AN EXTREMELY RARE & DESIRABLE FOREIGN AWARD
of
“THE DISTINGUISHING SERVICE MEDAL” (GV)
To:
FRENCH SEAMAN “Brevete” RENAUD GABIER.
A Crewman of the French Battleship “CHARLEMAGNE”
For Gallantry in the Dardanelleson18th March 1915.
[THE MEDALS]
Croix de Guerre 1914-18
Combatants Cross (France)
Dardanelles Medal (France)
Commemorative Medal of the War 1914-18 (France)
Victory Medal (France)
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL (United Kingdom)
(Officially Impressed)
To.
RENAUD GABIER. BTE “CHARLEMAGNE”
[BIOGRAPHY]
The French rank of ‘BTE’ is an abbreviation of Brevete, which rank indicates a “Graduate Seaman” and would also be regarded as a Matelot or Private 1st Class.
Brevete RENAUD GABIER, who we think was born in Northern France in the Normandy area or possibly near the port of Brest, served aboard the French Battleship CHARLEMAGNE which along with its three sister battle ships: GAULOIS, BOUVET, & SUFFREN operated in joint British-French operations against the Turks in the Dardanelles in 1915. The ships were tasked with bombarding Turkish shore fortifications and were under the control of Rear Admiral Emile Guepratte. As RENAUD GABIER was only a very basic sailor in the lower ranks, it’s a fairly obvious situation that he certainly did something quite spectacular while in action to be awarded a very very unusual officially named medal, and indeed some major efforts were quite clearly made by both the French & British Navies through official channels to properly reward him for his gallantry as clearly this is not just a Naval exchange or reciprocal service award.
During these actions BOUVET was sunk by Turkish shore fire & SUFFREN was badly damaged during the action of 18th March.
CHARLEMAGNE was lightly damaged during this action and was later repaired.
*[SPECIAL NOTE]
The vast vast majority of all WW1 British gallantry awards which are seen as singles or in groups to foreign recipients were issued unnamed. Most (99%) of those encountered are nearly always Army awards of the M.M. or D.C.M. which are commonly seen as “unnamed blanks”. This is the first time we have ever encountered an officially impressed named “Navy” medal in a group to any foreign combatant.
From the French point of view this being a foreign award it is quite correctly worn on the end of the group rather than in the first position as would of course be the case with the same award to a British recipient.
A Highly Desirable and Very Unusual & Interesting Award worthy of much further research. ALL MEDALS INCLUDING THE D.S.M. (Which is Prooflike , superb & totally original with magnificent time developed multi-colours) ARE ALL PRACTICALLY MINT STATE.
£2250 (With Part Exchanges Welcome)
A Crewman of the French Battleship “CHARLEMAGNE”
For Gallantry in the Dardanelleson18th March 1915.
[THE MEDALS]
Croix de Guerre 1914-18
Combatants Cross (France)
Dardanelles Medal (France)
Commemorative Medal of the War 1914-18 (France)
Victory Medal (France)
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL (United Kingdom)
(Officially Impressed)
To.
RENAUD GABIER. BTE “CHARLEMAGNE”
[BIOGRAPHY]
The French rank of ‘BTE’ is an abbreviation of Brevete, which rank indicates a “Graduate Seaman” and would also be regarded as a Matelot or Private 1st Class.
Brevete RENAUD GABIER, who we think was born in Northern France in the Normandy area or possibly near the port of Brest, served aboard the French Battleship CHARLEMAGNE which along with its three sister battle ships: GAULOIS, BOUVET, & SUFFREN operated in joint British-French operations against the Turks in the Dardanelles in 1915. The ships were tasked with bombarding Turkish shore fortifications and were under the control of Rear Admiral Emile Guepratte. As RENAUD GABIER was only a very basic sailor in the lower ranks, it’s a fairly obvious situation that he certainly did something quite spectacular while in action to be awarded a very very unusual officially named medal, and indeed some major efforts were quite clearly made by both the French & British Navies through official channels to properly reward him for his gallantry as clearly this is not just a Naval exchange or reciprocal service award.
During these actions BOUVET was sunk by Turkish shore fire & SUFFREN was badly damaged during the action of 18th March.
CHARLEMAGNE was lightly damaged during this action and was later repaired.
*[SPECIAL NOTE]
The vast vast majority of all WW1 British gallantry awards which are seen as singles or in groups to foreign recipients were issued unnamed. Most (99%) of those encountered are nearly always Army awards of the M.M. or D.C.M. which are commonly seen as “unnamed blanks”. This is the first time we have ever encountered an officially impressed named “Navy” medal in a group to any foreign combatant.
From the French point of view this being a foreign award it is quite correctly worn on the end of the group rather than in the first position as would of course be the case with the same award to a British recipient.
A Highly Desirable and Very Unusual & Interesting Award worthy of much further research. ALL MEDALS INCLUDING THE D.S.M. (Which is Prooflike , superb & totally original with magnificent time developed multi-colours) ARE ALL PRACTICALLY MINT STATE.
£2250 (With Part Exchanges Welcome)