Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Second World War D.S.C. group of seven awarded to Signal Boatswain J. C. S. Brown, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse dated 1944; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Italy Star; War Medal, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (J.106889 C.Y.S. H.M.S. Drake) mounted as worn, very fine and a rare award to this non-commissioned rank (7) £800-1000

D.S.C. London Gazette 1 January 1944: Signal Boatswain, Staff of Rear-Admiral, 15th Cruiser Squadron.

M.I.D. London Gazette 28 November 1944: Signal Boatswain, H.M.S. Mautitius, Operation Neptune.

Chief Yeoman of Signals John Charles Stephen Brown was appointed Acting Signal Boatswain on 18 October 1941. He served in H.M.S. Ramillies in early 1942 and was then appointed to H.M.S. Edinburgh, the first of several cruiser appointments. He was on board Edinburgh, whilst engaged on convoy duties on the Murmansk route when, on 30 April 1942, she was disabled by a submarine attack and was subsequently sunk by her escorting destroyers. The loss of life amounted to two officers and 55 ratings, the majority of the crew being successfully taken off.

Upon his return from Russia, Brown served in Norfolk and Sheffield on North Russian convoys, in Aurora in the Mediterranean, and in Sirius, with Force “H”. His next appointment was to Newfoundland, flagship of Rear-Admiral C. H. J. Harcourt, 15th Cruiser Squadron, in the Mediterranean, in which ship he served until she was torpedoed and badly damaged by an Italian submarine on 23 July 1943. Harcourt transferred his flag to Mauritius, taking Brown with him. In Newfoundland he had taken part in the bombardment of Pantelleria in June 1943 and in operation Husky, the Sicily landings. Mauritius took part in the landings at Salerno and Anzio, and supported the bombardments of Formia on 27 January and 18 February 1944. For the Normandy landings, Mauritius was in the support force for Sword beaches, and later provided support at Caen, 17-18 July, for the breakthrough of the British 2nd Army. In July 1944, Brown was sent to H.M.S. Mercury, Signal School, Petersfield, and was appointed Acting Commissioned Signal Boatswain on 18 June 1945. In February the following year he was appointed to Highflyer, Naval H.Q., India, on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies. He was finally appointed Commissioned Signal Boatswain on 1 October 1947, and went on to serve on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean, 1949-50.