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Auction: 19001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 530

A fine Second World War Coastal Forces' D.S.M. awarded to Able Seaman R. Allen, Royal Navy, who was decorated for his gallant deeds in M.T.B. 455 during a firefight off the island of Schouwen in the Scheldt on the night of 10-11 May 1944: severely wounded in the throat, he continued to fight his Pom-Pom under a galling fire

He had earlier been awarded a 'mention' for gallant deeds in a hotly contested action on the night of 14-15 February 1944, an action in which four E-Boats were damaged

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (A.B. R. Allen, C/JX. 316726), engraved naming, upon investiture pin as worn and in case of issue, together with M.I.D. oak leaf and original Admiralty letter of notification of the award, dated 31 July 1944, extremely fine

D.S.M. London Gazette 25 July 1944. The original recommendation states:

'For outstanding skill, courage and devotion to duty in maintaining an accurate fire with a Pom-Pom after being severely wounded in action against superior enemy forces. On being ordered to take over the wheel, on the Coxswain being mortally wounded, he handed over to his No. 2 gunner and reported to the bridge; only then was it evident that he was seriously wounded in the throat.'

Ronald Allen, a native of Woodthorpe, Nottinghamshire, first came to the notice of his superiors during a memorable action fought against no less than 17 E-Boats off the Scheldt on the night of 14-15 February 1944. The enemy's force also included two armed trawlers and a flak ship.

The Senior Officer of two Coastal Force units engaged was Lieutenant Derek Leaf, D.S.C., R.N.V.R., and the action - in so far as the enemy deliberately sought contact - quickly gained fame. Leaf, who had a habit of 'reducing caution to its irreducible minimum' was killed, but not before ordering Allen's M.T.B. - 455 - to attack the flak ship: both of 455's torpedoes found their mark and she disengaged under a galling fire. In respect of his own part in the firefight, Allen's recommendation for his 'mention' states:

'For coolness, initiative and good gun discipline in action. As gunner of the 2-pounder Pom-Pom, he repeatedly obtained hits. When the trawler on the starboard quarter went out of his arc of fire, he immediately engaged the other trawler on the port quarter, causing heavy damage to both targets' (T.N.A. ADM 1/29633, refers).

Four E-Boats were severely damaged in the same action.

As cited above, Allen was back in action at his 2-pounder Pom-Pom on the night of 10-11 May 1944, once again in the Scheldt area. On that occasion, four boats from the 3rd and 4th Flotilla - including 455 - attacked four armed trawlers. One of the trawlers was sunk and another severely damaged. But the enemy's return fire was swift and accurate and the 4th Flotilla's boats sustained damage and casualties, including Allen in 455; her Coxswain - Petty Officer J. H. Hobson - was mortally wounded.

Allen received his D.S.M. at an investiture held on 31 October 1944.


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