Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A good Second World War D.S.M. group of six awarded to Temporary Acting Gunner J. Jakeman, Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Reserve, who is believed to have been decorated for mine disposal operations while borne on the books of the Hartlepool base H.M.S. Paragon in 1940: he subsequently added a “mention” to his accolades for his part in the destruction of the U-110 in May 1941 - the most important U-Boat action of the war owing to the capture of U-110’s enigma machine and codes

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (J. 103411 J. Jakeman, A.B., H.M.S. Paragon), officially impressed naming; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, M.I.D. oak leaf; Royal Fleet Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R. (J. 103411 (PO. B. 19261) J. Jakeman, A.B., R.F.R.), good very fine or better (6) £1200-1500

D.S.M. London Gazette 11 July 1940.

Joseph Jakeman was born in Edmonton, Middlesex in October 1905 and entered the Royal Navy as a boy rating in August 1921. Having in the interim gained advancement to Acting Leading Seaman, he transferred to the Royal Fleet Reserve in October 1935.

Recalled in September 1939, and having attended a course at H.M.S. Vernon - where the Royal Navy’s pioneers in bomb and mine disposal were based - he joined the Hartlepool base H.M.S. Paragon in mid-November. It was during the course of this latter appointment that he won his D.S.M., an award believed to be for mine disposal work.

Jakeman returned to Vernon in September 1940 and, two months later, joined the corvette Aubretia, and it was in this latter ship that he won a mention in despatches for anti-U-Boat operations (London Gazette 5 August 1941, refers), a reward that stemmed from his part in the action that led to the capture of the U-110’s enigma machine and codes during the course of Convoy O.B. 318 in the north Atlantic on 9 May 1941. The recommendation states:

‘Able Seaman Joseph Jakeman was in charge of depth charge rails. It is due to his efficiency that all the depth charges released fired correctly. During the third attack the depth charges in the starboard rails jammed due to mechanical defect and Able Seaman Jakeman took charge and displayed considerable initiative in clearing the rails.’

The following extract was taken from U-Boat Operations of the Second World War (Vol. I), by Kenneth Wynn:

‘In the evening of 7 May 1941, U-94 sighted eastbound OB. 318 S.W. of Iceland. U-110 came up with the convoy in the evening of the 8th and next morning she sank two ships east of Cape Farewell, the S.S. Esmond (Br 4976t) and the S.S. Bengore Head (Br 2609t).

U-110 was immediately attacked with depth-charges by the corvette H.M.S. Aubretia (Lt. Cdr. V. F. Smith) and forced to the surface. The crew was seen coming out of the conning tower as the destroyer H.M.S. Bulldog (Cdr. A. J. Baker-Cresswell) stopped near to the boat and prepared to launch a landing party. Lemp had ordered the crew to abandon ship. He set scuttling charges but these failed to detonate.

Another destroyer, H.M.S. Broadway, was then seen to be heading for U-110, apparently intent on ramming. She was hurriedly ordered not to do so but could not avoid striking the boat a glancing blow, causing serious damage to herself when U-110's hydroplane tore a hole in her bow. The order was given for Aubretia to pick up the German survivors and Bulldog's party boarded the boat, with instructions to seize any documents.

The officer commanding the party, Sub.-Lt. D. E. Balme, led his men through the conning tower hatch down into the boat. Documents, books, charts and portable equipment were passed back up and put into the whaler.

The transfer of material to Bulldog took several trips, spread over some hours. Broadway was later ordered to send her motor boat to U-110, to be ready to disembark the boarding party in case of trouble, either from U-110 suddenly sinking or an attack by another U-Boat.

Other officers were sent across from Bulldog to assess U-110's condition, with a view to taking her in tow. A towline from Bulldog was secured to U-110's bow and the men aboard her were taken off and returned to Bulldog. Towing began but the line was slipped when a look-out reported a periscope.

Half an hour later the line was re-secured and Bulldog headed for Iceland. On the morning of the 10th U-110 foundered and sank. Meanwhile Bulldog had collected the survivors from the boat together and set out for Scapa Flow. There, after interrogation of survivors and examination of captured equipment, the great significance of the haul was realised. Apart from an Enigma machine, ready set to send a signal, there were marked charts, codebooks and cipher documents. When all this material was integrated with that already in British hands, the result was to have a lasting and decisive effect on the outcome of the U-Boat war.

The fate of the commander of U-110, K.L. Lemp, is somewhat obscure. One story says that after leaving the boat he swam back when he realised that the scuttling charges were not going to work and that he was shot and killed by a member of the boarding party. Another and more likely one is that Lemp, realising the catastrophic consequences which would follow the capture of U-110  and her secret equipment, committed suicide by allowing himself to drown. His body was not recovered.’

Jakeman gained appointment as a Temporary Acting Gunner in July 1945.

Sold with original Admiralty letter regarding the recipient’s attendance at a Buckingham Palace investiture to be held on 28 October 1941, together with Naval Message announcing assorted awards to H.M.S. Aubretia, including the recipient’s mention in despatches.