An exceptional Second World War 1939-40 mine disposal operations D.S.M. and King’s Commendation for Brave Conduct group of eight awarded to Able Seaman S. C. Keen, Royal Navy, who served from the outbreak of hostilities until 1942 as an assistant to Lieutenant-Commander R. B. Edwards, D.S.O., one of the “greats” to emerge from the highly hazardous world of mine disposal: they were the first to render safe Z and U type mines

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (J.36458 S. C. Keen. A.B. H.M.S. Watchful.) impressed naming; 1914-15 Star (J.36458 S. C. Keen. Ord. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J.36458 S. C. Keen. A.B. R.N.); Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1936-39 (C/J.36458 S. C. Keen. A.B. R.N.); Defence and War Medals, with bronze commendation oak leaf; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue (J.36458 S. C. Keen. A.B. H.M.S. Royal Oak) the Great War and L.S. & G.C. medals mounted as worn, these rather polished, therefore good fine, the remainder extremely fine (8) £4000-5000

D.S.M. London Gazette 24 April 1940:

‘For courage and skill in securing and stripping live enemy mines, without regard for his own safety.’

In relation to the awards of the D.S.O. to Lieutenant-Commander R. B. Edwards and of the D.S.M. to Chief Petty Officers E. G. Spriggs and Able Seamen S. C. Keen and D. W. Wilson, the recommendation (dated 29 December 1939) states:

‘Lieutenant-Commander Edwards is in charge of the Render Mines Safe Unit of the Nore Command and has rendered gallant service in that capacity, particularly during the period when mines were first washed ashore along this coast. The rendering safe of these mines, which were of several different types, was considered to be most dangerous work.’

‘The four Ratings mentioned (the fourth Rating was from Chatham Barracks and unrelated to these particular operations) have all rendered equally gallant and dangerous services under similar conditions and it is therefore impossible to suggest any order of merit in which they should be recommended.’

Further testimony was submitted in February 1940 from Lieutenant-Commander Edwards to Naval Officer-in-Charge, H.M.S. Watchful, Great Yarmouth, in respect of Keen and Wilson:

‘I have the honour to report that yesterday, Thursday 8th February, Able Seaman Keen and Able Seaman Wilson displayed great coolness and devotion to duty in the face of great risk. The circumstances were as follows:-

At 1.50 p.m. on completion of counter-mining three Brequet mines near Orfordness, a message was received that a mine was ashore in a dangerous position near Clacton. On arrival, I found a British H.2 mine suspended by its mooring rope from a gantry. The M.R. had a complete turn around the gantry rails, and had jammed itself by the bulldog grips. The mine was partially waterborne. I commandeered a skiff and went out to the mine with a tool kit, to find the mooring spindle moving gently in and out due to the action of a slight sea. One lower horn was bent, and one broken. The tide was falling rapidly, and it appeared that if the mine fell another inch, the M.S. cross head switch would be made and the mine might fire. A steel safety pin was inserted as the mine rose on the swell, and the M.R. was then disentangled and the mine towed ashore and rendered safe. Earlier a mine [which] had become entangled in Clacton pier, exploded with considerable damage to the pier.’

From the Naval Officer-in-Charge, Great Yarmouth, to Commander in Chief, The Nore:

‘It is further submitted ... an amplification of Lieut. Commander R. B. Edwards’ Report as follows:-

On approaching the mine in a heavy skiff, the mooring rope was seen to be taking a large proportion of the weight of the mine and two lower horns damaged.

The two ratings referred to fended the boat off the mine and immediately attempted to lift the mine by the horn bosses to relieve the strain on the mooring spindle which was moving gently in and outwith the action of a slight sea. Although a heavier sea than usual might cause the boat to bump a horn simultaneously with the “making” of the mooring switch, they maintained the utmost coolness and inserted a safety pin as the mine rose on the swell.

They were well aware that a comparatively slight bump might fire the mine and also that the Mooring Switch might remain “made” long enough for a weak current from a damaged horn to fire the detonator. It should be remembered that the mine was practically upside down and the battery drain holes would not serve the purpose for which they were designed.

The circumstances were obvious to these two men, yet they obeyed orders implicitly and in doing their duty, undoubtedly saved the gantry pier from destruction. Without their help, the mine could not have been dealt with and any suggestion of “panic” or “flurry” might have precipitated the event we endeavoured to prevent and it is for this reason the recommendation was made.’

King’s Commendation for Brave Conduct London Gazette 20 October 1942. The original recommendation states:

‘I desire to bring to your notice the exemplary conduct and devotion to duty of:

Edward George Spriggs, C.P.O., D.S.M.
Sydney Charles Keen, A.B., D.S.M.
Edward Rowell, A.B., B.E.M.

