Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part III)

A classic Second World War Coastal Forces D.S.M. group of seven awarded to Petty Officer Stoker Mechanic J. W. Wood, Royal Navy, who survived ‘one of the most gallant and bruising M.G.B. actions of the War’

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (KX. 90658 J. W. Wood, L. Sto.); Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1936-1939 (KX. 90658 Sto. 2, R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Pacific Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, together with Royal Naval Barracks Chatham “General Efficiency” Medal for New Entries, silver, the obverse inscribed, ‘J. Wood’ and the reverse dated 1937, generally good very fine (8) £1800-2200

D.S.M. London Gazette 20 October 1942. The original recommendation states:

‘On the night of 23-24 August 1942, when M.G.B. 6 was engaged in action against the enemy, fires were caused by enemy incendiary and explosive shells on the bridge and in the ‘C’ space. Leading Stoker Wood extinguished the fire on the bridge, although himself in an entirely unprotected position, and under very heavy fire from the major part of the enemy force. On completing this, he brought the fire in the ‘C’ space under control. This fire was in the vicinity of the spare ammunition and directly above the petrol tanks.

This rating has been in action four times with M.G.B. 6 and on all occasions has conducted himself in an exemplary manner. I consider that Wood’s skill and bravery on this occasion is worthy of recognition.’

James William Wood was born at Gateshead, Durham in January 1917 and entered the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class in February 1937. An Acting Leading Stoker aboard the cruiser H.M.S. Sussex on the outbreak of hostilities, he served in the South Atlantic and was present at the interception of the German blockade runner Watussi on 2 December 1939 - which ship was scuttled - and afterwards in operations out in the East Indies. But his commission aboard this famous cruiser ended in September 1940, when she sustained bomb damage while docked at Greenock and partially capsized. Posted to a shore appointment at Pembroke in the same month, he commenced his Coastal Forces’ career with an appointment to the Portland base Attack in June 1941, but it was not until May 1942 that he joined M.G.B. 6 at Dover. Subsequently present in her during at least four actions between then and late August 1942, the last of them - for which he was awarded his D.S.M. - was a close-range “firefight” in the Dover Straits on the night of the 23rd-24th of the latter month, when M.G.B. 6 intercepted a vastly superior enemy force of minelaying E and R-Boats (and an M-class minesweeper). In the ferocious engagement that ensued, one of the R-Boats was severely damaged but the 70-foot “short” M.G.B. was also badly shot-up and damaged - her Captain, Lieutenant N. K. Cale, R.N.V.R., was killed.

Undoubtedly one of the earlier actions referred to in the recommendation for Wood’s D.S.M. was that fought on the night of 16-17 August 1942, when, as part of a unit of three “short” M.G.Bs under the overall command of Lieutenant “Dicky” Richards - acting in conjunction with a force of three “long” M.G.Bs under Lieutenant D. Sidebottom, R.N.V.R., M.G.B. 6 became embroiled in what has been described as ‘one of the most gallant and bruising M.G.B. actions of the war’ (Leonard C. Reynolds, O.B.E., D.S.C., Dog Boats at War refers). In short, the six M.G.Bs ran into an enemy force of at least 20 R-Boats, and the “firefight” that developed was ‘so fierce, the range so close and the visibility so clear, that all British boats suffered damage and casualties’. In his other history, Home Waters MTBs & MGBs at War 1939-45, Reynolds states:

‘ ... the inestimable G. D. K. (Dicky) Richards in M.G.B. 10 set off with M.G.B. 6 (Lieutenant R. M. Barge) at high speed. They arrived on the scene just as the ‘long’ boats began their attack on the enemy’s rear, and so Richards chose to attack those in the lead. Concentrating on the first in line, they used their far greater speed to roar past for a first devastating run, before swinging round to deliver their next broadside from the other side. They repeated the manoeuvre, and in no time the R-boat was stopped and on fire. Richards decided to attempt a capture: he went alongside and sent over a boarding party. His plan was thwarted by an explosion which was clearly going to sink the vessel. Instead, fifteen prisoners were taken and they were back in harbour by 2330 - a most unusual hour!’

The gallant Wood, who appears to have remained in M.G.B. 6 until September 1943, received his D.S.M. at an investiture held on 28 March 1944. His final wartime appointment was in the cruiser Arethusa, aboard which ship he was present off Normandy in June 1944, when she contributed to the naval bombardment and had the honour of taking the King to France on D-plus-10, and in operations in northern waters, during the course of which she was damaged by a magnetic mine. But the Arethusa quickly returned to an operational footing and ended the War out in the Mediterranean.

Wood was released from the Royal Navy in the rate of Petty Officer Stoker Mechanic in April 1949 and died at Gateshead in 1976, aged 59 years.

Sold with the recipient’s original Certificate of Service, Stoker Ratings’ History Sheet and an Interim Trade Certificate, this last dated 1 February 1949.