38
908
WW2 group attributed to P/KX 86842 Douglas Blair
Sylvester LS RN. 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, Defence &
War Medals plus Mentioned In Despatches. With
addressed box of issue D B Sylvester of Farnham, Surrey,
and Admiralty Award Slip. Over the autumn and winter
of 1941/2 he served on Motor Gun Boat 43,
commanded by Lt Stewart Gould DSC (described as one
of the most daring and brilliant officers of Coastal
Forces). His MID was L/G 6/1/1942 "For Courage and
skill when an enemy convoy was attacked by our light
coastal forces". The operation took place on the night of
3/11/1941. MGB's 42 and 43 left Dover at 9.14pm and
about an hour later encountered an enemy armed
trawler which they proceeded to shoot up. "(we) passed
100 yard ahead of the trawler engaging her continuously
for eight minutes with Oerlikon, 0.5 inch and Lewis guns.
Many hits were observed, and from the fact that her
machine guns and twelve pounders were in turn silenced,
it is assumed that damage and casualties resulted". A 'T'
Class torpedo boat the equivalent of a small destroyer,
then appeared on the scene, and the MGB's turned their
attention to it. As Scott records in 'The Battle of the
Narrow Seas', "There followed one of the most
astonishing actions ever fought by Coastal Forces. For
five minutes the two sides steered parallel courses 400
yards apart at 25 knots - on the one hand the enemy
warship of about 600 tons, firing 4 inch shells as well as
heavy machine guns and cannon on the other, the two
tiny MGB's armed with their one Oerlikon and their
Lewis Gun". Then to quote from Goulds report "Both
MGB's sustained damage and casualties, the enemy, after
being frequently hit, broke off the action after about five
minutes by turning away towards the north-west under
cover of smoke. The MGB's turned to the northward in
pursuit". While pursuing the torpedo boat, they came
upon a stopped trawler, probably the same one they had
already engaged, and gave it some more punishment
before renewing their attack on the torpedo boat. This
time MGB 42 was badly hit, with one engine out of
action and on fire aft, she had to break off the action and
creep away on the remaining engine. NGB 43 was also in
trouble. One of his engines stalled and the torpedo boat
attempted to ram him. The engine was restarted
however, and he drew clear just in time. When the
Oerlikon was out of action and the Lewis guns ran out of
ammunition, Gould called for rifles and pistols to be
brought up from below to carry on the fight. Meanwhile
the Germans had them hemmed in against the shore,
and it was only with the greatest difficulty that they
managed to escape from the trap and make off to the
Southwest. Once clear they stepped to check on damage
and casualties. The First Lieut and two crew were
wounded, the boat had been badly holed, the wireless
aerial had been shot away and one of the propellor shafts
was vibrating badly, they were 3¼ of a mile west of
Boulogne and the wind and sea were rising. They set
course for Dover but before they were halfway the boat
became so water logged that she was in danger of
breaking up. They stopped and began to bail. Motorboat
engines were heard nearby but Gould was not sure if
they were friendly - they were still in sight of Cap Gris
Nez - and he decided not to draw attention to
themselves. At daybreak the English coast was also in
sight and they were spotted by a fighter aircraft which
reported their position, so that the gunboat was later
taken in tow and brought safely to harbour. Gould
recommended Sylvester for an immediate MID "This
was the fourth action in which LS Sylvester has taken
part in MGB 43 since arriving at Dover. During the
action he displayed his usual spirit and skill as a stripped
Lewis gunner. Subsequently he worked with initiative
and cheerfulness throughout the night, thereby setting an
excellent example to all hands". Sylvester survived and
died aged 85 in West Surrey. Sold with attractive
dossier including copy of Gould report, photos of MGB's,
from the collection of Dr Oscar Parks (head of photo
archive IWM). Qty
£200 - £250
909
WW2 group mounted as worn - 1939-45 Star, Air Crew
Europe Star (copy), Italy Star, Defence & War Medals
with MID. Sold a/f
£30 - £35
910
WW2 group mounted as worn - 1939-45 Star, Burma
Star, Defence & War Medals (4)
£25 - £30
911
WW2 group named to 16977 W A Pretorius. 1939-45
Star, Africa Star, Italy Star, War Medal, Africa Service
Medal. VF suspenders replaced on the Stars (5) a/f
£25 - £30
912
WW2 group named to 45594 J P Banks-Baird. 1939-45
Star, Africa Star, War Medal, South Africa Service
Medal. VF (4)
£25 - £30
913
WW2 group to A G Webb Royal Artillery. Lived
Terling, Chelmsford. Lot includes 1939-45 Star, F & G
Star, Defence Medal, letter confirming medals, Active
Service New Testament.
