Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Captain W. J. Heygate, Royal Artillery, who served as Bombardment Liaison Officer in H.M.S. Ramillies on D-Day, 6 June 1944, supporting the bombardment of Sword Beach; for his work on D-Day and the immediate aftermath he was Mentioned in Despatches

1939-45 Star; Africa Star, 1 clasp, 8th Army; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf, with card box of issue, addressed to ‘Capt. W. J. Heygate, Killick Nixon & Co. Ltd., P.O. Box 109, Bombay, India’; together with the recipient’s cap badge; cloth insignia; and related miniature awards, nearly extremely fine (5) £200-240

M.I.D. London Gazette 22 March 1945.
The original Recommendation states: ‘As Bombardment Liaison Officer, he has played an important part in the successful shoots carried out. His work has been admirable and he has been accurate, precise, and never flagging through long hours of engagement.’

William James Heygate was born on 11 August 1914 and was commissioned Second Lieutenant, Royal Artillery, on 28 December 1940. Promoted Lieutenant and acting Captain, he served as Bombardment Liaison Officer in H.M.S. Ramillies on D-Day, 6 June 1944, which had been tasked with destroying the German Benerville Battery that covered Sword Beach. Ramillies opened fire on the battery and within 80 minutes she had destroyed four of the six guns, and by the evening she had accounted for the 2 other guns. During the day she repelled an attack by two German Destroyers which fired 5 torpedoes at her; she also drove off a pack of E Boats with her 4 and 6 inch guns. She returned to Portsmouth to re-arm, and on 8 June 1944 knocked out another 6 inch battery. On 9 June she was directed by forward observation posts to fire on German Tanks, Guns and Infantry concentrations to prevent them counter attacking the beach, and she also beat off another attack by German E Boats. On 10 June she hit enemy railway marshalling yards near Caen and the following day fired at a concentration of 200 tanks inflicting great damage. During the course of the Normandy engagements she fired over 1,000 15 inch shells, thought to be the greatest bombardment of any single ship to that time. For his services in Ramillies Heygate was Mentioned in Despatches.

Heygate relinquished his commission on 8 July 1947, and was granted the honorary rank of Captain. He died in Norfolk in August 1984.

Sold with War Office enclosure announcing the award of his medals; various copied research; and a copy of the book Battleship Ramillies - The Final Salvo by Ian Johnston and Mik French, with a Foreword by H..R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh, who served in Ramillies in 1940.