceptional Naval and Polar Awards from the Collection of RC Witte

A rare Great War Q-ship operations D.S.C. group of four awarded to Lieutenant F. G. J. Manning, Royal Naval Reserve, who was decorated for his gallantry in Acton’s successful action against the UC-72 off the French coast in August 1917 - ‘the submarine was so close that at one time it actually collided with the ship, shaking Acton fore and aft’: he had earlier won a “mention” for leading the storming party that captured one of the Konigsberg’s landed guns at Bagamoyo in August 1916

Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., hallmarks for London 1917; 1914-15 Star (S. Lt. F. G. J. Manning, R.N.R.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lieut. F. G. J. Manning), good very fine (4) £3000-3500

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 22 February 1918:

‘For services in action with enemy submarines.’

Francis Graham John Manning, who was born at Holyhead, Anglesey, in September 1892, was appointed a Sub. Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve in August 1915, and, having joined the battleship H.M.S. Vengeance in the interim, was embarked for East Africa that December.

East Africa - “Mention”

Shortly thereafter, having arrived on the East Africa Station, Manning was transferred to the cruiser Talbot, as a consequence of which, he found himself navigating one of her steam pinnace’s in the landings at Simba Urange on 5 May 1916, when he disembarked a party of Royal Marines and Askaris who occupied a gun emplacement that had once housed one of the Konigsberg’s 4.1-inch guns.

And it was in a similar operation against enemy positions at Bagamoyo on 15 August 1916 that he won a mention in despatches (London Gazette 15 June 1917 refers). On this occasion, however, he came ashore in charge of a machine-gun section with orders to storm another Konigsberg land-mounted gun emplacement, in which task, described by Admiral Charlton as ‘a most remarkable piece of work’, he succeeded. The operation is summarised thus in Conrad Cato’s The Navy Everywhere:

‘As soon as our men landed, Sub. Lieutenant Manning was sent in charge of a machine-gun section to rush the hill and capture the 4.1. This he did very skilfully, taking cover as soon as he reached the top of the rise, and peppering the Germans relentlessly, until they abandoned their gun and took to their heels. In addition to the gun, over 80 rounds of ammunition were found in the magazine near by, and a few days later both gun and ammunition were shipped to Zanzibar, where they were on view to admiring crowds of natives.’

In fact, in due course, the gun found its way home and was exhibited in the Mall near the north door of the Admiralty.

Q-ships - D.S.C.

As verified by contemporary Navy Lists, Manning was transferred to ‘special service’ in the summer of 1917, when he joined the Q-ship Acton [a.k.a. Q-34] under Lieutenant-Commander C. N. Rolfe, D.S.O., R.N., and it was in the same capacity that he won his D.S.C. for the destruction of the UC-72 off the French coast on 20 August 1917. Rolfe’s subsequent report states:

‘I have the honour to report on an action which took place between H.M.S. Acton and a submarine yesterday, 20 August 1917.

Acton was steaming at S.42 W. at 10 knots, in position 46 00 N. 8 48 W., when at 6.25 p.m. a submarine was sighted on the port quarter.

Acton maintained approximately the same course and reduced speed to eight knots, orders being at the same time given to make more smoke and to avoid blowing off steam.

The submarine commenced firing at 6.25 p.m. and continued at ranges varying from 8300 to 6000 yards until 8.00 p.m. During this time between 50 and 60 rounds were fired, eight of which were time-fused. The submarine ceased fire as boats were lowered.

At 8 p.m. the ship was stopped, and “panic abandon ship stations” were carried out; smoke boxes were fired in the well deck and steam leakage turned on.

At about this time the submarine submerged and carried out a close periscope inspection of the ship which lasted until 8.35 p.m.: the submarine was so close that at one time it actually collided with the ship, shaking Acton fore and aft. It then came to the surface about 1000 yards away and hailed the boats to come alongside; but as it was getting dark, the submarine was not seen through the spy-holes on the bridge.

The next seen of the submarine, it was circling close round the ship on the surface, and at a range of between 200 and 300 yards, fire was opened on him just before the port beam. Six rounds were fired, at least four of which hit the submarine, the certain hits being two abaft and below the conning tower and two on the conning tower.

Loud shouts came up from the submarine when Acton opened fire. The submarine then submerged stern first and most of her conning tower was shot away.

The telegraph was put to full ahead, when the open fire bell was pushed and an attempt was made to ram the submarine as she submerged, a depth charge being dropped when over the spot where she submerged at 9.10 p.m. This exploded 10 to 15 seconds after being let go and sent up a column of black or dark brown water 25 to 30 feet high.

It was now very dark, so the boats were found and hoisted. The foremost fall of the port life boat had been shot away and caused a little delay in hoisting. When the boats were clear of the water, Acton commenced steering in a square, in the hope of finding wreckage on which to drop another depth charge or for picking up survivors; but unfortunately at about 10.20 p.m. a light, then considered suspicious, but since only believed to be the reflection of a star, was seen and followed up.

Nothing further was seen of the submarine, and I consider it was sunk; but the darkness prevented small objects being seen on the water: though after the depth charge had exploded the only man who was looking over the side aft said that the water had the appearance it would have ‘after the ship had been throwing overboard ashes’. The depth charge used seems to have gone into the submarine’s swirl. The weather was fine and the sea calm.’

Manning was awarded the D.S.C. and received a £40 share of the Admiralty’s resultant prize money.

In March 1918, he removed to the Silene, a convoy sloop, but a sloop with a difference - in common with her consorts she had been designed to have the appearance of a merchantman, while her armament of two 4-inch guns, a 12-pounder and depth-charge throwers were all concealed, though whether she had any encounters of the U-boat kind remains unknown - certainly she landed three cases for hospital treatment at Buncrana in early October.

Manning was demobilised in June 1919.