£20 - £25
914
WW2 group to D/KX 85678 Ernest James Banks STO
1 RN, HMS Glorious. 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, War
Medal and original named Casualty Medal slip. Killed In
Action 8/6/1940 when the Glorious encountered the
German Battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. He
lived Bloxwich, Staffordshire. (3)
£100 - £120
915
WW2 group to P/206848 Captain Mary Caisley Reserve
of Officers QARANC. 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star,
Defence & War Medal, with several original items of
paperwork inc. Womens Officers Release Book, Passport,
letters, Royal Garden Party Invite, Ministry of Transport
Certificate of Discharge, 1st Netherlands Military
Hospital Ship "Oranje" at sea V.E.Day sheet, a small
Flag, etc etc (qty)
£100 - £120
916
WW2 India Service Group of 3 medals with selection of
original documents photos etc to 1814297 PTE B W A T
Gale RA East Lancs Reg
£50 - £55
917
WW2 lot privately named to Section officer M.Stevens
P.M.R.A.F.N.S., together with Nurses Tippett with
ribbon bar and collars named to McNica Stevenson.
1939-45 Star, F & G Star, defence & War Medal
£25 - £30
918
WW2 lot to 489099 Cpl Miss J E Jones WAAF. War
Medal in original named box of issue, lived Kings Rd,
Barnet, Herts. Plus two cloth badges, one unidentified
with kings crown and three roses
£18 - £20
919
WW2 medals - Burma Stars x8, Italy Stars x3, France &
Germany Stars x2, 1939-45 Stars x3, War Medals x7,
Canadian War Medal in silver, Indian Service Medal
unnamed, and Pakistan Independence Medal (3835649
Sep Ghulam Mord 3 PB R 3rd Punjab Regt). (approx 25)
£120 - £140
920
WW2 medals to Major A C S Hall of Barrow Road,
Cambridge. Defence & War Medals in original named
boxes (2)
£20 - £25
921
WW2 Mercantile Maren officers documents to 2nd
officer C C Newman interesting selection including
service documents ID card training documents booklets
served on the merchant ship King Frederick when she
was sunk by the U-181 on the 19-6-44 of the 56 crew 29
survived
£80 - £85
922
WW2 Mills no 36 hand grenade nice example
deactivated
£75 - £80
923
WW2 Officers casualty scroll with Italy star group of 3
medals photos Italian war graves booklet all relating to
captain Maurice Ronald Dunlop RASC died 11-1-1943
buried Mororiver Canadian war cemetery
£100 - £110
924
WW2 Officers hat to the 16th Queens Lances with Kings
Crown hat badge
£45 - £50
925
WW2 officers uniforms to a Lieut in the west Kent Reg
including jacket trousers, hat, Sam brown, shirt
battledress and blouse with correct insignia battle dress
trousers etc a superb lot to one man
£350 - £370
926
WW2 original 3rd Reich water bottle, beaker and mess
tin with original webbing equipment. Back of water
bottle stamped 'DRGM, HRE '42, DRP angm'. Overall
very good condition. Some wear owing with service use.
Owners initials 'S.K' scratched on bottle.
£40 - £50
927
WW2 presentation stone plaque reads presented by the
Catholic Officers NCO and men of the 9th AA Reg RA
St Patrick's day 1940
£40 - £45
928
WW2 Royal Naval casualty named 1939/45 Star
Atlantic Star and War medal, all privately named to D-
JX215173 ORD sig Hayon Michael Levey died on
6/04/1941 on his HM yacht Torrent remembered
Plymouth Naval memorial
£65 - £70
929
WW2 Stars - War Medal, 1939-45 Star and copy Air
Crew Europe Star (3)
£20 - £25
