Distinguished Service Medal, US Navy, awarded to Admiral Sir (William) Reginald Hall, KCMG, CB

Reginald ‘Blinker’ Hall was born in 1870 and entered the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1884. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1890 and to Commander in 1901. After two years as naval assistant to the Controller of the Navy, 1911-13, he was appointed captain of the battle cruiser ‘Queen Mary’ and took part in the Battle of the Heligoland Bight in August 1914.

Hall was recalled to the Admiralty in October 1914 to become director of naval intelligence. On the retirement of Sir Alfred Ewing he developed the code-breaking department of the Admiralty known as ‘Room 40’ and was involved in the capture of Sir Roger Casement in 1916 and in the Zimmerman telegram of 1917. He was promoted Rear-Admiral in 1917 and retired at the end of the war. In 1923 he was promoted to Vice-Admiral and in 1926 to Admiral on the retired list. He had a brief career as a Conservative Member of Parliament but stood down from politics in 1929. Admiral Sir Reginald Hall died on 22 October 1943.

The medal is bronze. On the obverse is the American eagle surmounted by a white star charged with a gold anchor. On a blue circle round the eagle is inscribed, ‘UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NAVY’. On the reverse is a trident within a laurel wreath surrounded by a blue circle inscribed, ‘FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE’. The medal is fitted with a navy blue ribbon with a central yellow stripe. It is mounted on a bar with four other medals awarded to Admiral Hall and held by the Museum: 1914-15 Star (MED1988), British War Medal (MED1989), Victory Medal (MED1990) and George V Coronation Medal, 1911 (MED1991). The Museum also holds Admiral Hall’s decorations.