Auction Catalogue

23 September 2011

Starting at 10:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Washington Mayfair Hotel  London  W1J 5HE

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Lot

№ 957

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23 September 2011

Hammer Price:
£1,100

A Second World War destroyer action D.S.M. group of six awarded to Stoker Petty Officer T. Fairish, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (Sto. P.O. T. Fairish, C/KX. 86451); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43: Burma Star; War Medal 1939-45, the first with edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise generally very fine or better (6) £600-800

D.S.M. London Gazette 10 October 1944. The original recommendation states:

‘Stoker Petty Officer Fairish was in charge of No. 3 Boiler Room when the boiler was pierced by C.R.W. fire, resulting in an immediate escape of large quantities of steam at high temperature and pressure which demanded an immediate evacuation of the boiler room. Fairish ordered the remainder of the ratings to leave while remaining himself to shut off the boiler. This he did with complete calm and deliberation and did not leave the boiler room until he was certain that everything had been dealt with. I consider his conduct most praiseworthy.’

Thomas Fairish, a native of Bishop Auckland, Durham, was decorated for his gallantry aboard the destroyer H.M.S.
Eskimo during an action off the Channel Islands on the night of 27-28 June 1944, when two enemy vessels were sunk and another damaged.

Skippered by Lieutenant-Commander E. N. Sinclair, R.N.,
Eskimo, in company with H.M.C.S. Huron, fought a classic close range “firefight” with three enemy light craft, herself taking numerous hits, several of them in her No. 1 Boiler Room, where the gallant Fairish was on duty. The following extract has been taken from Sinclair’s official report of the action:

‘ ... At about 0125
Eskimo passed through the line of smoke. The enemy was well hit during the approach, but she was not seen to burn, though smoke was caused by the hits.

On clearing the smoke a Trawler (Target ‘C’) appeared close to
Eskimo’s port side, bearing 310 degrees. She had been detected earlier but not tracked continuously, and was reported at this time to be on a similar bearing to Target ‘B’, but 2000 yards further on. She opened a rapid and accurate fire on Eskimo using one 3-inch gun, one Bofors and about four Oerlikons. She obtained hits with the Oerlikon on the ship’s side and after superstructure almost at once, and before her fire could be returned. The 3-inch fire was all over.

An auxiliary saturated steam pipe to the drenching system was severed in No. 1 Boiler Room [where Fairish was stationed], with steam causing it to be evacuated. Two shells were discovered subsequently in the Boiler which had pierced 6-inch tubes. Steam pressure dropped to less than a hundred pounds and the ship’s speed reduced to about six knots or less. A very large quantity of steam and smoke escaped, reducing visibility astern to almost nil. One dynamo came off the board, the steering motor stopped, a number of lighting circuits failed, and power to the foremost guns failed.

The foremost guns continued to engage the starboard target (Target ‘C’) and hits were obtained, the range being less than 1000 yards. The port target (Target ‘C’), who continued an unpleasantly rapid and accurate fire, was engaged by close range weapons, and the after group of guns shifted fire to her, firing in local control. Close range weapons obtained a number of hits, but the fire from the after group was not very effective, owing largely to the smoke and steam then enveloping the ship. I was reluctant to open blind fire in this direction with the heavy guns as
Huron was known to be on the bearing, and the A.I.C. were continuously reminding me of her presence. A few hits were obtained but did not succeed in stopping the Trawler, who was now opening the range to the Eastwards as rapidly as she could.

Unfortunately during this period when its fire should have been devastating, all power to the Pom-pom failed. The automatic electrical power change-over switch which operated when the dynamo came off the board succeeded in shorting the switch, thereby causing a failure of supply from the after source. This mounting in hand control is extremely cumbersome and cannot be expected to be controlled effectively at night. The P.I. twin Oerlikons also jammed. In effect we were almost outgunned by this determined and gallant Trawler. The damage to the boiler rooms was reported by W./T. to the Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth, and
Huron ... ’

Three days earlier, in company with H.M.C.S.
Haida, Eskimo had contributed to the destruction of the U-971 in the English Channel. On the ninth depth-charge attack the U-Boat broke surface and Eskimo and Haida opened fire, destroying the enemy’s conning tower - a gallant boarding party subsequently managed to seize confidential code books from the U-971 before she slid below the surface for a final time. Also of interest is the fact the U-Boat’s commander, Leutnant Walter Zeplien, standing in flood water at knee height, coolly issued a round of beer and thanked his men for their loyalty, prior to surfacing to scuttle and surrender - he and 51 of his men were rescued by the two destroyers; sold with a quantity of research.