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Auction: 24113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 623

A very fine 'Harwich Force 1917' D.S.M. awarded to Chief Petty Officer E. E. Sandell, Royal Navy, who was present with Lennox during the action off Texel and later was with Sharpshooter during the Bombardment of Ostend where she sank S20, likely the action for which he was decorated before being further 'mentioned' in 1917

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (154995. E. E. Sandell, C.P.O. H.M.S. Sharpshooter. 1916-17), contact wear, very fine

D.S.M. London Gazette 11 August 1917, the original recommendation X7623/17 states:

'HMS Sharpshooter 10th Destroyer Flotilla Harwich Force 1916-7.'

M.I.D. London Gazette 14 September 1917.

Edward Ernest Sandell was born at Paddington, Middlesex on 9 May 1874 and enlisted with the Royal Navy on 2 May 1890 as a Boy Class II. His first posting afloat was with the corvette Champion where he reached his majority on 9 May 1892. Sandell was further advanced Able Seaman the next year and was later promoted Leading Seaman with Victorious on 26 May 1898.

Seeing service with Revenge at the turn of the century ,Sandell was advanced Petty Officer in 1901 and saw service with a number of vessels including Leander, St. George and Orontes. He was posted to Hong Kong and the shore base Tamar on 11 November 1911, where he was advanced Chief Petty Officer in 1912. Sandell returned to Europe in 1913 and was posted to the destroyer Lennox in July 1914 and was still with her on the outbreak of the Great War the following month.

Battle off Texel

Lennox was stationed with the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla upon the advent of the War, which was soon redesignated Harwich Force under the Command of Reginald Tyrwhitt. She was part of the small British Squadron which encountered a German Squadron off Texel on 17 October 1914.

The German vessels formed half of the 7th Destroyer Flotilla which had been ordered to lay mines along the British coast, as they approached the British ships they suddenly identified them as enemies and scattered. The commander of the British Squadron Captain Cyril Fox ordered his vessels to divide and pursue the enemy.

Lennox and her sistership Lance went after S115 and S119, disabling the latter so that she could only steer in circles. Lennox's guns managed to hit S115 with such accuracy that her bridge was totally destroyed. She continued to batter the destroyer while Lance overhauled and sank S119. S115 did not strike her colours and obstinately refused to sink, eventually Lennox ceased fire and sent a boat over to the German vessel where they found only one crewman alive.

The Germans lost all four of their destroyers in the action meanwhile British losses were minor. Thereafter Sandell remained with Lennox, which collided with the aircraft tender Ben-my-Chree in March 1916 and was kept from the action for some time.

Sharpshooter and Ulleswater

Sandell removed to Sharpshooter, another member of the Harwich Flotilla, on 6 April 1917. Three days after his arrival he was in action, engaging UB-31 when she attacked a merchant convoy. Sharpshooter spotted the submarine's wake and rushed her and dropped depth charges, failing to destroy her but forcing her away from the convoy.

Sharpshooter was to be heavily involved in the Bombardment of Ostend on 5 June 1917, protecting the monitors Erebus and Terror. In the early hours of the morning a section of the British Flotilla including Sharpshooter was patrolling off Thornton Bank when they spotted two German Destroyers.

The British force opened fire hitting their enemy and forcing them to break off their course and head for Zeebrugge. A detachment under Commander Hodgson was ordered in pursuit with Sharpshooter amongst her number, fortunately for the British, S20 had been damaged and fell behind thus allowing them to overtake the German ships. The battle which followed saw Sharpshooter narrowly avoid a torpedo, while S20 was sunk and S15 escaped after taking heavy damage.

Sandell was awarded his D.S.M. for his services with the Harwich Flotilla, the recommendation makes specific mention of Sharpshooter. As Sandell was only with her for seven months it is likely that his service during the Ostend Raid were a large part of the recommendation. In addition to his decoration he was further 'mentioned' in September.

Transferred again within the Harwich Force to the destroyer Ulleswater on 4 October 1917. He was stationed with this ship when she served in the Outer Patrol during the Zeebrugge Raid, ensuring that the attackers would be undisturbed by German shipping.

She was patrolling the North Sea on 15 August 1918 when a U-Boat, either U-71 or UC-17 torpedoed her amidships. The hit all but tore her in half and the sinking is immortalised in a painting by Charles Pears which hangs in the Imperial War Museum. Sandell survived the sinking and was posted to Swallow on 1 September 1918, remaining with her for the rest of the war and being discharged on 18 July 1919.

Epilogue

In his later years, like so many former sailors, Sandell worked as the landlord of the Gwydir Arms, Cambridge. He lived through the war and as a publican doubtless saw the V.E. Day celebrations, however he was not to live long, dying at Cambridge the month later on 10 July 1945; sold together with copied research.


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Sold for
£500

Starting price
£550