Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War anti-U-boat operations D.S.M. group of four awarded to Able Seaman W. E. Green, Royal Navy, who had previously been mentioned in despatches for Dunkirk

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (SSX. 19925 W. E. Green, A.B.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45 nearly extremely fine (4) £600-800

D.S.M. London Gazette 7 April 1942.

‘For bravery in action against enemy submarines while serving in H.M. Ships Stork, Pentstemon, Deptford and Samphire.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 16 August 1940.

‘For good services in the withdrawal of the Allied Armies from the beaches of Dunkirk.’

Wilfred Edward Green’s first distinction, a mention in despatches for “Operation Dynamo”, was won for services as a member of the boats’ crews drawn from the destroyer flotilla leader H.M.S. Codrington. During the period 28 May to 3 June 1940, the Codrington made no less than seven trips to Dunkirk, five of them directly to the beaches, and was several times attacked by enemy aircraft and shore batteries. Her beach parties and boats’ crews, Green among them, especially distinguished themselves, performing arduous work under trying physical conditions, and constant enemy attention, exertions that resulted in some 6175 troops being brought off the beaches.

Green’s subsequent award of the D.S.M. was for services aboard the corvette Pentstemon during the hard fought convoy H.G. 76, bound from Gibraltar, in December 1941. As part of Commander Walker’s escort group - that is the legendary Walker, winner of four D.S.Os and a C.B. - Pentstemon was directly involved in the destruction of the U-131, one of five U-Boats sunk over a ferocious four day battle:

‘On the 16th, nine U-Boats closed in on the convoy but they were to meet tough opposition. The “Woolworth” carrier Audacity accompanied the convoy to give air support to the operation. The close escort was one of Captain Walker’s famous groups. Commander Walker (his rank then) was all-time ace of U-Boat killers; his exploits have been recorded admirably in a number of books.

His group on this occasion comprised the sloops Stork and Deptford, plus seven corvettes. In addition to these tough little fighters there were three destroyers to reinforce the group. They were Exmoor, Blankney and Stanley. All these escort vessels came in for some harrowing times in the four days of continuous battle which followed.

The real battle started on the morning of 17 December, when one of Audacity’s aircraft reported a U-Boat on the surface twenty odd miles from the convoy. Commander Walker in Stork led off to investigate, ordering the three destroyers with their greater speed to join him. The corvette Pentstemon [with Green aboard] followed up these pursuing ships. When they were all concentrated, attacks were carried out but without apparent results. In fact we know now that U-131 was badly damaged by the corvettes’ attack and all but finished. Emergency measures eventually brought her to the surface, by which time the searchers were out of sight, hunting elsewhere. Stanley then spotted her about ten miles away. In the general chase which followed, Exmoor and Blankney with their extra turn of speed forged ahead to get in to gun range. While this chase was going on, U-131 did some accurate shooting; an Audacity fighter was shot down as it gunned the fleeing U-Boat. Exmoor’s gunnery was almost as accurate. As soon as she was in range her shots were falling all around the target. U-131 gave up the chase, scuttled herself and was abandoned. Her first and only war patrol was over.’