The James Fox Collection of Naval Awards

A Great War D.S.M. group of six awarded to Chief Petty Officer S. A. Cutcliffe, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (164855. S. A. Cutcliffe. Act. Ch. P.O. H.M.S. Doris.); 1914-15 Star (164855, S. A. Cutcliffe. D.S.M., Act. C.P.O. , R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (164855 S. A. Cutcliffe. C.P.O. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (164855. S. A. Cutcliffe. C.P.O. H.M.S. Doris.); France, Third Republic, Croix de Guerre, bronze, reverse dated 1914-1917, with bronze palm on riband, mounted court-style for display, light contact marks, good very fine and better and a sufficiently early award for the recipient’s 1914-15 Star to be impressed ‘DSM’ (6) £1,400-£1,800

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

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One of only five D.S.M.s awarded for this action.

D.S.M. London Gazette 10 April 1915:
‘For services rendered whilst attached to a landing party for H.M.S. Doris at Alexandretta on 6 and 7 January 1915.’

French Croix de Guerre London Gazette 1 April 1919:
‘For services in connection with the war.’

Sydney Albert Cutcliffe was born at Charles, Devon, on 5 July 1876 and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class on 19 January 1892. Advanced Acting Chief Petty Officer on 1 August 1914, he joined H.M.S. Doris on 4 August 1914, and served in her for the majority of the Great War, distinguishing himself at Alexandretta in January 1915.

H.M.S. Doris at Alexandretta
Since December 1914, the cruiser H.M.S. Doris had been engaged in operations against a large concentration of Turkish troops around Alexandretta on the coast of Syria, systematically harrying the coast route. On 5 January 1915, she tried to land a party to destroy the Mersina railway bridge, but they were detected. Captain Larkyn, therefore, recalled them, and had to be content with wrecking the bridge with shell fire. On the following day a double landing party was put ashore at Jonah's Pillar, where on previous visits the Doris had destroyed the bridge. Here the telegraph and railway lines were cut, and the timber which had been collected to repair the bridge was used as fuel for a fire to twist the rails. All was done in the face of sharp opposition from the railway patrols and the next day (7 January) a party was beaten back to the boats with the loss of one killed and one wounded. The bridge was afterwards dealt with by the ship’s guns.

Confirmed in the rate of Chief Petty Officer on 4 August 1915, Cutcliffe was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 6 March 1916. He transferred to H.M.S. Birkenhead on 3 December 1917, and was shore demobilised on 15 November 1919.

Sold with copied service papers.