Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Second World War Coastal Forces D.S.M. group of six awarded to Temporary Lieutenant (E.) G. A. Williams, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, who was decorated for his gallantry in an action fought off the Belgium coast in June 1942 - subsequently commissioned, he won a “mention” for gallant services in a Motor Launch Flotilla off the Arakan Coast 1944-45

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (G. A. Williams, Ch. Mtr. Mech. 4, R.N.V.R.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, together with a set of related miniature dress medals, minor official correction to ‘R.N.V.R.’, extremely fine (12) £1400-1600

D.S.M. London Gazette 11 August 1942.

Mention in despatches London Gazette 10 July 1945.

George Albert Williams was awarded his D.S.M. for an action against Mowe Class Torpedo Boats off the Belgian coast on 6 June 1942, while serving as Chief Motor Mechanic in M.T.B. 70, the command of Lieutenant Thomas Neill, R.N.V.R. In company with M.T.B. 30, commanded by Lieutenant H. L. “Harpy” Lloyd, R.N., M.T.B. 70 pressed home a gallant attack, although illuminated and under heavy fire, and scored a hit on one of the enemy torpedo boats and sank it - both M.T.Bs were damaged by return fire. Neill and Lloyd were awarded D.S.Cs and Williams and one of his shipmates the D.S.M.

Subsequently commissioned as a Temporary Lieutenant (E.), he was posted to the Far East, and added a “mention” to his accolades for services in the 49th Motor Launch Flotilla off the Arakan coast in the period November 1944 to March 1945. The 49th was a South African (S.A.N.F.) unit, but its M.Ls were also manned by R.N. personnel, and made a major contribution to the tide of war in the Arakan, carrying out shore bombardments, engaging armed Japanese launches, and penetrating the Burmese network of waterways to disrupt the enemy’s lines of communication and escape routes as they retreated before the 14th Army. Moreover, by night, the 49th’s M.Ls dropped off Army patrols and supplied the Chindits, a perilous pastime since the Japanese were prone to using the same creeks and chaungs for similar purposes; see Trombay to Changi, the history of Coastal Forces in the Arakan campaign, for further details.