These men all displayed coolness and courage in rendering mines safe during the period 28th December 1941, and 28th February 1942, during which time they dealt with 115 mines, some of a new type, which had been washed ashore. 6 of these were German contact mines which are particularly dangerous when ashore because of the settings they may contain. Others, were known to have become more dangerous to recover as they had been in the water at least fifteen months. Many of the operations were undertaken on foreshores on which there were land-mines, the position of some of which was uncertain.

During the course of their work as Rendering Mines Safe Party for the area under your command during the past winter, they have rendered safe over two hundred mines. Many of these were dealt with under conditions of considerable danger and the majority of them in foul weather, involving extreme discomfort. This Party have worked well and uncomplainingly and, when necessary, have cheerfully accepted the risks consequent on the presence of beach mines which had washed up from other areas.

These men have been employed on this work continuously since October 1939, and C.P.O. Spriggs and A.B. Keen were awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for this work on 24 April 1940, whilst A.B. Rowell was awarded the B.E.M. on 10 August 1941 for gallant conduct during air raids.

Attached hereto are some specific instances:

(i) The rendering safe of a mine, British H.II Mark II washed ashore at Kessingland on 22 December 1940. A report was rendered and a commendation from the Commander-in-Chief of 13 January was sent to me.

(ii) Under my direction the first German U-type mine was secured successfully, rendered safe and stripped at Mundesley under my personal supervision on 10 January 1941.

(iii) Paramine type C dropped at Great Yarmouth on 8 April 1941, and rendered safe in my absence by C.P.O. Spriggs. The presence of this mine caused the stoppage of traffic on the M.G.N. Railway from Bench Station and necessitated the evacuation of many houses. This followed immediately after the heaviest raid that Yarmouth had experienced and many fires were still burning. I consider that this prompt action definitely helped to bolster the morale of the people, as at least one of the mines had exploded during the previous night.

(iv) German Conical Floats type II, this being a new variety and considerably more deadly then the type I, observing that locking gear is fitted to the hydrostatic safety gear. This one was successfully recovered and stripped; the resulting information enabling 648 of the floats to be dealt with in 1940 and 1941.

(v) German Floating Depth Charge at Cart Gap, Haisborough on 23 September 1941. The first of these weapons was successfully secured, rendered safe and stripped by C.P.O. Spriggs, assisted by his two hands (assistants); it is considered that, owing to his prompt and effective action, coupled with the clear and concise report which he later rendered, valuable information was secured concerning methods of E-Boat warfare.

(vi) Beach Mines at Covehithe. On 12 October 1941, two conical floats were reported on a supposedly safe beach and C.P.O. Spriggs was sent to deal with them. There were no conical floats but two beach mines were discovered 200 yards and 400 yards from the nearest known minefield. These were rendered safe and returned to Great Yarmouth.

(vii) Beach Mines between Trimingham and Sidestrand. On 18 November 1941, three mines were reported ashore in this area on a presumably safe beach. It was discovered that, due to cliff falls, numbers of beach mines had fallen and were scattered over the foreshore. Six of these were an obstacle to the rendering safe of the mines and were rendered safe and afterwards exploded, the three sea mines being dealt with immediately afterwards.

In conclusion, many other instances of risks taken due to beach mines can be mentioned on various parts of the coast where fields become scattered on what are supposed to be safe beaches.

I would point out that, owing to C.P.O. Spriggs’s considerable technical knowledge and the willing and efficient assistance rendered by A.B. Keen and A.B. Rowell, much valuable information has been obtained as to the behaviour of our own mining material.’

Sydney Charles Keen was decorated for his services as one of the team of three Ratings giving assistance to Lieutenant-Commander Roy Edwards, R.N., C.O. of the Render Mines Safe Unit, Nore Command, based at H.M.S. Watchful, the naval base at Great Yarmouth. Recommended in December 1939 for rendering ‘gallant and most dangerous services’ under similar circumstances as Edwards - who was put forward for his D.S.O. at the same time - he was duly gazetted for his D.S.M. in the new year.

What the general nature of his D.S.M. recommendation fails to convey, however, is the alarming regularity of the incidents to which the pair of them were called upon to deal with in the opening months of the War, and at a time when mine disposal work was in its infancy. Hence their encounter with the first Z-type mine to be washed up on U.K. shores - Service Most Silent takes up the story:

‘After the first spate of X and Y types Lieutenant-Commander Roy Edwards came across the first Z type. He had been made Rendering Mines Safe Officer, Nore Command, and accepted the challenge of such an appointment in the spirit of a swashbuckler. He set up base at Great Yarmouth, where he and his three ratings (C.P.O. Spriggs and A.Bs Keen and Wilson) were enjoying a twenty-four hours’ break before flitting to North Norfolk to continue operations. But at 0830 on the morning of the 3rd [November 1939] a signal came from the Coast Guard at Garton that sent them scurrying to Bakers Score, where they found a mine much smaller than those discovered to date, half buried in the beach.

