Orders, Decorations and Medals

‘There can be no question as to the bravery of these men of the Air Sea Rescue Service who were often working within sight of the French coast. For myself, I would rather meet a FW 190 head-on in my Spitfire than meet one from a rescue launch.’

Flight Lieutenant D. R. “Don” Morrison, D.F.C., D.F.M., No 401 (R.C.A.F.) Squadron, who rescued L.A.C. Dargue off Dieppe - taken from Air Commodore Graham Pitchfork’s Shot Down and in the Drink, R.A.F. and Commonwealth Aircrews Saved from the Sea 1939-45.

An outstanding Second World War Dieppe raid B.E.M. group of five awarded to Leading Aircraftman A. Dargue, Royal Air Force, for great gallantry as a Nursing Orderly in high speed launches of Air Sea Rescue

British Empire Medal, (Military) G.VI.R., 1st issue (1331108 L.A.C. Albert Dargue, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, good very fine and better (5) £2000-2500

B.E.M. London Gazette 29 December 1942:

‘Leading Aircraftman Dargue was Nursing Orderly on a High Speed Launch during the combined operations on 19 August 1942. In spite of wounds, he endeavoured to carry out first-aid to the wounded until he was picked up in a seriously wounded condition. The courage and valuable services rendered by Leading Aircraftman Dargue are typical of the high qualities displayed by the nursing orderlies, who have carried out hazardous operations in High Speed Launches which play an essential part in Air Sea Rescue.’

Albert Drague was serving in H.S.L. 122 of No. 27 Air Sea Rescue at Dover at the time of operation “Jubilee”.

Of the 14 High Speed launches called out on 19 August 1942, in response to no less than 47 “Mayday” calls, three were lost to enemy action, among them H.S.L. 122 - five of her crew were killed, including Flying Officer J. R. Hill, four wounded and two taken P.O.W. Her fate - and that of H.S.L. 123 - is summarised in an official report submitted by Squadron Leader Coates, from which the following extract has been taken:

‘At about 16.35, four miles S.E. of the position, going north, 123 was attacked by two out of four F.W. 190s that appeared ahead. L.A.C. Wilkins was wounded and Sergeant Smith slightly wounded. A “Help” signal was sent. The planes did not return and course was maintained. Shortly afterwards the boat was challenged from the shore and the batteries opened fire, the shells falling astern. At 16.50 four F.W. 190s attacked from the port beam and course was altered towards them and no casualties resulted. A second “Help” signal was sent. Course was altered to N.W. to try and shake off the planes, which again disappeared, and to contact 122 [with Dargue aboard] for mutual aid and support ... 122, when sighted, was being bombed by a Heinkel and when closed at 17.15 was found to have been badly damaged by cannon and machine-gun fire, and with only five men left alive. These were being transferred when six or eight F.W. 190s appeared and attacked from the port beam, four serious casualties being sustained. A signal “Urgent Help 182 Dungeness 23” was sent. The boats then became separated. In view of the fact that not a single British fighter had provided cover or was even sighted from the time the English coast was left, and that we had been informed that none could be expected, it was considered that absolutely no possibility remained of making the 25 miles to our coast against the concerted attacks in operation. The boat [122] was therefore abandoned at 17.20. Whilst the survivors were in the water both boats were attacked for about half an hour and set completely on fire ... H.S.L. 177, five to six miles distant, apparently saw smoke and having contacted R.M.L. 513 and two Spitfires, proceeded and performed a plucky and skilful rescue at about 18.00, the F.W. 190s making off on their approach ... ’




A full account of the action is to be found in Air Commodore Graham Pitchfork’s Shot Down and in the Drink, R.A.F. and Commonwealth Aircrews Saved from the Sea 1939-45, in which it is revealed that Dargue was plucked from the water by Flight Lieutenant D. R. “Don” Morrison, D.F.C., D.F.M., No 401 (R.C.A.F.) Squadron, himself having been picked up by H.S.L. 177 after being downed earlier that day. Pitchfork takes up the story:

‘Morrison noticed a semi-conscious seaman drifting away. He immediately dived into the sea and burning oil to reach the badly injured man, bringing him alongside the launch where he was recovered on board. He was Leading Aircraftman Albert Dargue, the medical orderly of H.S.L. 122, which had been attacked and set on fire by German fighters. Despite being badly hurt himself, Dargue tended the seriously wounded until H.S.L. 123 pulled alongside. Only four men were left alive and Dargue dragged the other three survivors on deck, but just as they were about to be transferred, H.S.L. 123 also came under attack and was severely damaged. As the launch caught fire, the master gave the order to abandon ship. Dargue inflated the Mae Wests of the three injured men and pushed them overboard before he jumped. Exhausted and weak from his wound, he could do little to help himself until Morrison rescued him.

Once H.S.L. 177 had picked up the 14 survivors the master headed for Newhaven at full speed, where the wounded were quickly evacuated to hospital. Morrison returned to his squadron and was soon back on duty. Following the Dieppe operation there were a number of gallantry awards for the men of the R.A.F’s high speed launches, including an M.B.E. to Conway and a B.E.M. to the brave L.A.C. Albert Dargue.

Morrison wrote a detailed report of his experiences but made no mention of his own courageous part. He was loud in his praise for the men who manned the R.A.F. rescue launches and concluded his report: ‘There can be no question as to the bravery of these men of the Air Sea Rescue Service who were often working within sight of the French coast. For myself, I would rather meet a FW 190 head-on in my Spitfire than meet one from a rescue launch.’ ’

Pitchfork continues:

‘There were many lessons to be learnt from the Dieppe raid, in particular the lack of armour plate protection for the gunners on rescue launches operating in the combat area. There was also a clear need for more capable armament, and the Admiralty agreed to supply 15 Oerlikon guns for the R.A.F’s launches at Dover and Newhaven. During October approval was given for 32 launches based at the east and south coast units to be provided with one 20-mm. Oerlikon and four .303 Vickers guns on twin pedestal mountings. It was also agreed that armour plating should be provided for the more vulnerable areas of the launches.’

Assuming Dargue had been a regular member of H.S.L. 122 since his arrival at No. 27 A.S.R. Dover, he would have been the veteran of numerous rescue operations in the interim, the unit’s O.R.B. revealing another encounter with enemy aircraft on 16 April 1942, when 122 was attacked by a pair of 109s off Folkestone - ‘No casualties but bullet hole damage to hull’ (the unit’s O.R.B. refers).

Sold with the recipient’s original wartime photograph album, containing some rare and impressive images of A.S.R. craft and personnel (16 in total), the outer cover with R.A.F. cap badge and the inside cover ink inscribed, ‘L.A.C. A. Dargue, R.A.F.’, together with a copy of Air Sea Rescue (H.M.S.O., 1942) and one or two related newspaper cuttings.