Distinguished Service Order awarded to Vice-Admiral Ernest Wigram for his part in operations on the Belgian coast between 22 August and 19 November 1915. The following despatch was sent by Vice Admiral Reginald Bacon: ‘On the evening of the 24 September, I despatched HMS ‘Prince Eugene’ (Captain E. Wigram, R.N.) and one other monitor and the requisite auxiliary craft to bombard the following morning, the coast of Knocke, Heyst, Zeebrugge and Blankenberghe (east of Ostende)…’, ‘London Gazette’ 12 January 1916. Wigram was also Mentioned in Dispatches for services in action between 19 February and 24 April 1915. He also received the CMG for his part in the raid on Zeebrugge in 1918. ‘This officer was in command of H M Monitor ‘Prince Eugene’. He led his division well inside the allotted range in order to bring the secondary armament of the vessel into action. This brought the ships under a heavy fire from the shore batteries, and undoubtedly contributed considerably to the success of the operations’. The Dispatches of Vice-Admiral Sir Roger Keyes.

The medal is an enamelled white cross edged in gold with a green central wreath containing the Imperial Crown in gold on a red background. On the reverse is the Royal Cypher within a green wreath on a red background. The ribbon has a wide central stripe of red edged with narrower stripes of blue. It is mounted on a bar with eight others: Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (MED1218), 1914-15 Star (MED1220), British War Medal (MED1221), Victory Medal with oak leaf (MED1222), Silver Jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary (MED1223), Coronation of King VI and Queen Elizabeth (MED1224), Belgian Order Leopold 4th Class (MED1225) and Croix de Guerre (MED1226).