WW1 “SUNK BY U BOAT & WOUNDED” BRITISH WAR MEDAL LT SELBY ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE

Offered is a WW1 British War Medal, impressed named ENG. S.LT.  T. SELBY. R.N.R Comes with copies of service record, medal rolls and photograph.

Sub Lieutenant Thomas Selby was born in London 13/12/1881, a ship’s engineer by trade, he had qualified for the Mercantile Marine Medal previously, and was granted a temporary commission as Engineer Sub Lieutenant with the Royal Naval Reserve 14/6/1917.

He was serving on the Bostonian (ex-Cambrian) which was a commissioned escort or convoy escort ship, being a mercantile conversion.  It was built in 1896, with an armament of 3-6in, 2-11in A/S howitzers. In service 11.6.17 - 10/10/1917.

On the 10/10/1917 the Bostonian was in the English Channel 34 nautical miles south by east of Start Point when she left the regularly assigned position for ocean escort and proceed about three-quarters of a mile ahead of the formation which was at the time under destroyer escort. The Bostonian, while signalling to vessels in the convoy, was torpedoed by the U53 (Kapitänleutnant Hans Rose). She was not zigzagging, nor was the convoy. The ship went down with 4 of the crew, Lt Selby survived with a wound to his right foot.

As a result of his injuries, he was only fit for shore duties until 6/2/1918. His commission was terminated 22/2/1918.

Note the medal roll for the R.N.R shows he is only entitled to the British War Medal, however he was clearly in a combat zone when he was sunk and should also be qualified for the British Victory Medal as well as the Mercantile Marine Medal.