WW1 Royal Navy Submarine E14 Victoria Cross Action DSM Group of Medals
A rare medal group being awarded to ERA 3 Earnest Frank Little, who was awarded the DSM for service on the Submarine E14, during the war cruise when the commander E.C. Boyle was awarded the Victoria Cross. Comprising: Distinguished Service Medal 'M4286 E.F. Little ERA 4 ClHMS Submarine E14', 1914/15 Star M4286 E.F. Little DSM E.R.A.3 R.N., British War Medal M4286 E.R. Little. E.R.A. 3 R.N. (surname officially corrected, Victory Medal (Replacement medal named to Yorks L.I.). Group mounted for display.
The announcement of the DSM appeared in the London Gazette on the 13th September 1915. Earnest Frank Little joined the Royal Navy in 1912 signing for 12 years service. In 1913 he qualified as an Engine Room Artificer 4th Class. At the outbreak of WW1 he was serving onboard HMS Forward but by the end of the year he had volunteered for the Submarine service and was at HMS Dolphin. In April 1915 now assigned to the Submarine E14 under the command of Edward Courtney Boyle. The submarine had been ordered to support operations in the Dardanelles. On 27 April 1915 in the Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles, Turkey, Lieutenant-Commander Boyle, in command of submarine E14, dived his vessel under the enemy minefields and in spite of great navigational difficulties from strong currents and the presence of hostile patrols waiting to attack, he continued, during the next two weeks, to operate in the narrow waters of the straits and succeeded in sinking two Turkish gunboats and one military transport. On his return he was awarded the Victoria Cross with gallantry decorations going to the rest of the crew including Little. He would go on to serve on other submarines including D4, K11, H21, K6 and H32, this being his last sub. serving from November 1919 to October 1920. In that year at his own request to shore by purchase. He then went on to serve with the RFR. With research.
