David Earley Posted 12 October , 2019 Share Posted 12 October , 2019 I am researching Chief ERA Ernest Edward Stevens DSO who was killed on board Submarine E-6 when she hit a mine on 26 December 1915, with the loss of all hands. His service record says that he was posted to HMS Maidstone from December 1913 onwards. I know that HMS Maidstone was a submarine supply ship. Why does his service record show that as his posting, rather than the actual submarine on which he was working? David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 12 October , 2019 Share Posted 12 October , 2019 Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) (Battle of Heligoland Bight), not DSO. The convention was for ships/boats not carrying their own pay accounts to be recorded in brackets after the name of the parent ship/depot ship which administered them. In this case one would expect to see MAIDSTONE (E.6) but, for unexplained reasons, this was not done by the scribes of the Submarine Service in this case. Presumably he had served in E.6 since late 1913 when she first commissioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Earley Posted 12 October , 2019 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2019 Sorry - of course it was DSM. My mistake! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNCVR Posted 15 February , 2020 Share Posted 15 February , 2020 HM Sub E-6 was the first submarine during 1WW that made contact with a mine & survived - 25 Sep 1914. She was not so lucky on Dec 26, 1915. Bryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Earley Posted 5 May , 2020 Author Share Posted 5 May , 2020 On 15/02/2020 at 17:53, RNCVR said: HM Sub E-6 was the first submarine during 1WW that made contact with a mine & survived - 25 Sep 1914. I have just seen this- thanks. If its of interest, my article on Ernest Stevens is at http://www.sussexpeople.co.uk/chief-engine-room-artificer-ernest-edward-stevens-dsm/ David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNCVR Posted 5 May , 2020 Share Posted 5 May , 2020 (edited) Hi David, Thanks for posting the article on CERA Edward Stevens. Very interesting indeed. I have had 4 1WW medal groupings of original crew members of HMSub E-6 during the course of my collecting career, two of which i still have. I have had for many years the medal grouping of PO Ernest Randall Cremer, CGM, DSM, FreMM. He, together with his Officer Lieut Williams Freeman DSO, is mentioned in your article on CERA Stevens for E-6's encounter with the mine on 25 Sep 1914. This was the first known encounter with a submarine & an enemy mine in history, fortunately the crew of E-6 lived to tell about it & quite a lengthy report was submitted to the Admiralty with the details & drawings of the mine. This 'action' resulted in Lieut Williams-Freeman receiving the first RN DSO of the war & AB Cremer being awarded the first CGM of the war. The CGM is quite rare(actually rarer than the VC) with only 108 plus one additional bar(2nd award) awarded for 1WW. Altho I do not possess the medal group of Lieut Williams-Freeman I do have a good photo of his double DSO group. So I will include some photos which should be part of this topic on HMSub E-6, including a couple group photos which I think you will find quite interesting..... Best Wishes, Bryan Photos of E-6 taken I suspect not long after commissioning in 1913. Edited 5 May , 2020 by RNCVR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNCVR Posted 5 May , 2020 Share Posted 5 May , 2020 (edited) PO E.R. Cremer medals display....... PO Cremer's medal group.. Closeup of CGM, DSM. Closeup of CGM naming -- Edited 5 May , 2020 by RNCVR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNCVR Posted 5 May , 2020 Share Posted 5 May , 2020 (edited) Lieut Williams-Freeman medal group. His clasp (2nd award) to DSO was postwar, 1920's, Aegean, I think from my head. Lieut Williams-Freeman was Navigating Officer of HMSub E-6, eventually went on to his own command. Edited 5 May , 2020 by RNCVR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNCVR Posted 5 May , 2020 Share Posted 5 May , 2020 Photo of AB Cremer taken after award of CGM in Jan 1915. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNCVR Posted 5 May , 2020 Share Posted 5 May , 2020 (edited) As promised in initial post 6 - here is the 'kicker' --- An original photo for taken for newspaper publication of the group of sailors & soldiers(just visible in background) marching off to Buck Palace in Jan 1915 for the first Decoration\Medal Investiture of 1WW by King George V. ER Cremer is in right file, second man behind the 3GC badge PO. Williams-Freeman could be the Lieut on right, & CERA Stevens could be behind him (possibly). The group photo is on a very small (cigarette pkg size) card so not all that clear, taken outside Buck Palace immediately after the Investiture, wearing their medals. Cremer on left end, & possibly Stevens beside him - he is wearing the three CPO cuff buttons worn only (at that time) by Chief ERA's, EA's, & MAA's. closeup... closeup... Edited 5 May , 2020 by RNCVR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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