Full medal write up
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL, G.V.R. ‘M. 10262 W. C. F. BOND, 3RD WR., H.M.S. ALCANTARA, 29 FEB. 1916’, BRITISH EMPIRE MEDAL, MILITARY DIVISION, G.VI.R. ‘C.P.O. WR. WILLIAM C. BOND, D.S.M., P/MX. 5371’
D.S.M. London Gazette 22 June 1916.
The original recommendation states:
'H.M.S. Alcantara action with the S.M.S. Greif on 29 February 1916: When H.M. ship was listing at 45 degrees and sinking, he slid across the deck to the lee side to assist a badly wounded man. As it was impossible to bring this man up to the other side of the deck, he assisted him into the water and then jumped in after him. He himself was on the sick list at the time suffering from a hernia.'
B.E.M. London Gazette 11 July 1940: 'In recognition of services in the war.'
William Charles Francis Bond was born in Portsea, Portsmouth on 7 September 1896 and entered the Royal Navy as a Writer 3rd Class in November 1914, direct from his job in the Caledonian Railway. After service at Victory I, he joined the armed Merchant Cruiser H.M.S. Calyx on 19 December 1914, serving until 15 April 1915, before returning to Victory I. He subsequently served aboard the armed merchant cruiser H.M.S. Alcantara from 16 April 1915 until her loss on 29 February 1916, following a hotly contested action with the enemy raider Greif, 'an action which savoured of the days of Nelson, the two ships being engaged at point blank range': both were sunk. Despite being on the sick list during the action, whilst the ship was sinking, Bond would save the life of the severely wounded Private Reed, R.M.L.I., assisting him to get off the ship and then jumping after him. His gallant actions were witnessed by Alcantara’s Captain and he would subsequently be awarded the D.S.M. for this deed.
In an account left by Bond in his scrap book relating to the action, Bond recounts how he also saved the ships Ledger, which was the only item belonging to Alcantra to survive the sinking (this went on to be displayed in America) and unsurprisingly, as saving the ships Ledger from a sinking ship was one of the articles in King’s Regulations, it was for this deed that Bond thought he was awarded the D.S.M. for until receiving a copy of his recommendation in 1918.……………………
SEE PDF FOR FULL WRITE-UP
1) Bond’s aluminium identity tag
2) A rare H.M.S. Alcantra cap tally
3) Portrait photograph of P.O. Bond in uniform, ribbons show he was also entitled to the Great War Trio and LS Medal.
4) Bond’s superb Great War scrap book, the contents comprising period letters, accounts and newspaper cuttings relating to the Alcantara action and Bond’s part in it. This unique item adds much to the events. Each page has either a letter, Official correspondence, Gazette, or newspaper page/cutting that folds out. The preceding page describing what the letter was, who it was from etc. Content includes:
a) Letter from Assistant Paymaster James Duffill, R.N.R.; 'I was delighted to learn yesterday that you came out of the ordeal safe … hoping you are not the worse for the experience'
b) From the captain of the Seahorse, dated 18 September 1918, providing a requested copy of the recommendation for Bond's D.S.M.. Plus, the original recommendation
c) Several other letters of a congratulatory nature on news of the award, among them examples from Alcantara's C.O., Captain T. E. Wardle, D.S.O., R.N., dated 23 June 1916; 'I was delighted to see that you got it and hope you are quite fit now'
d) From the Secretaries of the Caledonian Railway and the R.N. Warrant Writers' Club. Bond notes the irony or this congratulation in that he had been sacked without pension by this company in 1914 from joining the Royal Navy!
e) A letter from the man he saved: Private A. A. Reed, R.M.L.I., dated at Haslar Hospital in June 1917
f) Details of Alcantra Court Martial for loss of the ship
g) London Gazette Supplement 20 June 1916 listing Awards for the Alcantara action
h) Numerous wartime newspaper cuttings relating to the Alcantara action
5) A most interesting, typed account by bond of his part in the Alcantara action in particular relating to the saving of the Ledger. Here Bond makes note of how important the saving of a Ledger from a sinking ship was, according to King’s Regulations. Attached to this is a 1929 letter relating to promotion
6) 1929 Admiralty letter regarding Bon’s examination as Warrant Writer
7) Original supplement to the London Gazette 9 July 1940 (B.E.M. Award)
8) Bond’s Admiralty promotion Warrants as Temporary Warrant Writer, dated 25 February and 17 May 1943. These both rolled in tube
8) A 1956 hand written double page account by Bond, sent to a newspaper relating to the Alcantara action. This along with the 1956 newspaper article (a cutting) relating to the action based on Bond’s notes and featuring a photograph of 3 survivors, including Bond
9) Various loose newspaper cuttings, Marriage, Birth Certificates etc
Condition GVF/NEF ‘d’ of ‘3rd’officially corrected on first. Sold with copy service, etc (digital).
The documentation and accounts of the action kept by this man add much to what is already A fine group to an iconic Great War naval action.