Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Second World War ‘Sub-on-Sub’ D.S.M. awarded to Leading Seaman B. T. Ruston, Royal Navy, who was awarded for his service in the Mediterranean aboard H.M. Submarine Trooper; he was later killed in action aboard the same vessel on 17 October 1943

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (J.114584 B. T. Ruston. L. Smn.) nearly extremely fine £1700-1900

D.S.M. London Gazette 19 October 1943. ‘For sinking the Italian Submarine Pietro Micca in the Otranto Straits on 29 July 1943
M.I.D. London Gazette 20 July 1943. ‘Three Mediterranean Patrols’.

H.M.S. Trooper was a ‘T’ Class submarine, built by Scotts of Greenock, launched in March 1942 and commissioned in August 1942. On her first operation, commanded by Lieutenant J. S. Wraith, D.S.O., D.S.C., R.N., when fitted with ‘human torpedo’ “Chariots”, she took part in ‘Operation Principal’, with her sister ship, H.M.S. Thunderbolt. The two launched their ‘Chariot human torpedoes’ against Italian Naval units at Palermo, 2/3 January 1943. The attack resulted in severely damaging the Italian cruiser Ulpio Traiano and the transport Viminale. A third submarine involved in the operation, the P.311 was lost, presumably mined, on 29 December.

The Trooper’s ‘Chariot’ containers were removed in late January/ early February 1943. Then in a series of patrols in the Mediterranean she was credited with sinking a number of enemy vessels, including the Italian tanker Rosario, 10 March; and Italian merchant ship Forli, 17 March. On her 6th War Patrol, she sailed from Port Said for the Adriatic and the west coast of Greece. On 29 July 1943, in a rare and successful ‘sub-on-sub’ action, she sank the Italian submarine Pietro Micca. The Italian vessel, on the surface in the early morning of the 29th, was attacked at long range, the Trooper firing six torpedoes, one of which struck home. For the action, Lieutenant G. S. C. Clarabut (in temporary command of the Trooper) was awarded the D.S.O.; Lieutenant L. A. S. Grant, was awarded the D.S.C., and three ratings, including Leading Seaman Rushton, were awarded the D.S.M. Rushton had earlier been mentioned in despatches for his service during three previous war patrols in the submarine. The submarine sailed on her 8th and last war patrol, commanded by Lieutenant J. S. Wraith, departing Beirut for the Aegean, on 26 September 1943. Leading Seaman Rushton and other members of the crew were killed in action aboard the Trooper on 17 October 1943 (dates vary), when the submarine was lost, believed mined in the Leros area of the Aegean. German reports that the Trooper was sunk by the ‘Q-Ship’ GA.45 off Cos on 15 October were incorrect as the submarine attacked at that time and place, was known to be the Torbay, which escaped unscathed.

Aged 33 years at the time of his death, Benjamin Thomas Rushton was the husband of Annie Louisa Victoria Rushton of North End, Portsmouth. His name was commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Sold with the booklet, A Submarine at War The Brief Life of HMS Trooper, by David Renwick Grant; together with copied research.