Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An impressive Second World War cruiser night action D.S.M., B.E.M. long service group of eleven awarded to Chief Petty Officer W. A. Tomkins, Royal Navy, who was decorated for services in H.M.S. Penelope during the destruction of an enemy convoy off Cape Spartivento in November 1941 - such was the damage inflicted on the Penelope during her subsequent sojourn at Malta that she became known as “H.M.S. Pepperpot”

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (J. 34037 W. A. Tomkins, C.P.O., H.M.S. Penelope); British Empire Medal, (Military) G.VI.R., 1st issue (C.P.O. Walter A. Tomkins, P./J. 34037); 1914-15 Star (J. 34037 Boy 1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J. 34037 A.B., R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue, coinage head (J. 34037 P.O., H.M.S. Victory), mounted as worn, the Great War trio and L.S. & G.C. polished, thus fine or better, the remainder very fine and better (11) £1800-2200

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

‘For gallantry, skill and resolution in a brilliant night action south of Taranto, against odds, in which, without hurt or loss to the Royal Navy, ten enemy supply ships were wholly destroyed, one destroyer sunk, and at least one other badly damaged.’

B.E.M. London Gazette 1 January 1945. The original recommendation states:

‘Chief Petty Officer Tomkins was drafted to Gosling to recuperate, suffering from shell shock after being blown up at sea. His speech was seriously affected but this he overcame by perserverance and will power. He was given light instructional duties and after a few months he was able to take over full new entry instruction. His instructional abilities are outstanding and his whole time, both during and outside working hours, is devoted to his class. His zealous manner, appearance and devotion to duty have set a fine example to the new entries. In this way he has given valuable service to the Royal Navy in starting these young men off on a service life in the right spirit and outlook. Chief Petty Officer Tomkins has been selected to take charge of all special classes.’

Walter Alexander Tomkins was born at Frimley, Surrey in June 1898 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in January 1915. Joining the ship’s company of the cruiser H.M.S. Africa in May of the same year, he remained actively employed aboard the same ship until the end of hostilities, by which date he had been advanced to Able Seaman. During that period the Africa served in the Mediterranean and in the 9th Cruiser Squadron off West Africa. Remaining a “regular” between the Wars, he was advanced to Petty Officer in April 1928 and was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in June 1931.

But it was for his subsequent services as a Chief Petty Officer in the cruiser Penelope, a component of “Force K”, that he was awarded his D.S.M., following a brillant night action fought off Cape Spartivento on 8-9 November 1941. Whether he was similarly employed when she participated in the Norwegian operations of 1940 remains unknown, but it is almost certain he served aboard her for the duration of her Mediterranean commission, beyond even her withdrawal for repairs at Malta in March 1942, her crew having to remain aboard to fight her guns against relentless attack from enemy aircraft - a period that witnessed her firing 6500 rounds of 4-inch ammunition and winning the sobriquet “H.M.S. Pepperpot”.

On the night of 8-9 November 1941, “Force K” comprised Penelope, commanded by Captain A. D. Nicholl, R.N., shortly to be a D.S.O., her consort Aurora, commanded by Captain W. “Big Bill” Agnew, R.N., shortly to be a C.B., and the destroyers Lance and Lively. The enemy convoy was sighted at 0050 hours, and Penelope’s guns went into action a few minutes later, quickly putting out of action the Italian destroyer Grecale and sinking another. With such important nearby escort ships out of the frame, the Penelope and Aurora proceeded to lay waste the remainder of the enemy convoy over a period of 30 minutes or so, an action related in detail by Ed Gordon in his definitive history, H.M.S. Pepperpot:

‘There were two highlights for the Penelope men, recorded in the ship’s log. One was the tanker which ‘exploded with tremendous violence and filled the air with burning and exploding debris’. Crewmen on deck saw the sea around the tanker catch alight as thousands of gallons of petrol (for Rommel’s tanks and motor transport) spilled out. Mussolini’s Mare Nostrum was burning! The other highlight was a forty-thousand-ton ammunition ship blowing up ‘in a huge ball of sparks sending a curtain of bright colours against the night sky to a height of 1,500 feet’ ... At 0123 a plaintive voice in Penelope’s director control tower was heard by the bridge team to say: “Is that enough?” No, it wasn’t. A small transport had been sighted behind the burning tanker. Once again Penelope’s four-inch guns crashed out and the ship blew up ... A minute later Penelope had to engage another of the distant destroyers. She was firing from a range of five miles to the west. Penelope’s four-inch salvos again blazed away. After only three minutes, ‘A Christmas tree of sparks rising to between 200 and 300 feet was seen from the destroyer’s position and she ceased firing,’ stated the report ... ’

Very shortly all that could be seen were numerous enemy ships burning fiercely, and Captain W. “Big Bill” Agnew gave the order for “Force K” to set course for Malta. As it transpired, Penelope had fired 60 broadsides, using 259 6-inch shells and 111 rounds of 4-inch, while her crew had, in the words of Captain Nicholl, ‘shown great steadiness under fire and carried out their duties with the spirit and coolness of a seasoned crew.’ Tomkins was awarded the D.S.M., which award he eventually received at a Buckingham Place investiture held in September 1942.

Having no doubt in the interim contributed to Penelope’s other Mediterranean achievements of the 1941-42 vintage, including a ‘large bag’ from another enemy convoy off Crete, he went on to add the B.E.M. to his Honours and Awards for services at the Warrington training base Gosling, a decoration he received at a Buckingham Palace investiture held on 24 July 1945: the recommendation for that award suggests avenues for further research, although his shell shock and speech impediment may well have been caused by Penelope’s time under incessant enemy attack at Malta.

On leaving the Royal Navy Tomkins found employment at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, latterly as an Assistant Scientific Officer, and he died at Frimley, Surrey in June 1976; sold with a file of research, including ship photographs, etc.