A Collection of Medals to Second World War Casualties (Part II) 944
Six: Colour Sergeant D. P. O’Byrne, Royal Marines, who survived the sinking of H.M.S. Royal Oak after she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-47 whilst at anchor at Scapa Flow, 14 October 1939
1939-45 STAR;AFRICA STAR; ITALY STAR;DEFENCE ANDWARMEDALS 1939-45; ROYALNAVY L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., 1st issue (PO/X. 2912 D. P. O’Byrne. Clr. Sgt. R.M.) mounted as worn, very fine (6)
£140-180
Desmond Patrick O’Byrne served during the Second World War as part of the Royal Marine detachment in H.M.S. Royal Oak. On 14 October 1939, whilst at anchor at H.M. Naval Base Scapa Flow, Orkney, the Royal Oak was torpedoed by the German submarine U -47 under the command of Günther Prien; of the total ship’s complement of 1,234 men and boys, 833 were killed or subsequently died of wounds. O’Byrne survived the sinking; he subsequently gave the following statement: ‘I was on the Marines Mess Deck at the after end amidships at the time of four explosions. After the fourth a red flash came into the Mess Deck through each armoured door. Hammocks caught fire. A lot of dust and flames came through also. The first explosions sounded right forward and the remaining three aft, but before our mess deck, on the starboard side. I saw no result except the flash, and abandoned ship through the port after door and up the officers ladder immediately the lights went out, which was just after the fourth explosion. I did not see any hole in the ship.’
O’Byrne was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in February 1954. 945
Three: Able Seaman A. Harris, Royal Navy, who was killed in action when H.M.S. Daring was torpedoed by the German submarine U-23, under the command of the ‘Wolf of the Atlantic’ Otto Ktretschmer, and sank off Duncansby Head, 18 February 1940
1939-45 STAR;ATLANTIC STAR;WARMEDAL 1939-45, with named Admiralty enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mr. J. T. Harris, 6 Collington Lane, Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex’, nearly extremely fine (3)
£120-160
Albert Harris served during the Second World War as an Able Seaman in the D-class destroyer H.M.S. Daring, that had, for a time, been the first command of Lord Louis Mountbatten. On 18 February 1940 H.M.S. Daring was one of four destroyers escorting a convoy from the Norway campaign to the U.K. In the early hours of the morning the convoy was sighted by U-23, commanded by the man who would later become known as the ‘Wolf of the Atlantic’, Otto Ktretschmer. At a point some 30 miles East from Duncansby Head U-23 found herself trapped on the surface between the two port-side escorts of the convoy. In order to enable an escape Kretschmer decided to attack the stern destroyer, H.M.S. Daring. Two torpedoes were fired and Daring was hit; almost immediately later a secondary explosion ripped through the ship, broke her in half she sank within two minutes, with the loss of 157 Officers and crew. There were only 5 survivors.
Harris was amongst those killed. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. His medals were sent to his father Mr. J. T.
Harris.Sold with a photographic image of the ship’s crew.
946
Three: Able Seaman E. Rothwell, Royal Navy, who was killed in action in H.M.S. Hunter during the the battle of Narvik, 10 April 1940- the Flotilla Commander, Captain B. A. W. Warburton-Lee, H.M.S. Hardy, was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his gallantry during the battle
1939-45 STAR; ATLANTIC STAR;WARMEDAL 1939-45, with named Admiralty enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mrs. F. V. Rothwell, 7 Belstone Avenue, West Park, St. Budeaux, Plymouth’; together with the recipient’s MEMORIAL SCROLL (Able Seaman E. Rothwell Royal Navy), extremely fine (3)
£240-280
Ernest Rothwell served during the Second World War as an Able Seaman in the H-class destroyer H.M.S. Hunter, and was was present during the Battle of Narvik, 10 April 1940. Hunter was one of a flotilla of five ships, led by H.M.S. Hardy under the command of Captain B. A. W. Warburton-Lee, that were operating off Narvik in connection with sowing minefields in Norwegian waters to prevent there continued use by German shipping. On 9 April 1940 it was known to the world that Germany was attacking Norway and that as part of her plan eleven large destroyers, each transporting 300 soldiers and accompanied by several merchantmen had steamed into Ofot Fjord on their way to Narvik. This news had been transmitted to the Admiralty by Captain Warburton-Lee, who was at once informed that the odds against the small British force were so heavy that it would be left to his own judgement to attack immediately or to await reinforcements.
Captain Warburton-Lee elected to attack before the Germans had time to complete their landing or consolidate their position, so at three o’clock on 10 April 1940 the five British destroyers entered Ofot Fjord. The British steamed down the long fjord without incident and appeared before Narvik harbour at about four-thirty p.m. H.M.S. Hardy at once steamed in to reconnoitre, leaving her four consorts, H.M.S. Havock, Hostile, Hotspur, and Hunter, outside. She made a full circuit of the harbour, which was full of shipping and engaged a 1625-ton destroyer with gunfire and torpedo. Two torpedoes were discharged and the German was hit and blew up. Before leaving H.M.S. Hardy engaged another two of the enemy as well as the shore batteries but was not hit. Captain Warburton-Lee then ordered his four consorts to circle the harbour in turn, his own ship following. This was repeated a second time and on withdrawing a fresh force of three enemy destroyers were sighted emerging from the Rombaks Fjord which opens into Ofot Fjord above Narvik. This force was immediately engaged and reinforced by two other destroyers from the same direction. The fight that ensued was extremely fierce. H.M.S. Hunter was sunk but due to the intensity of the German gunfire none of the other flotilla destroyers could come to her aid. At first it was thought that she had gone down with her entire crew of 145, but it was later discovered that 2 officers and 44 ratings had been picked up by the German destroyer Erich Giese; this party was landed at Narvik and held as prisoners of war until 13 April, when they were released by the Germans and sent to Sweden, from where they returned home. For his gallantry that day the mortally wounded Captain Warburton-Lee was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross, the first V.C. to be Gazetted in the Second Word War.
Rothwell was amongst those killed, aged 23. He is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial. His medals were sent to his widow Faith Rothwell.
Sold together with two Naval Cap Tallies, for H.M.S. Defiance and H.M.S. Drake, and a portrait photograph of the recipient.
www.dnw.co.uk
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