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Auction: 21001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals (conducted behind closed doors)
Lot: 386

A 1942 'Crete - MG2 convoy' D.S.M. awarded to Chief Petty Officer A. Mortimer, Royal Navy, a pre-War submariner who served his decoration - and advancement in rank - for his remarkable work aboard Jervis in picking up the survivors after the losses of Lively, Kipling and Jackal

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (JX.125376 A. Mortimer. C.P.O.), good very fine

D.S.M. London Gazette 11 June 1942.

M.I.D. London Gazette 8 September 1942.

Andrew Mortimer was born at Morpeth, Northumberland and was a miner when he enlisted in the Royal Navy on his sixteenth birthday on 10 January 1925. He served on a number of vessels and on the submarine H.M.S. Oswald from 22 February-14 December 1934, before going aboard Medway, the submarine depot ship.

Mortimer joined Jervis on 12 May 1939 and served aboard her throughout the Second World War. During March 1941 she gave a fine account at Cape Matapan and also at the Second Battle of Sirte, on 22 March 1942, which remains the finest example of protective cruiser action. Again and again, the British ships, dodging in and out of smoke screens, turned the greatly superior enemy force away from the merchantmen. Though fourteen destroyers were damaged, the Italian fleet finally retired without accomplishing the destruction of the convoy.

On 10 May 1942 Jervis, took part during convoy “M.G. 2”, when, famously, Lively, Kipling and Jackal were lost to sustained enemy air attacks en-route to Crete. Mortimer was awarded his D.S.M. for this action, besides being advanced in rank as confirmed in a letter from Admiral Cunningham as recalled in the Newcastle Journal:

'...be specially advanced to Chief Petty Officer on account of leadership, zeal and devotion to duty.'

Recalling the fateful action, Mortimer said:

'Unfortunately, we were spotted by reconnaissance aircraft before we could fulfil the mission. And then the fun started. We were attacked by 50 dive-bombers. The Jervis was the only ship to escape being hit. The Lively sank, and the Jackal was stopped by a hit in her engine-room. In a second attack the Kipling was sunk. There were only the Jervis and the crippled Jackal left. We picked up 800 survivors, took the Jackal in tow and proceeded to Alexandria. But the Jackal could not complete the journey as she was too far gone. With the survivors of the three ships on board, we reached safety in about 24 hours. Only 80 men from the three sunken ships were lost.'

Mortimer was at the wheel throughout the action

Mortimer had come ashore to go to Buckingham Palace for his investiture in February 1943. Afloat again, he joined Rattlesnake as Torpedo Coxwain. Mortimer remained in the service and was discharged on 17 March 1949, returning home to his wife at North Broomfield, Morpeth.

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Sold for
£650

Starting price
£480