Auction Catalogue

31 March 2010

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

British and World Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Washington Mayfair Hotel  London  W1J 5HE

Lot

№ 831

.

31 March 2010

Estimate: £1,000–£1,200

A good Second World War D.S.M. awarded to Able Seaman N. Billington, Royal Navy, for gallantry in the Coastal Forces control frigate H.M.S. Riou in actions against E-Boats in the North Sea in early 1945

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (A.B. N. Billington, P/JX. 357608), extremely fine £1000-1200

D.S.M. London Gazette 15 May 1945.

‘For bravery, daring and skill whilst serving in H.M. ships Riou and Seymour and H.M.C. Motor Torpedo Boat 743 in successful engagements with enemy E-Boats.’

The original recommendation states:

‘During the night of 20-21 February 1945, H.M.S. Riou and Coastal Forces units controlled by her, engaged four separate groups of four E-Boats within the space of two hours, driving them all away from the swept channels. On the night of 24-25 February, three groups of E-Boats were similarly engaged, one E-Boat being stopped and subsequently sunk during the engagements, 22 prisoners being taken. On the night of 28 February-1 March, two groups of E-Boats were engaged and driven off by Riou and Coastal Forces controlled by her, the E-Boats suffering damage.

This rating is a Radar Operator using American-type S.L. Radar in H.M.S. Riou. During the above engagements Billington was outstanding in his accuracy and coolness in interpreting an extremely complex scan and reporting to the plot. At times he had to recognise and report as many as five targets at one time, all these targets moving at high speed, merging and separating as interceptions were made and actions broken off. He did not make one single mistake in his reports. This feat required calm and detachment on the part of Billington, combined with a quick and accurate memory, at a time when the ship was proceeding at full power with frequent alterations of course with the additional distractions of frequent gunfire from our own main armament and continuous R./T. chatter close to his position.’

Norman Billington was decorated for his services in the captain-class frigate H.M.S. Riou, an ex-U.S.N. ship which was loaned to the Royal Navy in late 1943. She was subsequently deployed in the North Sea and Channel as a Coastal Forces control ship, but before she could be appropriately refitted, lent valuable service off Normandy during Operation “Neptune”, acting as an escort to the Rodney and Warspite.

On joining the Coastal Forces Control Flotilla (C.F.C.F.) at the end of 1944, Riou was commanded by Lieutenant Ian “Griff” Griffiths, D.S.C., R.N., one of a number of experienced ex-Coastal Forces officers brought in to command ships of the C.F.C.F., himself having won a D.S.C. and a brace of “mentions” in the 1st Steam Gun Boat Flotilla. And as result of the above cited actions fought by Riou in early 1945, he was to add a Bar to his decoration - and Billington gain his D.S.M. Not mentioned above is an earlier action fought by the Riou on the night of 22-23 January, when an E-Boat attempted to ram her, the enemy getting sufficiently close to tear off some of the frigate’s stern rail guards.

One of the Riou’s final duties was to escort a number of U-Boats that had surrendered at Hamburg in May 1945, thereby giving her the distinction of being the first Allied ship to pass through the Kiel Canal since the outbreak of war. And first among her visitors on her arrival was Field Marshal Montgomery, who ordered Lieutenant Griffiths to “Splice the Main Brace”.