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Auction: 23112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 431

'The war is going to start properly soon, and I'm going to start it.'

So wrote Captain Bernard Warburton-Lee of H.M.S. Hardy, Captain (D), 2nd British Destroyer Flotilla, in a letter his wife on 5 April 1940; when she received it the war had indeed started properly, and her husband had earned its first Victoria Cross - posthumously.

'When Hotspur emerged from the smoke and followed about two miles astern of Hostile and Havock, she presented an astonishing appearance with two enormous sprays of water either side like ornamental fountains, caused by her jagged bow and a shell hole. The sight was immediately gladdening and just what was needed to inspire Wright [of the Hostile] and Courage [of the Havock] to save her at any cost … Like two sheep-dogs, the Hostile and Havock closed in behind their stray ewe lamb and hustled her away from the snarling wolves; it was beautifully done.'

The timely rescue of Hotspur, as recounted in Narvik - Battles in the Fjords, by Captain Peter Dickens, R.N.

A pre-war Palestine and Second World War 'V.C. action' campaign group of seven awarded to Chief Petty Officer B. R. Coleman, Royal Navy, who was present in H.M.S. Hotspur at the First Battle of Narvik in April 1940

As part of Warburton-Lee's 2nd Destroyer Flotilla, in a series of point-blank actions, Hotspur's guns and torpedoes contributed to destruction or severe mauling of some ten enemy ships, over whom 'hung a sepulchral, acrid mist'

But the flotilla paid a heavy price for its enterprise and daring, Hardy being run aground and Hunter - after colliding with Hostspur - capsizing. Nor did Petty Officer Coleman and his shipmates escape without cost, the much-damaged Hotspur suffering a loss of 18 killed

Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1936-1939 (J. 113488 B. R. Coleman, P.O., R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Burma Star; War Medal 1939-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (JX. 113488 B. R. Coleman, P.O., H.M.S. Languard), good very fine (7)

Bertram Roland Coleman was born at Sittingbourne, Kent on 25 March 1909 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in March 1928.

By the outbreak of hostilities - and having been actively employed off Palestine in the interim - he was serving as a Petty Officer in the destroyer H.M.S. Hotspur, and it was in the same capacity that he was present at the First Battle of Narvik on 10 April 1940.

On that memorable date, following Warburton-Lee's opening foray into Narvik, Hotspur moved forward and fired four torpedoes into the harbour, sinking at least two merchant ships.

But as the British flotilla departed the scene, it ran into five enemy destroyers, heralding the commencement of a hotly contested action of the point-blank variety. Amidst much gunfire, two of the enemy destroyers crossed the 'T' of the British flotilla and inflicted mortal damage on Warburton-Lee's command, the Hardy. She was forced to run aground.

Hunter, hit by a torpedo, fared little better, and was then rammed by Hotspur due to her damaged steering gear. The two destroyers, under punishing fire, managed to disentangle themselves but Hunter capsized soon afterwards. Here, then, as cited above, the moment that Hotspur's own fate seemed sealed, but for the timely arrival of Havock and Hostile.

During her assorted encounters of the close kind at Narvik and in Ofotfjord, Hotspur received seven direct hits from enemy shellfire. Her No. 2 boiler, electrical circuits, depth charges and her range-finder were all knocked out and she sustained a loss of 18 men killed. Temporary repairs, however, enabled her to limp back home.

In June 1941, Coleman removed to the sloop Languard - an ex-U.S. Coast Guard cutter - and he was likewise employed at the time of being awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in January 1942.

He finally came ashore as a Chief Petty Officer in May 1949; sold with a limited-edition print of H.M.S. Hotspur, signed by the artist Anthony Saunders; a Cranston Fine Arts print.

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Sold for
£290

Starting price
£140