Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry

A Great War D.S.M. group of four awarded to Trawler Cook William Gladding, Royal Naval Reserve, H.M. Trawler The Banyers, for minesweeping operations off Scarborough in December 1914 clearing the minefield which had been laid earlier by the German light cruiser Kolberg Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (223 TC. W. Gladding Cook, R.N.R., H.M. Tr. The Banyers); 1914-15 Star (T.C.223. W. Gladding, Tr. Ck., R.N.R.); British War and Victory Medals (223T.C. W. Gladding. Tr. Ck. R.N.R.) mounted as worn, good very fine (4) £900-£1,200 --- D.S.M. London Gazette 19 February 1915: ‘The following Memorandum has been furnished by the Admiral Commanding the East Coast Mine-sweepers, detailing the recent mine-sweeping operations off Scarborough. From the 19th to the 31st December sweeping operations were conducted by the East Coast Mine-sweepers with the object of clearing the minefield which had been laid by the enemy off Scarborough. At the beginning there was no indication of the position of the mines, although owing to losses of passing merchant ships it was known that a minefield had been laid. In order to ascertain how the mines lay it was necessary to work at all times of tide with a consequent large increase in the element of danger. The following officers are specially noticed for their services during the operations - ... Lieutenant H. Boothby, R.N.R., H.M.S. "Pekin". When Trawler No 99 ("Orianda") in which he was serving was blown up by a mine on the 19th December, Lieutenant Boothby successfully got all his crew (except one who was killed) into safety. Lieutenant Boothby was again blown up on 6th January, 1915, in Trawler No 450 ("The Banyers"). The following are also commended for Good Service done under dangerous conditions: (eight names including) William Gladding, Cook, R.N.R. No.223T.C., M.S.Tr. No. 450.’ Five D.S.M.’s were awarded for these operations, including three to crew members of H.M. Trawler The Banyers whose skipper, Lieutenant Hubert Boothby, R.N.R., was awarded the D.S.O. The Grimsby steam trawler The Banyers was one of numerous requisitioned trawlers which were brought to Scarborough to help clear the minefield laid by the German cruiser S.M.S. Kolberg under the cover of the bombardment of Scarborough. The Banyers struck a mine whilst carrying out sweeping operations and went down with 6 of her crew on 6 January 1915. Her skipper was Lieutenant H. Boothby, who had survived the earlier loss of the trawler Oriander on 19 December 1914, when, with the exception of one man, who was killed, Boothby got the rest his crew into safety, all of whom were transferred to The Banyers. He managed to escape from this sinking [The Banyers] by climbing out of the wheelhouse window as the trawler took its final plunge. He was awarded the D.S.O., as he put it himself, for losing two ships! His luck inspired him to write a book about his experiences which was entitled “Spuryarn”.