GROUPS AND SINGLE DECORATIONS FOR GALLANTRY 89
A fine Second War ‘Far East’ D.S.M. group of eight awarded to Chief Engine Room Artificer R. L. Jerrard, Royal Navy and Royal New Zealand Navy, who served in H.M.S. Achilles throughout the war - a veteran of the Battle of the River Plate, when the cruiser ‘Achilles opened fire on the German ‘pocket battleship’ Admiral Graf Spee in the South Atlantic, at 6.21 am on 13 December 1939, it became the first New Zealand unit to strike a blow at the enemy in the Second World War. With the New Zealand ensign flying proudly from her mainmast - as battle loomed, a signalman had run aft with the ensign shouting ‘Make way for the Digger flag!’ - Achilles became the first New Zealand warship to take part in a naval battle.’
Jerrard went on to serve in operations in the Pacific, in particular as part of Operation Iceberg, the Battle of Okinawa, and as part of Task Force 37, in operations against Kure, Miko and Kobe. The Achilles remained in the task force’s operational area, during the final air operations - ultimately leading to the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.
DISTINGUISHED SERVICEMEDAL,
G.VI.R. (C.E.R.A. R. L. Jerrard. C/M. 38366); NAVALGENERAL SERVICE 1915-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1936-1939 (M.38366 R. L. Jerrard. E.R.A.2. R.N.); 1939-45 STAR; ATLANTIC STAR; PACIFIC STAR, 1 clasp, Burma; WAR MEDAl 1939-45; NEW ZEALANDWAR SERVICEMEDAL; ROYALNAVY L.S.&G.C.,
G.VI.R., 1st issue (M. 38366 R. L. Jerrard, E.R.A.2, H.M. S. Achilles.) mounted for wear, generally good very fine (8)
£1800-2200 D.S.M. London Gazette 11 June 1946:
‘For distinguished service during the War in the Far East.’ The Recommendation states:
‘For distinguished service during the War in the Far East while serving in H.M.N.Z.S. Achilles. And, more especially, for his persistent and cheerful leadership as senior Chief Engine Room Artificer during which time he built up in his department a spirit of teamwork and cheerful readiness to tackle and master a succession of difficult jobs.’
Robert Leslie Jerrard was born in Porstmouth, Hampshire, in 1908. He was the son of Chief Petty Officer R. W. Jerrard, R.N., and followed in his father’s profession by joining the Royal Navy as a Boy in August 1924. Jerrard advanced to Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class, and entered the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy.
Jerrard served with H.M.S. Achilles (cruiser), from June 1938 - September 1943 and from February 1944 - May 1946. The cruiser was taken into the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy:
‘As the formal title indicated, the New Zealand naval forces developed within a Royal Navy framework. The cruisers were loaned to New Zealand, which merely paid their running costs - a major advantage for a cash-strapped government. New Zealand also depended upon British expertise and personnel. Senior officers, including Achilles’ Captain Edward (later Rear-Admiral Sir Edward) Parry, were seconded British officers. In 1939 the New Zealand Division comprised 82 officers and 1257 ratings, of whom eight officers and 716 ratings were New Zealanders, supporting them was a 670-strong New Zealand Volunteer Naval Reserve. New Zealand sent its personnel to Britain for training, relied on British logistic support, and looked to the Royal Navy for traditions, advice and example. A small element of the wider British fleet, this force would be placed under the operational control of the Admiralty on the outbreak of war, in accordance with New Zealand’s defence strategy...
As the international situation darkened in the last week of August 1939, the likelihood of these plans being implemented suddenly became very real. Both New Zealand cruisers were hurriedly readied for sea. Ships’ bottoms were cleaned, supplies were loaded, and crews were brought up to their war complements. In H.M.S. Achilles’ case, this amounted to 31 officers and 536 ratings - of whom five officers and 316 ratings were New Zealanders [Jerrard being one of the experienced British crew].
Early on 29 August, with Germany preparing to invade Poland, the Admiralty requested that the ships move to their war stations. Seven hours later Achilles put to sea, bound for Balboa in Panama’s Canal Zone.... Achilles was well away from New Zealand when shortly after midnight on 3 September Captain Parry received a signal from London: ‘Commence hostilities against Germany.’ The previous day he had been ordered to change course to the Chilean port of Valparaiso. Achilles arrived there on 12 September 1939.
Of all the battles waged during the Second World War, arguably the most important was the Battle of the Atlantic, the struggle to keep open the sea routes to the British Isles... At the outset, the battle also involved denying the Atlantic and other sea routes to Germany. An immediate task for the Royal Navy was to track down and destroy the estimated 237 German merchant ships at sea or in foreign ports. As well as cutting off German trade, this action would prevent these vessels being armed and used to prey of Allied trade.
For six weeks Achilles played its part in this world-wide effort, moving along the coasts of Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia in order to deter German ship movements. The only Allied warship on this coast (all the South American countries were neutral), it was ready to intercept any German merchant ship heading for refuge in a neutral port or any of the 17 ships already holed up at various places that might dare to put to sea.’ (The Battle of the River Plate, The New Zealand Story, refers)
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