Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Marine Engineering Artificer (Propulsion) 1st Class E. J. Whitworth, Royal Navy, who served in H.M. Submarine Onyx during the Falklands War

General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Malay Peninsula (MX.913804 E. J. Whitworth. E.R.A. 1. R.N.); South Atlantic 1982, with rosette (MEA1(P) E J Whitworth M913804J HMS Onyx) naming officially corrected in parts; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., 2nd issue, with additional Long Service Bar (MX.913804 E. J. Whitworth. MEA. (P).1. H.M.S. Artemis.) mounted as worn, good very fine (3) £1,200-£1,500

H.M.S. Onyx was an Oberon-class submarine and the only conventional submarine to see service in the Falklands War of 1982, where she was used for special operations in and around the islands, having collected teams of SAS/SBS at Ascension Island on her way down to the South Atlantic. She is now a museum piece at Birkenhead, near Liverpool.

H.M.S. Artemis was an old Amphion-class submarine launched in August 1946. To the great embarrassment of the submarine service, she sank whilst about to undergo refuelling in a wet dock alongside H.M.S. Dolphin, submarine shore base at Gosport, Hampshire, on 1 July 1971. Although no lives were lost, decisive action by four crew members to rescue three young Sea Cadets resulted in the award of one George Medal and three British Empire Medals for Gallantry. She was raised five days later, decommissioned and eventually sold to be broken up for scrap.