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Auction: 19001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 531

A fine Second World War submariner's D.S.M. group of six awarded to Able Seaman R. Hill, Royal Navy, who lent valuable service in a series of war patrols undertaken by H.M.S. Sceptre

Said operations included his clandestine part in Operation "Source" - when Sceptre acted as mother ship to a midget submarine detailed to attack the Scharnhorst - and Operation "Guidance" - the lone attempt by midget submarine X-24 to sink a floating dock in Bergen, Norway

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (A.B. R. Hill. D/SSX. 28100); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, clasp, France and Germany; Pacific Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, light contact marks, otherwise very fine (6)

D.S.M. London Gazette 5 September 1944:

'For undaunted courage, skill and devotion to duty in successful patrols in H.M. submarines.'

Ronald Hill was born in Plymouth on 2 January 1916 and later moved with his mother, Mrs. E. Hill, to Bedford Street, Bere Alston, Devon. In common with many other young men living in this rural village - located between the Rivers Tamar and Tavy - he initially worked as a farm labourer.

In November 1938, he joined the Royal Navy and, on passing out of the training establishment Drake in the summer of 1940, he volunteered for submarines.

Submariner - 'Blue on Blue'

He was subsequently employed at Dolphin, Cyclops and Forth, prior to joining Sceptre in the 3rd Submarine Flotilla at Holy Loch in May 1943.

A week or two later - on 7 June - Sceptre had a lucky escape when an over-eager Hampden bomber crew decided to drop four bombs on the submerged submarine, despite total bombing restrictions being in force.

In his subsequent enquiry, the Director of Scientific Research 'noted with little satisfaction and considerable incredulity, the apparent ineffectiveness of the depth charges (sic) under the conditions stated.' The report went on to state that, 'if the spacing had been even, number 3 depth-charge (sic) would have been right up against the submarine and was bound to be lethal.' As it was, a somewhat 'buckled' Sceptre reported to dock for repairs.

In late July 1943, Sceptre sailed from Lerwick on a two-week anti-submarine patrol off the west coast of Norway; her only sightings were aircraft and she returned home. But more exciting employment beckoned.

Operation "Source": the attempted midget submarine attack on Scharnhorst

On 30 August 1943, Sceptre sailed for port HHZ' at Loch Cairnbawn, where she joined the depot ship H.M.S. Titania and submarines Thrasher, Truculent, Stubborn, Syrtis and Seanymph. All of them had been chosen to take part in Operation "Source" and had been fitted with special towing equipment for the X-class midget submarines. As the brainchild of Commander Cromwell-Varley, with the support of Max Horton, Flag Officer Submarines, and Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Operation "Source" comprised a series of planned attacks to neutralise the capital German warships Tirpitz, Scharnhorst and Lutzöw: it was Sceptre's task to tow X-10, detailed to attack the battlecruiser Scharnhorst in Kaa Fjord.

At 'Port HHZ', security was heavily ramped up and, as towing trials began on 1 September 1943, all leave was cancelled - only specially selected officers and ratings were allowed to leave the area. In fact, all ships present were required to remain in port until the completion of operations. For Hill and his shipmates, it would have been a time to liaise with the operational crew of X-10, unofficially named 'Excalibur' - commanded by Lieutenant Hudspeth, R.A.N.V.R. - and prepare to tow the 51-foot-long craft across the vast expanse of the North Sea.

On 12 September 1943, amidst great secrecy, Sceptre and X-10 set sail from 'Port HHZ'. The journey did not go entirely to plan as the tow ropes struggled to cope with the heavy seas; consort X-9 was lost when its rope cable broke, whilst the Lutzöw-bound midget, X-8 had to be scuttled when she was damaged while jettisoning her flooded side charges. On the 19th, after dark, Sceptre transferred the operational crew of four to X-10 and, the following morning, the midget submarine slipped away on her mission. Sadly for the X-10, it would be a fruitless mission. Scharnhorst had earlier put to sea for gunnery practise, and, beset by various problems, the midget was scuttled whilst returning home under tow from Stubborn. 'Lucky' Scharnhorst, as she was known in Germany, would later face ten-gun broadsides of the Duke of York and eleven torpedoes from her destroyer screen, finally sinking to the depths at the Battle of North Cape on Boxing Day, 1943.

