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HMS Terpsichore was a 1st Class twin screw cruiser of 14,200 tons and 25,000 HP. She served in the Boer War between March 1901 and March 1902 and was commanded by Captain C H Coke.


Picture courtesy of DNW

DSM GV (210040. J. Webb, P.O. Nl. Bde. Zeebrugge. Ostend. 22-3. April. 1918.);
QSA (0) (J. Webb, Boy 1 Cl., H.M.S. Terpsichore)
1914-15 Star (210040, J. Webb, P.O., R.N.);
BWM & VM (210040 J. Webb. P.O. R.N.);
Coronation 1911;
RN LS&GC GV 1st issue (210040. John Webb, P.O. H.M.S. Iron Duke.)

DSM London Gazette 23 July 1918: ‘For services during the operations against Zeebrugge and Ostend on the night of 22/23 April 1918.’

John Webb was born in Holborn, London in February 1885. He joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in May 1900. Webb advanced to Boy 1st Class, and served with H.M.S. Terpsichore, December 1902 - June 1903. He advanced to Able Seaman in August 1904, served as a member of the Guard of Honour at the Coronation of 1911, and advanced to Petty Officer in August 1913. Webb was appointed to H.M.S. Iron Duke, flagship of the Grand Fleet, in March 1914. In this ship, flying the flag of Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, he was present at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May - 1 June 1916, and indeed for most of the remainder of the Great War.

When volunteers were called for from the Fleet to man the ships that had been assembled for the operation against Zeebrugge and Ostend, Webb was serving with the Iron Duke and volunteered to join Sub Lieutenant F. E. Chevalier of the same ship who had already been accepted. Chevalier was placed in Command of Number’s 1 and 3 Sections of the demolition parties forming ‘C’ Company, Seaman Storming Party. Webb accompanied Chevalier with No. 1 Section’s Demolition Party. The task allocated to the Demolition Parties was the storming of the Mole and the destruction of the German gun emplacements, thereby creating a diversion whilst the block ships were manoeuvred into position.

‘C’ Company of the Seaman Storming Party sailed for Zeebrugge aboard the recently requisitioned Mersey Ferry Daffodil which, along with her sister ship Iris, were to be bathed in glory for their outstanding contribution to the success of the mission. H.M.S. Daffodil, commanded by Lieutenant H. G. Campbell, R.N., sailed under the direct orders of Captain A. F. B. Carpenter R.N., Commanding the Vindictive. The Daffodil was given the important job of holding Vindictive against the Mole whilst the storming parties leapt ashore. This role she carried out with complete success, despite the surging, rising and falling that was taking place aboard Vindictive and it was largely due to her action that elements from the Royal Marine and Royal Navy Storming Parties were able to land.

It was originally planned that after the Vindictive had been secured to the Mole the Daffodil would moor alongside to allow ‘C’ Company to transfer over her decks to assault the Mole. This proved impractical as for the whole duration that Vindictive was alongside the Mole, Daffodil’s bows were at a right angle to her side holding her securely in position. The Demolition Parties and Men of ‘C’ company seaman storming party were forced to transfer over the bow and on to the deck of Vindictive. Despite these problems Lieutenant C. Dickinson, in overall Command of the Demolition Parties, and his second in Command, Chevalier, rallied their Men, leapt across the gap between the ships and climbed up on to the Mole and fought their way to the nearest German gun emplacements, killing along the way a number of Germans. They laid their charges alongside the guns but owing to the close proximity of our own troops were unable to detonate them. Due to the heavy swell, Chevalier had only managed to get four of his men on board the Vindictive. The remainder were left under the command of Petty Officer Webb and ‘were unable to follow, as the Daffodil went astern to clear her bows from the Vindictive. The Daffodil was being shelled at the time, and the Captain ordered my men who were left on board to throw the Stokes ammunition, some of which was stowed on deck and some below, overboard. Petty Officer Webb and Leading Seaman Hawkins took charge of them in my absence and carried this out.’ (Chevalier’s report on the attack on the Zeebrugge Mole refers)

There is little doubt that the Demolition Parties would have been able to carry out considerable destructive work if more time had been available. Whatever the results of their efforts it is certain that Dickinson and Chevalier and the men of the demolition parties did all that was possible under the circumstances. Lieutenant Dickinson was awarded the D.S.O., Sub Lieutenant Chevalier the D.S.C. and 5 D.S.M’s, including one to Petty Officer J. Webb, were awarded to the members of ‘C’ Company Storming Party. It is noted in Admiralty records for this operation that Lieutenant Dickinson received a large number of votes for the Victoria Cross. Webb also participated in the ballot for the Victoria Cross, and was promoted Chief Petty Officer in June 1920. He was ‘Shore Pensioned’ in February 1925.

