Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 17001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 218

A Second World War campaign group of six awarded to Chief Engine Room Artificer J. Clark, Royal Navy, who was awarded the D.S.M. for his gallant services in the destroyer H.M.S. Kelvin in 1940-43

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (M. 37902 J. Clark, C.E.R.A., H.M.S. Kelvin), good very fine (6)

James Clark was born in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, on 8 February 1908 and entered the Royal Navy as an Engine Room Artificer Apprentice in January 1924.

A Chief Engine Room Artificer by the outbreak of hostilities, he joined the destroyer H.M.S. Kelvin in November 1939, in which ship he was to be awarded the L.S. & G.C. Medal in November 1940 and the D.S.M. in the summer of 1943 (London Gazette 2 June 1943, refers).

In the period of Clark's confirmed period of service in the Kelvin, his C.Os included Commander J. H. Hamilton, D.S.O., R.N., Commander M. S. Townsend, D.S.C., O.B.E., R.N., and Lieutenant-Commander J. T. B. Birch, D.S.O., D.S.C., R.N.: a much decorated cast of skippers on account of Kelvin's busy war, much of which centred on operations in the Mediterranean.

Present at Somerville's action off Cape Spartivento in November 1940, Kelvin also lent valuable service off Crete in May 1941 and, in common with other destroyers likewise employed, suffered damage from enemy aircraft; she returned to Cretan waters in April 1942 when, as part of Operation "Lighter", she landed a raiding party of the 11th Battalion, Royal Marines at Koufonsis, the latter charged with destroying the wireless transmission station.

In January 1943, in the company of her flotilla consort Nubian, Kelvin fought two successful actions off the Tunisian coast and contributed to the demise of the Italian merchantman D'Annuzio south of Lampedusa on the 15th. Five days later, in the company of her consort Javelin, Kelvin gained spectacular success on intercepting an Italian convoy off Tripoli: in an action that became known as the battle of Zuwarah, the entire enemy convoy was sunk, including four minesweepers.

It was following this latter action that Clark was most likely recommended for his D.S.M. but whether he was still serving in Kelvin at the time of the Normandy landings remains unknown: if so he would have been witnessed the embarkation of Churchill on 12 June 1944, when the Prime Minster crossed the Channel on his first visit to Montgomery's H.Q.

Clark finally came ashore in April 1948; sold with copied research, including service details taken from T.N.A. ADM/188/1093 and ADM/363/404/5.


Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Sold for
£300