The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals (Part 1)

Seven: Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (LX.20315 A. W. Reynolds, O.Std. H.M.S. Grenade) impressed naming; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (Sto. H.M.S. Trelawney) contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine (7)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals.

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D.S.M. London Gazette 5 July 1940 “For good services on the occasion of the loss of the French destroyer BISON.”

The French destroyer BISON, Captain Bouan, together with many other Allied cruisers and destroyers, was engaged in escorting convoys of troops withdrawn from Namsos, Norway on 1 May 1940. The Germans made the most persistent attacks on the ships by dive-bombers, the escort suffering severely. On the 3rd the BISON was hit by a bomb which exploded her fore magazine and blew off the fore part of the ship. AFRIDI proceeded to the wreck, which was then on fire forward with a list to port and down by the fore end. Survivors were, at that time, on BISON’s quarter deck. By the time AFRIDI had arrived, GREDADE had worked her stern into the stern of BISON and was, by this means, transferring a number of the latter’s crew. AFRIDI proceeded alongside starboard side aft, but an oil fuel fire broke out at this time at the after end of the wreck, and the crew were forced to jump into the sea. IMPERIAL now arrived and lowered boats but rescue operations were hampered by oil fuel fires in the water and two further attacks by enemy aircraft. Finally BISON was abandoned and sunk by torpedoes from the Allied ships. Of her complement of 229, five officers and 131 ratings were drowned. The destroyer AFRIDI was herself sunk later that very afternoon.

H.M.S. GRENADE survived the day, only to be sunk on the 29th May at Dunkirk. Officer’s Steward Arthur Reynolds, however, did survive the war and is shown in two photocopied photographs, sold with the lot, with the actor Richard Harris at a showing of the film “The Heroes of Telemark”, wearing his medals at the age of 59. The lot is sold with a quantity of further research, including photographs of H.M.S. GRENADE in 1937 and 1938.