Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The pre-War Naval General Service Medal awarded to Electrical Artificer Third Class E. Rintoul, Royal Navy, who during the Second World War was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for a daring and successful raid on enemy shipping in Corfu Harbour, 4 March 1942, whist serving in H.M. Submarine Torbay- for his valour during this action, the Commander of the Torbay, Anthony Miers, was awarded the Victoria Cross

Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1936-1939 (MX.49542 E. Rintoul. A/E.A.4. R.N.) nearly extremely fine £180-220

Edwin Rintoul served during the Second World War as an Electrical Artificer Third Class, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal ‘for gallant service in successful patrols whilst serving in H.M. Submarine Torbay.’ (London Gazette 7 July 1942). In the same London Gazette, the commander of H.M.S. Torbay, Commander Anthony Miers, was awarded the Victoria Cross:
‘For valour in command of H.M. Submarine Torbay in a daring and successful raid on shipping in a defended enemy harbour, planned with full knowledge of the great hazards to be expected during seventeen hours in waters closely patrolled by the enemy. On arriving in the harbour he had to change his batteries lying on the surface in full moonlight, under the guns of the enemy. As he could not see his target he waited several hours and attacked in full daylight in a glassy calm. When he had fired his torpedoes he was heavily counter-attacked and had to withdraw through a long channel with anti-submarine craft all round and continuous air patrols overhead.’

The action for which Miers was awarded the Victoria Cross took place on the night of 4 March 1942, when H.M. Submarine Torbay followed a convoy of Italian destroyers and supply ships into Corfu harbour in an attempt to get close to them. This was a delicate, dangerous, and slow manoeuvre, and as night fell Miers knew he could not attack until morning. There was a further problem: the batteries had to be recharged or else Torbay would not get out of the harbour the next day. After an uneventful night, at 6:40 a.m. Torbay was approaching the harbour on the firing course when a high speed patrol vessel forced her to turn away to avoid being rammed. The subsequent delay meant that the attack now had to be carried out in broad daylight in a calm sea, probably with an air patrol overhead and certainly surrounded by small craft. At 7:31 a.m. Torbay fired two torpedoes at a distance of 1.2 miles at one of the merchant ships, and two minutes later fired a further two torpedoes at a second merchant ship. Finally, she fired two torpedoes at the nearest destroyer, before diving and making good her escape.