Medals from the Collection of the late Eric Smith

Three: Able Seaman J. T. Mackin, Royal Navy, who was killed in action in H.M.S. Laforey in March 1944

1939-45 Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, together with original Admiralty condolence slip in the name of ‘James Thomas Mackin’, extremely fine (3) £60-80

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of the late Eric Smith.

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James Thomas Mackin was killed in action on 30 March 1944, when his ship the destroyer H.M.S. Laforey was torpedoed by the U-223 off Nettuno during the Anzio landings, with a loss of 10 officers and 167 ratings, among the former one of the War’s most distinguished destroyer captains, H. T. “Beaky” Armstrong, D.S.O., D.S.C. The U-223 was herself sunk on the same date, after being subjected to 22 depth-charge attacks. The husband of Florence Mackin of Oldham, Lancashire, he was 38 years of age and is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.