A good Second World War Mediterranean operations D.S.M. group of seven awarded to Warrant Ordnance Artificer C. H. Giles, Royal Navy, who also won a “mention” for the Normandy landings

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (M. 37063 C. H. Giles, A./C.O.A.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, M.I.D. oak leaf; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (M. 37063 O.A. 2, H.M.S. Hebe), the campaign awards in their original card forwarding box, generally extremely fine (7) £800-1000

D.S.M. London Gazette 6 April 1943:

‘For bravery and skill in a brilliant and successful action against an escorted Italian convoy in the Mediterranean, in which four ships of the enemy convoy, and two enemy destroyers were sunk.’

The original recommendation states:

‘This rating, ever since commissioning, has had to compete with a series of major technical faults and defects, particularly in the 5.25 turrets. His leadership, skill and tireless energy have been an inspiration to his young and inexperienced department, and contributed in a major degree to the ability of the turrets to carry out a prolonged firing during the action.’

Mention in despatches London Gazette 28 November 1944.

Charles Herbert Giles was born in Portsmouth in July 1906 and entered the Royal Navy as an Ordnance Artificer Apprentice in January 1922. By the time of the outbreak of hostilities in 1939, he had been advanced to Ordnance Artificer 1st Class and was serving in the minesweeper H.M.S. Hebe, in which ship he remained until August 1941 when he came ashore to an appointment at Victory. In May 1942, however, Giles joined the newly commissioned Dido-class cruiser Sirius and it was for services in her, as stated above, that he was awarded his D.S.M., not least for his part in the action that led to the destruction of an escorted Italian convoy off Tunisia on the night of 1-2 December 1942, when the Sirius formed part of Force ‘Q’ under Admiral Harcourt. Indeed Giles’s direct involvement on the gunnery and armament front was well rewarded, when the Sirius picked up an enemy destroyer still firing on her port quarter and hit her with her very first salvo - the Italian ship was seen to burn fiercely and blow up.

Giles remained in the Sirius until July 1944, a period of extensive operational activity that won his ship no less than eight Battle Honours, those for the landings at Sicily, Salerno and Normandy among them, and the latter operations resulting in him winning a “mention”. He was also advanced to Chief Ordnance Officer in the same period.

Returning ashore to appointments at Victory and Excellent, Giles was commissioned as a Temporary Acting Warrant Ordnance Officer in October 1944, following which he appears to have served on the Staff of the Flag Officer, Western Germany, in late 1945, where he acted as an assistant to a Gunnery Officer (Disarmament).

Sold with a quantity of original documents, including Admiralty letter of notification for the award of the D.S.M., dated 22 April 1943, and Buckingham Palace forwarding letter; M.I.D. certificate, with accompanying envelope; campaign medal forwarding slip, confirming a total of eight awards / clasps; Certificate of Service; Ordnance Artificer’s History Sheet; letter of appointment to the rank of Temporary Acting Warrant Ordnance Officer, dated 19 October 1944; and three ship’s “flimsies” with glowing character assessments, one from the Flag Officer, Western Germany, October 1945, the others from the Captain of the cruiser Dido in the first half of 1946.