Sceptre and Seanymph remained on patrol off Andoy, the former attempting an opportunist stern shot at a U-Boat on 6 October; the torpedo missed from 150 yards when the U-Boat Captain sighted Sceptre and turned away, diving at the very last minute; Sceptre's alertness went unrewarded and she returned to Lerwick, arriving on 8 October.

Ongoing war patrols

From 15 November 1943 to 16 March 1944, Sceptre conducted four anti-submarine patrols in the North Sea, resulting in a number of successes and also a number of close shaves, not least when she was temporarily caught by fishing nets in the after side of the fore hydroplanes. On 3 February 1944, she attacked a U-Boat with six torpedoes - the results of the attack are unknown, but Sceptre faced a counter-attack of 21 depth-charges from the German escort.

On 7 March, Sceptre penetrated the destroyer screen of a convoy and fired five torpedoes from 1500 yards; four 'hits' resulted in the sinking of two ships, including the Lippe of 7849 tons. In reply, the German escorts dropped 18 shallow depth-charges over a one-hour period; Sceptre sought safety in the depths and withdrew through the mine barrier to the vicinity of Kya Light to charge. Further likely success occurred on 12 March when Sceptre struck a 1200-ton merchant vessel. Such menace only encouraged the Germans to ramp up their anti-submarine activity, especially following the sinking of a 5000-ton merchant vessel the next day.

Operation "Guidance" - a return to clandestine midget submarine operations

On 24 March 1944, Sceptre sailed from Lerwick for 'Port HHZ' and, after training with the towing and changing crews of the X-24, set sail for the Laksvaag floating dock at Bergen on 9 April.

At 1835 hours on 13 April, a U-Boat was sighted coming out of Fejeosen, Sceptre observing the lookouts and the black and white check badge painted on her bridge casing; no action was taken for fear of compromising the mission. At 2050 hours, the X-24 - under Commanding Officer M. H. Shean, R.A.N.V.R. - was released and made her way without being detected, delivering two charges, each with a 4-hour setting; when 9 miles off, several explosions were heard which resulted in the sinking of the 7569-ton Barenfels, which lay parallel to the dock. Extensive damage was also done to the quay and coaling facilities and X-24 successfully returned to Sceptre.

Hill completed one further patrol aboard Sceptre, a patrol which resulted in the sinking of the 7849-ton merchant vessel Hockheimer. On 24 May, she reached Gibraltar, from whence she returned to Holy Loch. Hill subsequently transferred to the submarine base Ambrose at Dundee.

He was awarded the D.S.M.

Closing shots in the Far East

In November 1944, Hill joined Tactician, commanded by Lieutenant-Commander Anthony Collette: subsequent victims included a Japanese vessel and two Siamese sailing vessels.

Invested by H.M. King George VI with his D.S.M. at Buckingham Palace on 15 May 1945, Hill was extremely proud to receive the award but shocked at the appearance of the King:

'I'll never forget the King,' said Mr Hill.

'He had make-up on his face to hide the signs of strain. He looked ill and haggard, but was keen to find out why I had been recommended for the medal. He gave me the impression that he was very well up on what was happening during the war. But it was sad to see him looking so unwell.'

Hill enrolled into the Royal Fleet Reserve at Devonport on 31 January 1946 and was finally discharged on 28 November 1950.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including the recipient's service record on fabric, medical card, educational test certificate, R.F.R. Certificate of Identity, station card from H.M.S. Dolphin, and a copied Times newspaper article from 28 July 1976 titled, 'Hitler - and Ron Hill's part in his downfall.'


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Sold for
£2,200