An unusual Second World War D.S.M. group of five awarded to Leading Cook H. F. Camus, a Frenchman who joined the Royal Naval Patrol Service and served off Normandy in a minesweeper in June 1944

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (L. Cook H. F. Camus, LT/MK 87775), with its original case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence and War Medals, extremely fine and better (5) £1000-1200

D.S.M. London Gazette 1 January 1946.

Henri Francois Camus was decorated in respect of his services in the minesweeper M.M.S. 115 (Seedie’s refers).

Sold with original Buckingham Palace forwarding letter for the D.S.M. and the recipient’s handwritten diary, inscribed in a N.A.A.F.I. issue “writing wallet”, this latter with detailed entries for the period 5-19 June 1944, when he was employed on minesweeping duties off Normandy, with frequent references to enemy air raids and even a run-in with another Allied ship, together with mention of damage to his ship caused by a nearby mine explosion - a wartime photograph of a detonating mine extremely close to his ship is also included.