Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A particularly fine Second World War D-Day M.M group of seven awarded to Sergeant W. E. “Bob” Palmer, 147th (Essex Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, who at point blank range destroyed an enemy anti-tank gun emplacement at Le Hamel, thereby allowing 231 Infantry Brigade’s advance to continue

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (899639 A./W.O. Cl. 2 R. E. Palmer, R.A.); 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medal 1939-45, these four privately inscribed, ‘899639 A./W.O. Cl. II R. E. Palmer, M.M.’; Police Long Service Medal, E.II.R. (Ch. Inspr. Robert E. Palmer); Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Territorial (899639 Sjt. R. E. Palmer, M.M., R.A.), mounted as worn, together with veterans’ commemorative awards (3), generally good very fine (10) £1800-2200

M.M. London Gazette 31 August 1944. The original recommendation states:

‘This N.C.O. was No. 1 of a S.P. 25-pounder R.A.M. and landed at H plus 60 on 6 June 1944 at Le Hamel. Later in the day he was moving forward with his gun when he found that the advance of the leading troop of 231 Brigade, which he was supporting, was being held up by an enemy anti-tank gun and a nest of snipers in the village of Le Hamel. This enemy pocket had already destroyed one of our tanks and caused a number of casualties to our infantry. On learning the situation, Sergeant Palmer at once brought forward his S.P. and engaged the enemy at point blank range although he well knew that a vehicle much better armoured than his own had already been destroyed by the enemy guns. His fire destroyed the pill-box and anti-tank gun and caused the snipers to surrender, thus enabling our advance to continue. In this action Sergeant Palmer showed courage and determination of the highest order and his unhesitating initiative was certainly responsible for maintaining the momentum of our advance at a critical moment.’

Robert Edwin Palmer was from Hertford.

The following version of events at Le Hamel on 6 June 1944 appeared in the Essex Yeomanry Association’s Newsletter in June 1994, following a visit to Normandy by its veterans - including Palmer - on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of D-Day:

‘As we said, Bob Palmer did fire at it. First, however, immobilised tanks had to be removed from the track ahead and secondly he had to avoid being shot up, as the S.R.Y. tanks had been, when he left the cover of the trees. He has recorded details of what he recollects of this time: “I left the S.P. and walked along the track to a line of trees on my right which was between me and the Blockhouse containing the 88mm. Some infantrymen spoke to me and said that, as soon as a tank passed the last tree, the German gun knocked it out and yes, there was the evidence - about five tanks out of action, two of which were on fire! I told Captain Warburton that, clearly, the roadway would have to be cleared before I could take the S.P. along it. He agreed and said that he would arrange that - which he later did, by using another tank and some L.A.D. men attaching chains to the destroyed ones and pulling them back to the side of the track.

Obviously I realised it was going to be a very difficult target. I returned to the S.P. “Foxholes” and explained the position to my crew and told them the only chance we had was to take the Germans by surprise. Instead of going slowly by the line of trees we would have to go past the trees as fast as possible with the gun already loaded and the safety catch off - contrary to Army Orders but saving precious seconds. Then, as soon as I gave the signal, the driver was to stop immediately and steer 45 degrees to his right, to immediately face the Blockhouse.

I'm pleased to say it all worked extremely well; we passed the cover of the trees at maximum speed and after about 70 yards stopped, the driver turned quickly to his right, the gun layer took up the necessary ‘top traverse’ and as quickly as possible fired our first shot of high explosive shell (with ‘cap on’ to give it 1/5th second delay when it met resistance). The range I estimated at 300 yards.

This shot struck the emplacement but was a little high and to the left of the aperture so I ordered the layer to drop 25 yards and to deflect one mark to his right and fire again. Before he could do this however the German 88mm. fired at us but I think we may have taken them by surprise and caused them to panic as their shell missed us and screamed past just a fraction high. We then fired our second shot and, happily, that went into the narrow gun aperture and exploded. This caused their own ammunition to explode, putting the gun out of action.” ’

Sold with a quantity of reunion photographs.