Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Lieutenant E. A. Parsons, Royal Naval Reserve, who was Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the French Croix de Guerre for his services in command of British Yard Minesweeper 2210 during the Normandy Landings, June 1944

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; War Medal 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Minesweeping 1945-51 (Lieut. E. A. Parsons. R.N.R.); France, Republic, Croix de Guerre, bronze, reverse undated, extremely fine (5) £300-400

M.I.D. London Gazette 28 November 1944:
‘For gallantry, skill, determination and undaunted devotion to duty during the landing of Allied Forces on the coast of Normandy.’

Edward Alfred Parsons was born in Oxfordshire on 10 March 1916. A surveyor by trade, he was commissioned temporary Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on 20 November 1939, and joined H.M.S. Vernon for Minesweeping training and service. Promoted Lieutenant on 5 April 1941, he transferred to the Royal Naval Reserve on the same day. In June 1944 he was in command of British Yard Minesweeper 2210, part of 167 Minesweeping Flotilla which cleared entrance channels to the landing beaches for the Normandy Landings. For his services during the Normandy Landings he was Mentioned in Despatches, and awarded the French Croix de Guerre, the citation for which reads ‘For untiring devotion to duty during preparations and execution of mine sweeping operations off the Normandy beaches.’
Parsons reverted to the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Supplementary Reserve List, London Division, in 1948, before relinquishing his commission in 1958. He died in Winchester in 2007.

Sold together with the recipient’s cloth cap badge; Admiralty enclosure for the Second War awards; and Admiralty letter, dated 29 September 1945, informing him of the award of the French Croix de Guerre.