A Collection of Medals to Second World War Casualties

Three: Gunner L. N. Goldsmith, Royal Artillery, who was taken Prisoner of War in North Africa, and was killed when, borne in the Italian cargo ship S.S. Scillin, she was torpedoed by H.M. Submarine Sahib and sank off the coast of Tunisia, 14 November 1942

1939-45 Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Army Council enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mrs. D. Goldsmith, “Mulbarton”, 16 Dalmary Road, Worcester Park, Surrey’, extremely fine (3) £100-140

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Second World War Casualties.

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Leslie Norman Goldsmith served during the Second World War as a Gunner in No. 4 Survey Regiment, Royal Artillery, and was taken prisoner of War in North Africa. He was held captive initially at the Italian Campo P.G. 154 at Benghazi, Libya. Following the Allied advance on Tobruk, in November 1942 the Italian authorities decided to evacuate the Camp, and prisoners were transported to Italy. Goldsmith was one of 814 Allied Prisoners of War embarked onto the Italian cargo ship the S.S. Scillin on 13 November.

On 14 November, the Scillin was intercepted by H.M. Submarine Sahib off the coast of Tunisia. Sahib fired two shells at the cargo ship and then launched a single torpedo, which hit Scillin’s hold causing her to rapidly sink. The Allied prisoners in the hold had little chance of survival. The Sahib rescued 27 Allied P.O.W.s, Scillin’s captain, and 34 Italian crew before the arrival of an Italian warship obliged her to leave. Only when Sahib’s crew heard survivors speaking English did they realise the ship’s purpose. 787 Allied Prisoners of War are believed to have been killed in the sinking. Recent evidence suggests that Allied Headquarters were aware of the Scillin’s cargo, having learned of it through Ultra decrypted signals, but that, in order to protect the source of the Ultra intelligence, this information was suppressed and not passed onto the captain of the Sahib.

Goldsmith was amongst those killed, aged 36. He is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial, Egypt. His medals were sent to his widow Doris Goldsmith.