Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Second War Naval special forces ‘D-Day’ D.S.M. awarded to Petty Officer (Radar) William Shepherd, Royal Navy, a member of No. 3 Mobile Naval Radar Unit operating in exposed positions above ‘Sword’ beach on the coast of Normandy

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (P.O. W. S. Shepherd. D/JX. 190535.) surname officially corrected from ‘Shepperd’ as per recommendation and London Gazette, mounted on original investiture pin, nearly extremely fine and a very rare D-Day award £1,000-£1,400

D.S.M. London Gazette 14 November 1944: ‘For gallantry, skill, determination and undaunted devotion to duty during the landing of Allied Forces on the coast of Normandy - Petty Officer William Stanley Shepperd, D/JX. 190534.’ A subsequent announcement in the London Gazette of 16 January 1945 corrects ‘Shepperd’ to ‘Shepherd’.

The recommendation for Petty Officer (Radar) W. S. ‘Shepperd’, No. 3 Mobile Radar Unit (Assault Group, SWORD area) states:

‘For outstanding leadership in reorganising his section after it had been bombed and put out of action and taking command after the Commanding Officer had become a casualty.’

The Mobile Naval Radar (MONRAD) unit required a 10-ton Matador truck, three smaller vehicles and an amphibious DUKW half-track to be put ashore from a Landing Craft. It also needed an uninterrupted view of its target area, which necessitated positioning it in exposed and often elevated areas that exposed it to enemy sniping, shelling and air attack, as evidenced by the fate of No. 3 MONRAD unit.

Sold with named Buckingham Palace enclosure letter for D.S.M. and three original photographs:- one of the recipient in battle dress, one in naval uniform with his girlfriend, and a group photograph of H.M.S. Royal Arthur.