Removing the sand from around the base, they saw one, two, then three long steel spikes projecting, together with five ordinary horns on top. Gradually the mechanism plate was exposed, a mirror held underneath, and the plate seen to be like that of the Y type handled by Ouvry, but smaller. The switch on the outside was set to E, which they first took to mean that it should have exploded on breaking adrift. Edwards changed his mind about it later, though, concluding that it was meant to explode the mine on hitting the beach. But the soft sand had protected the horns, and the switch had not fired. At close quarters he decided that the spikes were horns too. Holes dug around the shell allowed the horns to clear as it tilted and rolled over to expose the mechanism plate. Having done this, the four of them withdrew to discuss the next step.

“The orders from the Admiralty and Vernon are that mines with switches set to E are to be exploded from a safe distance, and not rendered,” Edwards told them. “But as this is obviously new - even though it’s not magnetic or acoustic - I think it’s up to us to tackle it.”

“Aye, aye, sir; I’m with you,” said Spriggs quickly.

“As it happens, that’s just what I’m planning Chief, so I’m glad you’ve volunteered!”

A chuckle ran round the four of them, which relieved feelings a little. Edwards went on: “Keen and Wilson, there’s no point in all of us being on this just for the sake of it, so I’ll have to tell you two to wait over here while the Chief and I get on with it.”

Not without some qualms, Edwards and Spriggs got the detonator out, found it had fired, and so should have fired the mine, and then went over to see why the primer had not dropped. Its end was badly pitted. They were safe.

So much for twenty-four hours off duty.

Two and a half years later, within sight of this very spot, Edwards and an American Ensign were to meet disaster.’

But before Edwards came to grief in June 1942, he and his team rendered safe many, many more mines - well over two hundred of them in fact - work that was undoubtedly worthy of far greater recognition than a King’s Commendation for Brave Conduct. But if Their Lordships of the Admiralty failed to recognise the extraordinary risks being undertaken by the likes of Edwards and his team, those on the “frontline” did not, a notable example being Lieutenant J. S. Mould, R.A.N.V.R., who became a willing “student” under Edwards, even though he had already done a lot of work on D-type mines and was shortly to win a G.C., G.M. and King’s Commendation. As far as Mould was concerned, no greater experience could be found than working under Edwards. Softly Tread The Brave, Ivan Southall’s account of the wartime exploits of Australian Lieutenants Mould and Syme - the latter a G.C., G.M. and Bar - takes up the story:

‘Lieutenant-Commander Edwards, D.S.O., R.N., Mould discovered, was an unusual man to say the least of it. Before Mould turned the lock of the door to walk in, the evidence was there on the door itself. A motif - it was a mine - drew his eye. Beneath the mine a motto, parodied from the R.A.F., was neatly inscribed, “Sic Itur ad Astra” - Thus we got to the stars.

Inside, the office was an orderly workshop with every tool in place. The same office was a museum of mechanical horrors: the components of mines, arranged with all the care that a hostess would give her table to honour a distinguished guest.

Others were there apart from Edwards: Chief Petty Officer Spriggs, a Petty Officer and two ratings. Spriggs and Mould liked each other instantly. Edwards proved different.’ And so it was, for he was probably the most experienced mine-disposal officer of his particular calling in the U.K., and guarded that reputation and his Norfolk beaches with steely determination. Southall continues:

‘Mould was keenly conscious of this, of Edwards’ superiority and infallibility and was not astonished when he learnt that this remarkable man had actually fought a gun battle against a detachment of the British Army. The beaches were his domain. Even when Germany had been expected to invade daily, even then Edwards had dominated the local shore and went where he willed and when. Challenged by a sentry’s shot at dusk his reaction had not been a shouted protest, but a terse order to his assistants to dig a trench and give the “Royal Bloody Army” a measure of its own audacity. The engagement ended only when the commanding officer of the garrison appeared and Chief Petty Officer Spriggs, defying Edwards’ personal order, hoisted a truce flag from the trench. That was the type of man Mould had to soften to gain the knowledge he wanted.’

It was not long afterwards, on 11 June 1942, that Edwards was killed by a magnetic T-type mine. On that occasion, however, he was accompanied by Ensign Howard of the United States Navy, another willing “student”. The scene of their demise - ‘a terrible mess’ - was actually the very same beach at Garton on which Edwards had rendered safe the first Z-type. The gallant Edwards was buried at sea, while the young American Ensign’s sacrifice was commemorated by the naming of a newly launched ship - the U.S.S. Howard.

Sold with original King’s Commendation for Brave Conduct certificate, dated 20 October 1942, news cutting announcing the award of the D.S.M., and a quantity of photographs, including several of anti-mining operations and others of Edwards’ burial at sea.