Distinguished Service Order awarded to Rear Admiral Claude Congreve Dobson (1885–1940). Dobson served in submarines during World War I and on 20 July 1915 was commanding ‘C-27’. The submarine was being towed by the trawler ‘Princess Marie Jose’ when ‘U-23’ surfaced in order to shell the trawler. The tow was cast off and the trawler’s crew abandoned ship. As the U-boat prepared to sink the trawler, Dobson sank her with his second torpedo. This was one of the first of such tactics using trawlers as decoys to sink U-boats. Dobson was awarded the DSO for this action. Later in the war he joined the Anti-Submarine Division at the Admiralty and eventually the newly formed coastal motorboat service.

In 1919, months after the end of WWI, Great Britain was officially still at war with the revolutionary regime in Russia. On the 18 August, Dobson led eight fast Coastal Motor Boats from a base in the Gulf of Finland on a daring raid into Kronstadt Harbour where they sank two Bolshevik battleships and a submarine depot ship. For gallantry on the 'Scooter Raid' as it was called, Commander Dobson and one of his Lieutenants - Gordon Steele - were both awarded the Victoria Cross (see MED2102).

Rear Admiral Dobson was born in 1885 and entered the Royal Navy in 1899 and served until his retirement in 1935. He was promoted Rear Admiral on the retired list in 1936 and died in 1940

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 five others: Victoria Cross (MED2102), 1914-15 Star (MED2104), British War Medal (MED2105), Victory Medal (MED2106) and Coronation Medal George VI 1937 (MED2107).