Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War submarine versus U-boat action D.S.M. group of three awarded to Petty Officer W. M. Driver, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (J. 107466 W. M. Driver, P.O.); Coronation 1953; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (J. 107466 P.O., H.M.S. Proteus), with second initial ‘N.’, together with a Royal Tournament silver prize medal, the reverse inscribed ‘1934 Tug of War, 110 Stone, Royal Navy, H.M.S. Defiance, L.S. W. Driver’, in Mappin & Webb fitted case, the first with officially corrected initials, good very fine and better (4) £1800-2000

D.S.M. London Gazette 17 November 1942. The original recommendation states:

‘By his coolness and devotion to duty this Petty Officer set a fine example to the ship’s company during a successful attack on a U-boat on 20 September 1942. He has served continuously in submarines in successful operations in the Mediterranean and since joining P. 614 has maintained a uniformly high standard of keenness and efficiency.’

William Melville Driver was born in Tooting, London in June 1907 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in June 1923. A Petty Officer by the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939, in which month he was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal while serving in H.M. Submarine Proteus, Driver sometime thereafter transferred to the P. 614, commanded by Lieutenant D. J. Beckley, R.N.

On 20 September 1942, while operating in vicinity of convoy PQ. 14, Beckley located a surfaced U-boat and quickly delivered a torpedo strike, an attack that was all the more impressive given the prevailing conditions. In concluding his report on the action to the Admiralty’s Honours and Awards Committee, the C.O. of 3rd Submarine Flotilla stated:

‘The attack for which these recommendations are submitted was most skilfully carried out. From the time when hydrophone effect was first heard until the moment of firing torpedoes only eleven minutes elapsed, and during this period the target was only seen twice, the first occasion being a glimpse of a few seconds duration eight minutes after the attack (working purely on sound) had begun. The visibility conditions (snow storms) would have been bad for a surface action; for a submerged attack they were appalling ...’

Beckley was awarded the D.S.O., his First Lieutenant a D.S.C., six crew members, including Driver, the D.S.M, and four others were mentioned in despatches. Driver received his award at an investiture held on 8 February 1942, and no doubt went on to witness further action in submarines.