Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An extremely rare Second World War France 1940 operations D.S.M. group of five awarded to Able Seaman J. Heaps, Royal Navy, a member of a special mine-laying party charged with delaying the German advance by laying fluvial mines in the Rhine, Meuse and Moselle rivers - an aggressive scheme instigated by Churchill while First Lord of the Admiralty

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (SSX. 22113 J. Heaps, A.B., R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Pacific Star; War Medals 1939-45, extremely fine (5) £1800-2200

D.S.M. London Gazette 5 July 1940:

‘The above appointment and awards to officers and men of a Naval Expeditionary Force are for courage and devotion to duty when carrying out special mine-laying operations.’

The original recommendation states:

‘Able Seaman Heaps has frequently shown himself possessed to a high degree of the qualities of courage and coolness under fire by transporting mines and laying them from completely exposed positions. He also carried out reconnaissance to verify the position of the current in the Rhine itself.’

Jack Heaps was a member of a special team led by Commander (afterwards Rear-Admiral) R. S. Wellby, the whole charged with delaying the German advance in May 1940 by laying fluvial mines in the Rhine, Meuse and Mosselle rivers. Known as “Operation Royal Marine” - but in fact a purely R.N. exercise - the scheme had been hatched by Winston Churchill while First Lord of the Admiralty. Given the exact nature of the operation, it might as well have been a Royal Marine initiative, for Wellby’s men had to roll mines down weirs, row them out mid-river or launch them by crawling through the undergrowth to river banks, often as ‘German bullets spattered into the trees around them.’ Notwithstanding such hazards and dangers, several bridges and barrages were destroyed and the river system - which carried 80 million tons of cargo in 2600 barges - was actually brought to a halt between Karlsruhe and Mainz. A report submitted by the C.O. of the Naval Expeditionary Force, dated 27 May 1940, concludes:

‘These disadvantages have forced me to make frequent use of laying positions on the banks of the Rhine. These positions involve the exposure of the laying sections to great danger night after night, as every position is commanded by at least three German casemates at short range. The fact that no casualties have been incurred shows the high standard of drill achieved by the personnel concerned.

The parties laying mines on the Meuse and Mosselle have been subjected to frequent shelling.

Under the circumstances I cannot pay too high a tribute to the courage and devotion to duty of the officers and men comprising these sections. The General commanding the 5th French Army has asked me to forward the names of 15 officers and ratings for consideration for the award of decorations ... ’

In the event, Wellby was awarded the D.S.O., two fellow officers the D.S.C., and nine ratings the D.S.M. Heaps received his own award at an investiture held on 1 March 1941.