Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Second World War D.S.C. and Bar group of four awarded to Lieutenant Commander H. T. Kemsley, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, commanding 10th Motor Launch Flotilla in minelaying operations leading up to the Normandy Landings

Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated ‘1944’ and privately inscribed ‘Lt. Cdr., R.N.V.R.’, with Second Award Bar, the reverse officially dated ‘1944’; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal, sold with original letter from his widow, very fine (4) £800-1000

D.S.C. London Gazette 11 January 1944: ‘For outstanding leadership, bravery and skill in minelaying operations. Acting Temporary Lieutenant-Commander Harold Thomas Kemsley, R.N.V.R.’

Bar to D.S.C. London Gazette 29 August 1944: ‘For bravery and undaunted devotion to duty in important and hazardous minelaying operations.’

The following details are taken from the original recommendation for the award of the Bar: ‘Lieutenant Commander Kemsley has commanded the 10th M.L. Flotilla throughout the period since their allocation to minelaying up to the present time. He trained them up to their present high standard of efficiency, assisted in planning their operations, and led them in every one of their 24 successful mining sorties, many of which were carried out in extremely adverse conditions of weather, when a less determined leader might well have turned back. All their operations were carried out close to the enemy’s coast and on several occasions the flotilla came under fire from the enemy’s coast defences.’

‘In addition to the other Coastal Forces activities, an extensive programme of minelaying by night was carried out off the coast of Brittany, 1944. In its later stages this was linked with the plans for Invasion - June 1944. Coastal Forces which took part in this series were a Flotilla of “C” class M.G.B’s, and a Flotilla of “B” class M.L’s under Lt. Commander H. T. Kemsley, R.N.V.R. (in command). In all, twenty-four minelaying operations were carried out by this team, representing 168 ‘Boat-lays’, and neither Lt. Comdr. Cartwright, nor Lt. Comdr. Kemsley missed a single one of them. The last eleven of these were in preparation for the Invasion, 1944’ (Ref Letter from Mrs Kemsley and quoted from The Narrow Seas by Peter Scott).

Harold Thomas Kemsley was posted to Hornet (M.L. base at Gosport) in March 1940, and appointed Lieutenant, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, on 6 October 1940. In March 1941, he was posted to Watchful (M.L. base at Yarmouth), and in March 1942, to Forte IV (M.L. base at Falmouth) as Acting Lieutenant Commander. During his command of the 10th M.L. Flotilla, Kemsley served in M.L. 181. From August 1944 until October 1945, he commanded the corvette Coila, and retired soon after the end of the War.