The Distinguished Service Medal was the main gallantry medal given to
naval ratings during the First World War, with over 4,000 medals being
awarded. The citations for these awards are difficult to identify in
surviving documents, which has meant that the reason why many of the
awards were made has remained somewhat enigmatic.
For the first time this book documents all the surviving recommendations
for these awards as well as providing analysis of the campaigns for
which the awards were made. The posthumous recommendations for the medal
and also details of the other awards made to DSM recipients are included
to provide a definitive history of the medal during the First World War
and the Interwar period.