Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War D.S.M. group of five awarded to Petty Officer W. Foster, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (P.O. W. Foster. D/J112980), with named Buckingham Palace enclosure; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; War Medal 1939-45, with Admiralty enclosure; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, fixed suspension (J.112980. W. Foster. P.O. H.M.S. Foliot.) mounted as worn; together with the recipient’s silver Anti-submarine and Minesweeping Badge, nearly extremely fine (6) £800-£1,200

D.S.M. London Gazette 1 January 1946.

William Foster was born in Cogan, Penarth, in 1909 and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class in 1924. During the Second World War he served exclusively on minesweeping duty, being awarded the coveted Silver Anti-submarine and Minesweeping badge in June 1940. He was based at the Minesweeping base at Hartlepool and on the MS Trawler Lilac, and later returned to Drake, where he was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1943, by which time he was an Acting Petty Officer. Awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his services during the Second World War, he subsequently served at the shore establishment on the Firth of Forth, H.M.S. Lochinvar, and in January 1947 was commended in a Special Order of the Day. His final posting was to H.M.S. Goldcrest, the Royal Navy Air Direction School at Haverfordwest. He left the Navy at the end of 1949 and died in Newport in 1986.

Sold together with the recipient’s original Parchment Certificate of Service; various Naval testimonials; and copied research,