Orders, Decorations and Medals

‘Wherever there was action to be found, there the L.C.S. (M.) would be. They were continually protecting craft with their smoke and without exception they played a really vigorous part ... The determination and cold-blooded gallantry of the young officers and men in those small landing craft, making that first assault on a hostile shore, have rarely been surpassed. They were under fire on the way into the bay. Moving on, they groped blindfold through the thick smoke-screen, knowing little of what they might meet the other side. That it was something unusually and terribly grim they could tell from the sounds of gunfire all round them. Yet there was no faltering, no hesitation. Obedient to their orders, they pressed on ... ’

Taffrail’s account of the Elba landings in Western Mediterranean 1942-1945, refers.

A rare Second World War capture of Elba D.S.M. group of eight awarded to Leading Seaman C. W. G. Baumber, Royal Navy, who was decorated for his gallantry under heavy and sustained fire as Coxswain of L.C.S. (M.) 54: code named “Operation Brassard” the Elba landings were ‘fought in total darkness, relieved only by the light of gunfire and the flash of explosions’ - a ‘night that saw a thousand and one acts of bravery’

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (Temp. A./L.S. C. W. G. Baumber, C/SSX. 25991); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Pacific Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45; Royal Fleet Reserve L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., 1st issue with ‘Brit. Omn.’ (SSX. 25991 C. W. G. Baumber, D.S.M., Ch. B. 26505 L.S., R.F.R.), mounted as worn, minor official correction to ‘R.F.R.’ on the last, generally good very fine (8) £1800-2200

D.S.M. London Gazette 7 November 1944:

‘For distinguished services in operations carried out in the face of determined opposition from the enemy which led to the capture of the island of Elba.’

The original recommendation states:

‘Temporary Acting Leading Seaman C. W. G. Baumber was Coxswain of L.C.S. (M.) 54, covering the assault on Kodak Sector, Elba on 17 June 1944. This craft covered all flights into the bay and drew fire from shore batteries. Baumber remained at the wheel for nine hours, much of which time under heavy fire, setting an example of courageous cheerfulness to his crew, and only relinquished his post when the craft had exhausted its ammunition and was hoisted aboard a repair ship.’

Claude Walter George Baumber, a native of Upper Holloway, London, was serving as a member of Naval Party 893 at the time of the Elba landings on 17 June 1944 and, as cited, Coxswain of Landing Craft Support (Medium) 54.

The main assault was carried out by French troops, with the support of R.N. Commandos, and assorted ships and landing craft manned by the R.N. and U.S.N. - among the latter a P.T. Boat commanded by the film star, Douglas Fairbanks, Jnr., who was awarded the French Croix de Guerre. In terms of the D-Day landings in Normandy, which had taken place 10 days earlier, the operation may well have been classed as a ‘little sideshow’, but in terms of enemy opposition and resultant gallantry it was anything but little - in fact “Operation Brassard” proved to be an extremely costly enterprise, the R.N. Commandos alone suffering losses of 38 killed.

As confirmed by Rear-Admiral Troubridge’s post-operational report, Allied intelligence had grossly underestimated Elba’s defences - rather than ‘under 800 Germans, preponderantly Poles and Czechs of low morale and all set for evacuation’, the Allied assault was met by a force of ‘2,600 Germans who fought extremely well’, while the local defences were formidable in the extreme, for ‘they had excavated caves in the granite cliffs flanking the beaches and installed 155mm., 88mm. and machine-guns in them’. Added to which, ‘behind the beaches, exactly ranged on the likely places of disembarkation, were heavy mortars’.

A Landing Craft crew member takes up the story:

‘We had no inkling that this task would be anything but easy, but as it unfolded it turned into the worst landing I ever took part in. We passed through a small opening into the harbour, which was overlooked on both sides by high ground. A death trap if ever I saw one. I was terrified of the whole layout. As we entered the harbour, they commenced firing at us with everything they had. They poured phosphorous shells into the troop ships, the panic amongst the troops, especially the poor Senegalese, was total. They jumped or were pushed overboard to try to escape this frightening and diabolical weapon. The shore batteries continued to blast them with 88mm. artillery. They hit them with every conceivable weapon from every vantage point. I am convinced they knew exactly when and where the landings were to take place and with typical German thoroughness, had prepared for it. After the initial landing, we picked up a few wounded Commandos from the jetty and thankfully cleared the harbour and took them back to Corsica. That night saw a thousand and one acts of bravery which, I hope one day, will be told’.