British and World Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Lieutenant M. R. Branwell, Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy, who, having survived the loss of the Courageous in September 1939, was killed in action off Dunkirk in June 1940

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, clasp, Air Crew Europe; War Medal 1939-45, in their original addressed card forwarding box, the reverse further inscribed ‘DNA (Wills) 49/339’, with related Admiralty condolence slip in the name of ‘Lieutenant Michael Reeve Branwell, R.N.’, extremely fine (3) £250-300

Michael Reeve Branwell was born in April 1911 and was educated at Winchester and Dartmouth, from which latter establishment he graduated as a Midshipman in 1928 - a fine batsman, he was for several years considered one of the Royal Navy’s best, and scored 162 runs against the Army at Lords in 1932.

Having entered the submarine service as a Lieutenant in 1934, Branwell transferred to the Fleet Air Arm and was serving in the aircraft carrier Courageous on the outbreak of hostilities, a short-lived appointment on account of that ship’s loss off south-west Ireland on 17 September 1939, when she was attacked by the U-29, two torpedo hits amidships causing her to go down in 20 minutes with a loss of 518 officers and ratings - Hitler was on hand to personally congratulate and decorate the U-Boat’s crew on their return to Wilhelmshaven.

Branwell, who was among the survivors, was next posted to 825 Squadron (F.A.A.), with whom he operated out of Worthy Down and Detling against enemy troop concentrations in France and Belgium but, sometime in the course of May 1940, was transferred to the Fleet Air Arm tender Grive, a privately owned yacht (ex-Narcissus) which had been requisitioned by the Admiralty in September of the previous year. And it was in the same vessel that he made four trips to Dunkirk, under the watchful eye of Captain Hon. Lionel Lambart, D.S.O., R.N. (Retd.), the brother of the Earl of Cavan:

‘Courteous, gentle, musical, loathing any sort of self-advertisement, he came back to his old service aged 67 and was given command of H.M.S. Grive. In his 816 tons yacht he performed magnificent work. Although such a vessel was neither young nor spacious, he enabled her during three hectic days and nights to rescue no less than 2000 of the B.E.F. Then at last on her fourth trip to Dunkirk the enemy sank her, himself, and most of her crew of 43, though Sub. Lieutenant J. K. B. Miles, R.N.V.R., survived and received the D.S.C.’

But 29-year-old Branwell was not among the handful of survivors, the Grive having been ‘blown to pieces’ by a magnetic mine at 22.30 hours on 1 June 1940. His body was washed ashore some way down the French coast a few days later and, after temporary burial in the sand dunes at Bray, was removed to the Marquise Communal Cemetery. He was the son of Auckland and Anita Branwell of Putney Heath, London, the above forwarding box being addressed to his father at his family business in the City of London.