The rare Yangtze River 'Armed Boarding Party' Wounded-in-Action D.S.M. medal group of 7 for the Wanhsien Incident during the Chinese Civil War: Master at Arms Francis Herbert Image, D.S.M., Royal Navy

- Distinguished Service Medal. GV (J.100599 F. H. Image. A.B. H.M.S. Kiawo. Wanhsien, 5. 9. 1926)
- The 1939-45 Star. No clasp
- The Atlantic Star. No clasp
- The Africa Star. No clasp
- Defence Medal
- War Medal
- Naval LS&GC Medal. GVI first issue (M.39890 F. H. Image. R.P.O. H.M.S. Titania)

D.S.M. London Gazette 16 May 1927: 'The King has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the following Decorations and awards to Officers and men of H.M. Navy and the Mercantile Marine, in recognition of their services at Wanhsien, Yangtze River, China on 5 September 1926, and the connected events. One of the surviving members of the boarding party, who acted with courage and resource in extremely trying circumstances.’

This rare award was granted for gallantry during the Civil War in China, the above London Gazette announcing two D.S.Cs, two C.G.Ms and four D.S.Ms, in addition to 28 'Mentions'. One of only 10 inter-war awards of the D.S.M.

Medals verification: The campaign medal rolls for the Second World War are not in the public domain, however the recipients extant 'service sheets' (extant & accessible at The National Archives) confirm qualifying ships and his service throughout the duration of the Second World War. The named Naval medals confirmed as entitled per below cited Admiralty medal rolls

- Distinguished Service Medal. GV first issue: London Gazette 16 May 1927
- The 1939-45 Star. No clasp: Served H.M.S. Phoebe, 09/09/40 -17/09/40)
- The Atlantic Star. No clasp: Served H.M.S. Phoebe, 09/09/40-17/09/40)
- The Africa Star. No clasp: H.M.S. Phoebe, 09/09/40)
- Defence Medal: Awarded for 3 years aggregated Home Service (service sheet refers)
- War Meda: Awarded for 28 days uniformed service 1939-1945
- Naval LS&GC. GVI first issue: ADM 171/151. Medal 'Traced' 12/08/37 on recipients service sheet

Distinguished Service Medal: The action stemmed around the attempted rescue of two Butterfield and Swire Line Steamers, following an incident in which another of the Company's Steamers, the Wanlu, had got into difficulties with General Yang Sen's soldiers at Yunyang, the Chinese claiming that two Sampans had capsized as a result of her wash - several soldiers were drowned and apparently many thousands of dollars lost. Despite a contrary statement from the Wanlu's Captain, in which he denied the charges and stated that his ship was boarded by Chinese soldiers and was fired on while afterwards endeavouring to escape, General Yang Sen - one of Wu Pei Fu's supporters - ordered reprisals in the form of the seizure of two other vessels of the Butterfield and Wire Line, namely the Wanhsien and Wanting. As a result, the Royal Navy sent to their rescue the Gunboats Cockchafer and Widgeon, in company with the Steamer Kiawo, which latter vessel was owned by Matheson & Co., but had been taken over by the Royal Navy and manned by four Officers and 60 Ratings, Able Seaman Image among them. Arriving at the the port of Wanhsien, where the two Steamers had been held and boarded by 300 Chinese soldiers and the Mercantile Marine Officers locked in their cabins, the R.N. came under a very heavy fire from Chinese artillery and machine guns, but replied in kind and managed to effect the rescue of the incarcerated Officers before beating a hasty retreat - sadly a Mr. Johnson, who was Chief Engineer of the Wanting, was drowned while attempting to swim away from his captors. Given the scale of the action, the R.N's casualties were high, not least among the crew of the Kiawo, who had three Officers and four Ratings killed, and one Officer and eight men wounded, no doubt as a result of their gallant attempt to board one of the captured Steamers. The Cockchafer too had run into problems, her Captain and five men being wounded. Their combined bravery was not lost on their Lordships, who signalled the C.-in-C., China:

'Having received your telegraphic report of the expedition to Wanhsien on Sunday 5 September, Their Lordships, while deeply regretting the loss of valuable lives and the number of casualties suffered, note that the traditional gallantry of H.M. Service was fully sustained by all Officers and Ratings who took part in the hazardous expedition which resulted in the extrication of H.M.S. Cockchafer from her dangerous position and the rescue, with one exception, of the British Mercantile Marine Officers of the two Steamers. Their Lordships desire that an expression of their warm appreciation may be conveyed to all Officers and Ratings concerned'.

Francis Herbert Image was born in Willesden, Middlesex in October 1904. At the time of the China Incident in 1926, he was serving as an Able Seaman in H.M.S. Mantis - a China Station 'River Gunboat' - and was one of those who volunteered to man the Steamer Kiawo in her daring enterprise to effect the rescue of the Chinese-held British Mercantile Marine Officers. Image, moreover, was among the wounded (The Times refers). He died in December 1958, at the age of 54 years

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of China related medals amassed by the late Gene Christian, Bronx, New York, a pioneer collector of colonial medals and insignia related to China service and the International Treat Ports in China

Sold with hardcopy news cuttings reporting the incident and other collectors notes from the archives of Gene Christianson

The medals professionally mounted in the swing-style. The reverse of the white-metal medal mounting bar retaining the long stout hinged pin and clasp fittings

A rare and desirable British naval gallantry group for China service on the Yangtze River during the inter-war years

Condition: Mostly GVF

Code: 24363