Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry

A Great War ‘Minesweeping operations’ D.S.C. group of six awarded to Lieutenant W. W. Storey, Royal Naval Reserve Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., hallmarks for London 1917, the reverse attractively inscribed ‘1st Lieut. W. W. Storey, R.N.R., Invested Nov. 7th 1917, Buckingham Palace’, with its Garrard & Co, London case of issue; 1914-15 Star (S. Lt. W. W. Storey, R.N.R.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lieut. W. W. Storey. R.N.R.); France, Third Republic, Legion of Honour, 5th Class breast badge, silver, gold and enamels, damage to enamel on several arms; France, Croix de Guerre 1914-1917, with gold star, mounted for display, very fine and better (6) £1,400-£1,800 --- D.S.C. London Gazette 2 July 1917: ‘In recognition of services in Mine-sweeping operations between the 1st July, 1916, and the 31st March, 1917’. The Admiralty recommendation by Vice-Admiral, Dover states: ‘He is the very finest type of Trawler Mine Sweeping Officer I have met. Time after time he has been out in weather, sweeping across to France, in which it appeared no trawler could live.’ M.I.D. London Gazette 1 January 1917, ‘in recognition of bravery and devotion to duty during minesweeping operations’, and 17 October 1919, ‘for services in the Mine Clearance Force between 1st January and 30th June, 1919’. The Admiralty recommendation by Rear-Admiral, Dover Patrol states: ‘He served as Second-in-Command of the “M” Sweeping Flotilla since the Flotilla was formed in December, 1918, and has been of the utmost assistance to the Senior Officer in every way. On 15 May at his special request he was allowed to take a drifter single-handed over the “M” Sinker area on the West Hinder Bank [off Zeebrugge], before sending a fully manned vessel across.’ Legion of Honour London Gazette 27 July 1919. Croix de Guerre London Gazette 17 October 1919 Wilfrid Walter Storey was born in New Brighton, Cheshire, in March 1892. He served as a Sub-Lieutenant (18 June 1915) and Lieutenant (18 June 1917), R.N.R., based at H.M.S. Attentive III (Dover), engaged in mine-sweeping duties with the Trawler Patrol, Dover Patrol, from July 1915. In the inter-war years he served with the Merchant Service on the Hall Line S.S. City of Baroda and was at one time based at Suez as a Pilot. He was recalled in the Second World War as Temporary Lieutenant, R.N.R., with seniority dated 30 August 1939, but details of his service are not known. He died on 14 August 1961, at Chard, Somerset, aged 69 years. See also Swept Channels, by Captain Taprell Dorling, in which Lieutenant Storey is mentioned (pp 318 & 357) as being the right-hand man of Commander Colin S. Inglis, D.S.O., R.N., who in December 1918 was commanding 16 drifters used for mine clearance off the Belgian coast; Lieutenant W. W. Storey, D.S.C., R.N.R., being said to have had great experience in minesweeping during the war round about Dover and Dunkirk. Sold with bestowal document for the Legion of Honour, dated 1 March 1919, for ‘Dragage du Hâvre’; two M.I.D. certificates, dated as above; Certificate of Competency as Extra Master for Foreign-going Steamships only, dated 23 February 1920; together with Admiralty letter dated 15 September 1924, confirming all gazetted awards, other papers, a small related photograph and tunic ribbon bar.