Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A good submariner’s Second World War B.E.M. group of eight awarded to Chief Engine Room Artificer 1st Class W. J. Florence, Royal Navy, who was also awarded the D.S.M. for his gallantry in H.M. Submarine Ursula for operations off Heligoland in late 1939

British Empire Medal, (Military) G.VI.R., 1st issue (C.E.R.A. 1 Cl. William J. Florence, D.S.M., P/M 22627); British War Medal 1914-20 (M. 22627 W. J. Florence, B. Art., R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue, with Second Award Bar (M22627 W. J. Florence, CE.(sic) E.R.A.2, H.M.S. Medway), the second nearly very fine, the remainder generally very fine or better (8) £600-700

B.E.M. London Gazette 14 June 1945. The original recommendation states:

‘This rating has had 18 years’ service in submarines. For the last two years he has served as Senior Engine Room Artificer Instructor at this base. His thorough and conscientious instruction has ensured a high standard of training for ratings joining the Submarine Branch. Apart from his instructional duties, he has been President of the E.R.A’s Mess, where his experience and steady counsel and behaviour have been invaluable in educating young trainees into the ways of the Submarine Service.’

William James Florence was a boy entrant at the time of the Great War, briefly serving as Boy Artificer and gaining entitlement to a single British War Medal - an award sent to him at Dolphin, so he was an early entrant to the submarine branch (T.N.A. ADM 171/102 refers).

Remaining a regular between the wars, and having been awarded the L.S. & G.C. Medal, he was serving as a Chief Engine Room Artificer in H.M. Submarine Ursula on the renewal of hostilities, in which capacity he quickly saw action off Heligoland and was awarded the D.S.M. (London Gazette 1 January 1940 refers), a distinction stemming from Ursula’s successful torpedo attacks on the German escort F-9 and an R-Boat on 14 December 1939 - though her intended target had been the German cruiser Leipzig. In making his official patrol report, Lieutenant-Commander George Phillips, R.N., Ursula’s captain, stated:

‘In addition to the attack against the screened cruiser with its shattering explosions and apparent imminence of counter attack, this patrol was marked by the frequency of night alarms and consequent diving without warning, when the majority of the crew were asleep.

Without exception, the conduct of the officers and crew was beyond praise. THeir steadiness in the face of unknown emergencies represented the highest form of intelligent discipline ...While the conduct of the crew as a whole left nothing to be desired, the names of the following officers and men are brought to your notice with a view to official recognition for services during the action reported and / or previous good service in H.M.S. Ursula ... W. Florence, C.E.R.A., P/M 22672.’

The Ursula continued to harass enemy shipping in the North Sea, and it is probable that Florence shared in her next success, the sinking of the German merchantman Heddernheim during a patrol in the Kattegat in March 1940 - a memorable occasion owing to the fact the enemy ship’s Chief Engineer, who was picked up, became the first prisoner taken by a British submarine in the War; memorable, too, because he was so fat it took a hair-raising amount of time to squeeze him through the conning tower hatch!

Florence subsequently became an Instructor at the submarine base Elfin, and was awarded his B.E.M. for the above cited deeds in the Birthday Honours List of 1945; sold with copied research, including a group photograph of Ursula’s crew taken at Blyth in December 1939, Florence among them.