A rare Great War river gunboat D.S.M. group of four awarded to Stoker Douglas Lacey, Royal...

A rare Great War river gunboat D.S.M. group of four awarded to Stoker Douglas Lacey, Royal Naval Reserve, for services in the Shatt-el-Arab, 3rd to 9th December 1914 Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (2903T,. D. Lacey, Sto. R.N.R., H.M.S. Espiegle); 1914-15 Star (2903/T. D. Lacey. L.Sto. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (2903/T. D. Lacey. L.Sto. R.N.) these last three all later issues, together with a second D.S.M., also a later replacement issue and so marked, mounted for display, the first with some edge bruises, very fine, otherwise nearly extremely fine (5) £1,200-£1,600 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- D.S.M. London Gazette 10 April 1915: ‘For services in the Shatt-el-Arab, 3rd to 9th December, 1914.’ The recommendations states: ‘Among several projectiles that had hit the Miner, one had penetrated the water line between starboard coal bunker and the engine room, bursting inside, and woundeding Stoker Petty Officer A. Jones, R.N. and Stoker D. Lacey, R.N.R. Water was pouring in through the hole, and the water nearly up to the furnace doors, but Jones, although severely wounded in the head, stuck to his post, and assisted by Lacey, who was also wounded, undoubtedly saved the ship from sinking in deep water, and in range of the enemy’s guns (ADM 137/204/65 refers). Jones was afterwards awarded the C.G.M. and Lacey the D.S.M. On 3 December 1914, Lieutenant-Commander W. Nunn, S.N.O. Tigris River Flotilla, led his small warships up the Shatt-el-Arab to lend support to the 17th Brigade’s attack on the vital position at Kurna, which lies at the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. On 4 December, the warships came under heavy Turkish artillery fire and several vessels were damaged. Stoker Lacey was attached to the small armed launch Miner, his parent ship, H.M.S. Espiegle, also being in this action. The Miner was holed below the waterline by a large calibre shell, and but for the devotion to duty shown by Lacey in staying at his post in a flooded engine room, the launch would not have made it safely to shore, where she was successfully beached.