British Groups

Lot 4034    The J.J.Atkinson Collection    British Groups

Estimate $3,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $14,500

GROUP OF SEVEN TO SUB LIEUTENANT ALFRED JAMES THOMAS, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Distinguished Service Medal (GVIR) with bar for second award (Officer's Steward Alfred James Thomas P/SR 58974); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Burma Star, Italy Star; British War Medal 1939-45 (MID). Distinguished Service Medal only named, impressed and with swivelling bar suspension, other medals unnamed. Court mounted as worn. Ribbons very soiled from wear, otherwise medals very fine.

DSM: London Gazette 8 January 1942. 'For outstanding gallantry, fortitude and resolution whilst in serving in HMS Salvia during the Battle of Crete. This rating has continuously shown great devotion to duty, manning his guns during all attacks and was one of the two ratings who volunteered to remain and man the guns whilst the vessel was at the quay, permission having been given by the Naval Officer in Charge, Suda Bay for the remainder of the crew not necessary on board to go the shelters near the quay during machine gunning and bombing attacks.'

DSM (bar): London Gazette 7 December 1943. 'For great bravery and enterprise.'
MID: 11 November 1941. 'For gallantry and distinguished services in HMS Salvia in operations in Greek waters.'

MID: 23 October 1945. 'For bravery, skill and coolness of judgement in completing a hazardous reconnaissance of an enemy beach on the night of 9/10 June, 1945. This officer was in charge of a canoe on a recent operation. He was responsible for maintaining contact with the submarine in addition to obtaining information and these duties be carried out efficiently under difficult circumstances. Throughout the operation he displayed a high degree of courage.'

DSM awarded for outstanding gallantry, fortitude and resolution in HMS Salvia during the Battle of Crete.

DSM (bar) awarded for great bravery and enterprise in surveying the coast of Sicily as a member of a Combined Operations Pilotage Party (COPP) in May 1943.
First MID awarded for gallantry and distinguished services in HMS Salvia in Greek waters. Second MID awarded for completing a hazardous reconnaissance of an enemy beach at Morib near Port Dickson Malaysia, on the night of 9 June 1945 (Operation CONFIDENCE), as a member of No. 3 COPP.

Together with original Mention in Despatches Certificate dated 11 November 1941; forwarding slip for Mention in Despatches emblem; original press cutting dated 11 February 1942 with photograph of recipient, reporting the actions which earned him the DSM; original Buckingham Palace congratulatory forwarding slip (addressed to recipient as Sub Lieutenant RNVR); copies of Admiralty medal cards; copies of relevant London Gazette entries; and extracts from various publications describing the recipient's operations and the COPPs in general.