Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War ‘Submarine service’ D.S.M. group of five awarded to Petty Officer W. E. Garnham, Royal Navy, who served in H.M.S. Universal between January 1943 and December 1944

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (Temp/A/P.O. W. E. Garnham. D/SSX. 23807) in case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, in named card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mr. W. Garnham, D.S.M., 22 Langland Terr., Bryninell, Swansea, S. Wales.’, about extremely fine (5) £700-£900

D.S.M. London Gazette 7 November 1944.

Walter Edgar Garnham was born in Swansea on 14 August 1920. He volunteered for the Royal Navy on 2 December 1937, serving in H.M.S. Wildfire with the rating of Boy 2nd Class from the same date. At the outbreak of the Second World War he was serving as an Able Seaman aboard the aircraft carrier H.M.S. Eagle, whose aircraft saw a fair amount of action off North Africa, 1940-41. Subsequently serving at the shore/training establishments H.M.S. Drake from 27 November 1941 and H.M.S. Defiance from 17 January 1942, he was sent to the Submarine training establishment H.M.S. Dolphin on 18 September 1942, and on 7 January 1943 was attached to the ‘U’ Class submarine H.M.S. Universal. For the next two years he continued to serve in H.M.S. Universal, his submarine depot ships noted as Cyclops, Forth, Maidstone, Talbot, and Elfin.

H.M.S. Universal was commissioned in March 1943 and spent most of the war in the Mediterranean. Here she sank the Italian auxiliary patrol vessels V 130/Ugo and V 134/Tre Sorelle; the Italian merchant La Foce; the German auxiliary gunboat SG 15; the German merchants President Dal Piaz and Canosa; the German Guardboat FMa 06; and the German auxiliary minesweeper Petrel. Universal also damaged the Spanish sailing vessel Sevellina and the Italian tanker (in German control) Cesteriano, which was later towed to Toulon. Universal also fired a torpedo against what is identified as an enemy auxiliary minesweeper. They claimed to have damaged the so far unidentified ship. It will have been for his service aboard this submarine that Garnham was awarded the D.S.M.

Having been promoted Acting Petty Officer in September 1943 and Petty Officer (T) in September 1944, Garnham’s final postings were to H.M.S. Dolphin and Cyclops, from 22 December 1944 to 24 December 1945, when he was released from service.

Sold with original parchment Certificate of Service; Buckingham Palace awards ceremony invitation card; Conduct card; and letter regarding his D.S.M. gratuity.