An extremely rare Second World War landing craft operations D.S.C., submariner’s D.S.M. group of six awarded to Boatswain P. J. Allsebrook, Royal Navy, who also won a “mention” for his gallant work in the Dieppe Raid

Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated ‘1943’ and privately engraved ‘Bosun P. J. Allsebrook, North Africa’; Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (J. 58032 P. J. Allsebrook, C.P.O., R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, M.I.D. oak leaf, good very fine and better (6)
£6000-8000

Only 11 D.S.C. and D.S.M. combinations were awarded in the 1939-45 War.

D.S.C. London Gazette 4 May 1943. The original recommendation states:

‘While in charge of L.C.S. No. 3, he rendered invaluable service in the salvage of stranded landing craft. His untiring devotion to duty and good seamanship were responsible for 26 craft being salved and the majority replaced in service, thereby notably contributing to the success of the operation.’

D.S.M. London Gazette 13 November 1940. The original recommendation states:

‘For high example set to the crew as Coxswain, contributing to the general efficiency of the submarine.’

Mention in despatches London Gazette 2 October 1942. The original recommendation states:

‘For courage and skill in supporting the landing on “White” beach in command of Glengyle’s Landing Craft Support.’

Percy John Allsebrook was serving as a Chief Petty Officer in H.M. submarine Cachalot, under Lieutenant-Commander John Luce, R.N., about the time of the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939, and was quickly employed on mine-laying duties off the west coast of France. But the award of his D.S.M. was in respect of his services as Coxswain on the occasion Cachalot achieved a “Sub-on-Sub” victory in the Bay of Biscay, off Nantes, on 20 August 1940, her torpedo strike resulting in the confirmed destruction of the U-51. Luce’s subsequent report stated:

‘On passage to Bordeaux. At 0111 sighted a small object about 25 degrees on starboard bow, about four miles away. Brought all tubes to the ready. Object identified as a submarine. At 0117 fired six torpedoes and dived. One minute 10 seconds later an explosion was heard. Nine minutes later after firing four, possibly five explosions heard. Type 129 picked up H.E. on bearing of explosion. There were no propellor noises but a steady “mush” noise extending over an area of about 30 degrees. This noise was heard for about six minutes and gradually died away. Reloaded Nos. 3 and 4 tubes.

Surfaced and proceeded to estimated position of the enemy submarine, when torpedo hit. On arrival in this position found an area about half a mile across thickly covered with oil which smelt strongly of diesel fuel. Limits of this area were clearly defined and there were no indications that the submarine was still afloat and leaving an oil track. Judging from the quantity of the oil, severe damage must have been inflicted and I do not consider it possible that the submarine, should she have been able to keep afloat, would have been able to repair the damage in so short a time as to leave an oil track. I concluded that the submarine had sunk. Searched the area for an hour and then proceeded.’

Luce was awarded the D.S.O., his No. 1 the D.S.C. and his Coxswain and three others the D.S.M., in addition to five men being mentioned in despatches. And Allsebrook was likely still acting as Cachalot’s Coxswain a few weeks later, when on 23 September 1940, she made a successful mine-laying trip that resulted in the sinking of the German auxiliary minesweeper M. 1604 and, on the following day, made an inconclusive attack on another U-Boat.

Sometime thereafter appointed Temporary Boatswain, Allsebrook transferred to H.M.S. Glengyle, under Lieutenant-Commander J. A. Lowe, R.N.R., in which capacity he won a “mention” for his gallantry in the Dieppe raid in August 1942. The Glengyle had been converted to a Landing Ship, Infantry (Large) in 1940 and was capable of embarking around 700 troops, in addition to carrying 24 L.C.As and three L.C.Ms, and it was in this role that she lent valuable support in “Operation Jubilee”, a role epitomised by Allsebrook in his gallant command of her support landing craft off “White” beach - as it transpired no place to be on the 19 August 1942, for unbeknown to Allied intelligence, a large number of camouflaged enemy gun positions overlooked the very same spot. Moreover, due to one of our landing craft flotillas having earlier run into a German convoy, all element of surprise was lost and the enemy fully alerted to the pending assault. This, too, where Commander Geoffrey Lambert, the R.N.’s Principal Beach Master, opted to establish his H.Q., one of Glengyle’s L.C.As being charged with delivering his Assistant Beachmaster. In Lambert’s own words:

‘The enemy’s fire increased considerably as we stepped on to the beach. My party landed on “White” beach near the centre of the town’s front. We had not had time to scatter nor take what cover there was under the steeper banks of shingle, before a shell or mortar bomb fell amongst us, killing or severely wounding all except four, who were liberally spattered with flying stones. Several more shells landed in quick succession; the effect of this fire then and throughout the operation was multiplied considerably by the beach being composed of large shingle … ’






And in the words of the recommendation for Lambert’s subsequent award of the D.S.C., specific mention of the heavy loss inflicted on the landing craft sent to rescue him and his comrades, including the Glengyle’s support landing craft under Allsebrook’s charge:

‘This beach was under heavy and continually increasing observed fire throughout the operation. The troops who landed on this beach were pinned down, having been repulsed with heavy casualties, which placed the Naval Beach Party in a position of the utmost hazard. It then became the main duty of the Naval Beach Party to evacuate the troops, which, regardless of his own safety, Commander Lambert did everything possible to organise. That this very gallant effort was largely frustrated was owing to the fact that few L.C.As succeeded in reaching Red-White Beach and of those that did, the majority were afterwards sunk by enemy fire.’

The majority indeed sunk by enemy fire, on arrival or in the withdrawal. The Dieppe Raid by R. Neillands takes up the story:

‘The scenes on Red and White Beaches during this time were quite terrible, each a larger replica of those taking place at Pourville. Of the four L.C.As that made up the first wave into White Beach, all were immediately rushed by troops, one was promptly overturned and then hit by artillery fire, all on board being killed. The other three craft managed to limp out to the destroyers, each carrying some seventy men, about twice the safe number. Another eight L.C.As, supposed to land on White Beach, actually arrived on Red, where six were quickly hit by shellfire and destroyed. These were the last craft even to attempt a landing on Red Beach. The two surviving craft got away - one carrying no fewer than eighty men - but were so badly damaged that they sank shortly after delivering their passengers to the destroyers.’

Still similarly employed in the Glengyle, Allsebrook next participated in “Operation Torch”, the Allied landings in North Africa in November 1942, and, as cited above, was awarded the D.S.C. for his gallantry in command of L.C.S. 3 in salvaging numerous landing craft.

Allsebrook, who presumably served in a similar capacity come the Normandy landings, received his D.S.C. and D.S.M. at a Buckingham Palace investiture held on 28 September 1943.