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Auction: 24003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 157

(x) A fine Second World War Submariner's D.S.M. group of eight awarded to Chief Petty Officer T. D. Wales, Royal Navy, the Coxswain of Stoic in the Far East who also shared in the Sub-on-Sub 'kill' secured by Parthian in June 1941 - that action earned Wales a 'mention' to his laurels

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (A/C.P.O. T. D. Wales P/J.X.141662); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C. (P/J.X. 141662 T. D. Wales. D.S.M. C.P.O. H.M.S. Alcide.), good very fine (8)

D.S.M. London Gazette3 April 1945. The original Recommendation states:

'Chief Petty Officer Wales has served as Coxswain for seven consecutive patrols at home, in the Malacca Straits and Java Sea. He is outstandingly cool and courageous and has inspired the crew with his personal example during attacks on the enemy and during the counter attacks which have sometimes followed.'

M.I.D. London Gazette 7 October 1941 - an award for patrols in Parthian in the Mediterranean which included the Sub-on-Sub action that sunk the Souffleur in June 1941.

Thomas Dinnett Wales was a native of Blackburn who was a long-served member of the 'Silent Service'. He earned his 'mention' in the striking action in which the Souffleur was sunk in Khaldé Bay, near Beirut on 25 June 1941. Whilst surfaced to charge her batteries, one of four torpedoes fired from Parthian blew her apart. Five men out of the six on deck tried to swim to shore, one of them drowned, while fifty-two sailors lost their lives. The wreck sits in around 40m of water and is a popular dive site. A video can be found via:

youtube.com/watch?v=U3i5mWgoSZE

Wales thence transferred to the Stoic and shared in no less than six patrols in 1944, these being 3-26 March, 17 April-10 May, 28 May-19 June, 6-28 July, 3 October-4 November and 2-23 December as her Coxswain. During that period she was hugely successful and claimed:

1x Merchant Vessel, 3,500 tons
1x Merchant Vessel, 3,000 tons
1x Tanker, 700 tons
1x Coaster, 200 tons
Damaged and probably sunk 1x Merchant Vessel, 5,000 tons
Damaged by gunfire 1x Supply Ship, 10,000 tons
Also carried out one bombardment (Jangka Island), one minelay and one Special Operation.

Wales went up to Buckingham Palace to be presented his D.S.M. on 18 May 1945.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Estimate
£1,400 to £1,800

Starting price
£1200