Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War submariner’s D.S.M. group of six awarded to Petty Officer S. V. Wragg, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (P.O. S. V. Wragg, C/JX. 144505); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Burma Star, clasp, Pacific; War Medal 1939-45 minor contact marks, otherwise generally good very fine (6) £1100-1300

D.S.M. London Gazette 15 August 1944.

‘For undaunted courage, skill and devotion to duty in successful patrols in H.M. Submarines.’

Sydney Valentine Wragg, who was born in October 1918, joined the submarine branch in June 1939, his first wartime posting being in the Triumph, which lasted until February 1940. He subsequently held appointments aboard two or three other submarines, the P. 31 among them, but his first posting of any length was that aboard the Satyr between February 1943 and June 1944. And it was during this period, on 15 June 1944, that the Satyr torpedoed and sank the U-987 off Norway:

‘Satyr (Lieutenant T. S. Weston) on patrol west of the Lofoten Islands from 10 June to 24th had better fortune. U-Boats were sighted on the 13th and 16th. On the 15th a U-Boat was sighted at 0701 at 700 yards but Satyr was too broad on the bow to attack. Two hours later another U-Boat was sighted at 4000 yards range and attacked. In spite of the first two torpedoes of a salvo of six colliding and exploding, the attack was successful and two hits were obtained on U-987 which sank immediately leaving no survivors. Reloading was commenced but not completed until 1305. Two minutes later another U-Boat was sighted but on 140 degrees track and no attack was possible. Had the reloading drill been more efficient there is no doubt that Satyr would have had an excellent chance of scoring a double. Patrol was shifted that night at 120 miles north and west on orders from Flag Officer Submarines who had received intelligence of U-Boats in that vicinity. This move resulted in the sighting already recorded on 16 June but the U-Boat was too far off to attack. This was an exciting and fruitful patrol which resulted in the sinking of an outward bound U-Boat and the award of the D.S.O. to Lieutenant Weston [and a D.S.M. to Wragg].’

Following his time in Satyr, Wragg served in the Far East in the Taciturn. He was invested with his D.S.M. at Buckingham Palace in February 1945 and released from the Service in September 1948.