Auction Catalogue

20 September 2002

Starting at 10:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria to coincide with the OMRS Convention

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

Lot

№ 1499

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20 September 2002

Hammer Price:
£1,500

A Second World War D.S.M. group of six to Leading Seaman C. J. Thomas, Royal Navy, for a surface action in the Adriatic aboard the Submarine, H.M.S. Rorqual

Distinguished Service Medal (J.99296 A.B., R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals; Royal Navy L.S.& G.C., G.V.R. 3rd issue ‘Coinage head’ (J.99296 A.B., H.M.S. Alecto), mounted for wear, together with ‘H.M. Submarines’ cap tally and cloth submariners badge, medals cleaned, nearly extremely fine (6) £1200-1400

D.S.M. London Gazette 29 July 1941.

Recommendation states: ‘For conspicuous good service during seven war patrols and for coolness and efficiency as trainer during a close-range gun action from submerged when an armed tug was sunk and a bombardment lighter mounting two medium calibre guns set on fire and damaged’.

Charles James Thomas was born in Perran Downs, Marazion, Cornwall on 31.7.1903. He entered the Service as a Boy 1st Class in 1920 and attained the rank of Able Seaman in 1923, during which time he served aboard the
Hood and Caradoc. Thomas volunteered for the Submarine Service in 1927 and was posted to the submarine mothership Dolphin for the first time in 1932. During the Second World War his Certificate of Service records service aboard the submarine motherships Dolphin, Medway and Forth amongst others. Whilst serving on the Forth in August 1942 he attained the rank of Leading Seaman. He was released from the service in October 1945.

He was awarded the D.S.M. for his part in the action of 31 January 1941, which took place off the Yugoslav island of Kercula in the Adriatic. Whilst on patrol, the submarine
Rorqual observed the Italian armed sea-going tug Ursus of about 1,000 tons, mounting two small guns, towing an armoured 100 ton lighter mounting two 6i nch guns, one A.A. gun and two machine guns. Correctly assuming that the seaborne artillery would be unable to bear on its target in a sea swell, the Rorqual surfaced and with its single 4 inch gun, opened fire on the tug at a range of about 500 yards. The submarine’s first shot hit the bridge of the tug and both tug and floating battery returned fire but with no effect. Eventually fire broke out on board the tug and she began to sink and the submarine broke off the engagement. The drifting and damaged battery ,holding the survivors from the tug was eventually towed by the Yugoslav S.S. Drava to Hvar harbour and was thence collected by another Italian tug. The British account of the action speaks of the battery being ‘dirty and ramshackle to the last degree’ and of the crew, ‘as demoralised and defeatist. Their greatest hope was to be interned in Yugoslavia.’ In the Italian account, extracted from the newspaper Corriere della Sera, 8.2.1941, states that, ‘a salvo of three shells hits the hull of the submarine .... which goes slowly to the bottom, leaving large patches of oil on the surface ..... thus ending this magnificent action’.

For the action, Commander R. H. Dewhurst was awarded the D.S.O., two officers the D.S.C., four other ranks, including Thomas, the D.S.M. and five others were mentioned in despatches.

H.M.S.
Rorqual, 1768 tons (surfaced) was launched in 1936, built by Vickers-Armstrong in Barrow-in-Furness and armed with six 21 inch torpedo tubes, carrying 12 topedoes, one 4 inch gun and 50 mines. With guns, topedoes and mines she was the 10th highest scoring British submarine of the Second World War, sinking over 45,000 tons of enemy shipping. The ship was broken up in 1946.

Sold with the recipient’s original Certificate of Service, Gunnery History Sheet and Torpedo History Sheet, a newpaper cutting from the
Daily Sketch, 22.5.1942, illustrating 12 submariners, Thomas included, who received the D.S.M. at an Investiture on 19.5.1942; together with a quantity of copied research details, including the war service history of H.M.S. Rorqual, official recommendation for D.S.M. and conflicting British and Italian reports of the ‘D.S.M.’ action.