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (1) Cape Colony (S. T. Garland, Pte. R.M., H.M.S. Terpsichore.) clasp loose on riband;
1914-15 Star (Ply. 8195, Pte. S. T. Garland, R.M.L.I.);
British War and Victory Medals (Ply. 8195. Pte. S. T. Garland. R.M.L.I.) VM officially renamed;
Royal Navy LS&GC GV 2nd issue, fixed suspension (Ply. 8195. S. T. Garland, Pte. R.M.L.I.)

Sydney Thomas Garland was born in Plymouth, Devon in March 1882. He joined the Royal Marine Light Infantry in April 1897, and served with H.M.S. Terpsichore, December 1901 - July 1904. Subsequent service during the Great War included with H.M. Ships Cumberland (off West Africa), Challenger (off West and East Africa), Astraea (off East Africa) and Carysfort.

Garland was awarded the LS&GC July 1921, and discharged to ‘Pension’ in December of the same year.

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (0) (A. J. Russell, 3rd. Wtr., HMS Terpsichore), partly officially renamed;
BWM and VM (342051 A. I. Russell. Ch. Wr. R.N.);
Royal Navy LS&GC GV, 1st issue (342051. A. I. Russell, Ch. Wr. HMS Renown.)

Alfred Ideson Russell was born on 9 March 1883 in Sandport, Hampshire, and entered naval service on 1 April 1898 as a Boy Writer, serving in HMS Terpsichore from 8 February 1901 to 25 April 1904. In addition to shore bases, he served in HMS Vernon, Royal Sovereign and Renown during the Great War, remaining in the service until 18 March 1923, when he was pensioned to shore. He was awarded his LS&GC on 15 January 1917.

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (2) Cape Colony, South Africa 1901 (P. Rogers, P.O. 1Cl., HMS Terpsichore.) large impressed naming;
1914-15 Star (155323, P. Rogers, P.O.1, R.N.);
BWM and VM (155323 P. Rogers. P.O. R.N.);
Memorial Plaque (Phillip Rogers)



Approximately 137 Queen’s South Africa Medals with clasps Cape Colony and South Africa 1901 awarded to HMS Terpsichore.

Phillip Rogers was born in Northampton on 21 April 1874 and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 16 April 1890. Advanced Leading Seaman on 7 May 1896, he joined HMS Terpsichore on 1 May 1901 and served in her during the Boer War, being promoted Petty Officer 2nd Class on 18 May 1901, and Petty Officer 1st Class on 18 September of the same year. He was invalided on 6 October 1910.

Following the outbreak of the Great War Rogers was recalled to the service on 2 August 1914, and served in HMS Hannibal from 10 October 1914 to 19 February 1915. He died of pneumonia at the Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, on 28 June 1915, whilst borne on the books of HMS Pembroke, and is buried under a CWGC headstone in Glasgow Western Necropolis.

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QSA (0) (Lieut. D. M. Hamilton, R.N, H.M.S. Terpsichore.);
1914 Star (Capt. D. M. Hamilton, R.N. Transport Staff.)

173 1914 Stars (all without clasp) issued to Royal Naval Transport Staff, including one Rear-Admiral and eight Captains R.N.

CMG London Gazette 4 June 1917: ‘In recognition of valuable services rendered with Military operations in France.’ Invested by H.M. The King at Buckingham Palace, 30 June 1917.

MID (Sir John French, France) London Gazette 1 January 1916; (Sir D Haig, France) London Gazette 15 June 1916; (Sir D Haig, France) London Gazette 4 January 1917; (Sir D Haig, France) London Gazette 15 May 1917; (Sir D Haig, France) London Gazette 5 July 1919.

Officer of the Legion of Honour London Gazette 25 January 1918.

Turkish Order of Liakat, granted private permission to wear 12 December 1908.

David Monteith Hamilton was born at Nowshera, India, on 12 October 1874, son of Colonel G. M. Hamilton. He entered the Royal Navy aboard the training ship Britannia as a Midshipman on 15 March 1891, becoming Sub-Lieutenant in September 1894, and Lieutenant in April 1897. He joined H.M.S. Terpsichore at the Cape on 7 February 1901, but was ordered home on 18 March 1901, to be appointed Flag-Lieutenant to Vice-Admiral Bridge, Commander in Chief China, a position he held until March 1904. He received the appreciation of the Admiralty for his work on signalling in 1905, and again in 1906 for his prompt action following an explosion in HMS Fox. He was promoted to Commander in December 1907, and to Captain on his retirement, 20 February 1912.

Recalled on 5 August 1914, he was appointed to Boulogne for Special Transport Duties, appointed Deputy Naval Transport Officer and British Senior Naval Officer at Boulogne (1914 Star); Deputy Naval Transport Officer Dunkirk, 27 August 1917, and back to Boulogne 26 March 1919, reverting to the Retired List on 8 April 1920.

Captain Hamilton, who was resident in Biaritz, died in London on 18 May 1942.

The pair to Lt Hamilton is being re-offered at the next DNW sale.

It sold for a hammer price of £300 against an estimate of £400-£500 in September. The estimate is the same again for the sale in January.