Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War Force ‘K’ operations D.S.M., post-war B.E.M. pair awarded to Chief Ordnance Artificer G. V. Sole, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (MX. 48584 G. V. Sole, C.O.A., H.M.S. Lance); British Empire Medal, (Military) E.II.R. (C.O.A. George V. Sole, D.S.M., P/MX. 48584), contact marks, very fine and better (2) £1000-1200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals for Services at Sea from the Collection of the Late Oliver Stirling Lee.

View
Collection

D.S.M. London Gazette 24 February 1942.

B.E.M. London Gazette 31 May 1956.

George Victor Sole was decorated for his services aboard the destroyer H.M.S. Lance during a classic engagement fought by the celebrated Force ‘K’ against an Italian convoy on 9 November 1941. Having been alerted to the enemy’s intentions via ULTRA, the British force, comprising the cruisers Penelope and Aurora, together with Lance and her consort, Lively, took the Italian force by surprise in a position between Naples and Tripoli, and sunk five transports and two tankers, even though the latter were escorted by two heavy cruisers and four destroyers.

Sole, who received his D.S.M. at an investiture held on 24 November 1942, went on to add a B.E.M. to his Honours and Awards in May 1956, while serving at the gunnery establishment Excellent.