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Auction: 326 - The Numismatic Collector's Series Sale
Lot: 551

Great Britain. The Good and Scarce Great War 'Minesweeping' 1916 D.S.O. and 1918 'Mine Recovery' Second Award Bar, 1940 Military Division O.B.E. Group of Ten to Captain G.W.H. Heaton, Royal Navy, Decorated In Both World Wars, Serving Throughout With Just One Hand Following A 'Motor Smash' in December 1914
a) Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, the reverse of the suspension bar engraved 'Mine Sweeping 1st Jan 1916', the reverse of the integral top riband bar engraved 'Lt. Comdr. G.W.H. Heaton R.N.', with Second Award Bar, reverse engraved 'Comdr. G.W. Heaton D.S.O. R.N. U.C.44. Dunmore 4.8.17', integral top riband bar adapted for wear, with Garrard & Co. case of issue
b) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 2nd type, Military Division, Officer's (O.B.E.) breast Badge, silver-gilt, with Royal Mint case of issue
c) 1914-15 Star (Commr. G.W.H. Heaton, D.S.O., R.N.)
d) British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaves (Commr. G.W.H. Heaton. R.N.)
e) 1939-1945 Star
f) Atlantic Star, with France and Germany Bar
g) Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaf
h) France, Republic, Croix de Guerre, reverse dated '1914-1917', avec Palmes, traces of lacquer, generally nearly extremely fine, mounted as worn by Spink & Son Ltd., housed in a Spink & Son Ltd. case (10)

D.S.O. London Gazette 1.1.1916 Lieutenant-Commander (Acting Commander) Gervase William Heaton Heaton, R.N.
'In recognition of bravery and devotion to duty during mine-sweeping and mine-laying operations.'

D.S.O. Second Award Bar London Gazette 7.6.1918 Lieutenant-Commander (Acting Commander) Gervase William Heaton Heaton, D.S.O., Royal Navy
'For skill and bravery shown by him in recovering enemy mines.'

O.B.E. London Gazette 11.7.1940 Acting Captain Gervase William Heaton Heaton D.S.O., Royal Navy (Retired)

M.I.D. London Gazette 2.1.1917 Acting Commander Gervase William Heaton Heaton, D.S.O., R.N.

France, Croix du Guerre London Gazette 2.11.1917 Acting Commander Gervase William Heaton Heaton, D.S.O., R.N.

Captain Gervase William Heaton Heaton, D.S.O, O.B.E., R.N., born March, 1882, the son of Gervase William Heaton, sometime High Sheriff of Vancouver, British Columbia. Heaton was educated at Ascham House, Bournemouth, first entering the Royal Navy in January 1896. He served at the Mediterranean Station aboard H.M.S. Anson, Gibraltar and Theseus as Midshipman during the actions in Crete in 1897-99. Promoted Sub-Lieutenant during 1901, Lieutenant in 1903, Heaton then took command of the destroyers Zebra, Wolf and Sylvia throughout 1910-12, advancing Lieutenant-Commander 1911 before retirement, 3.3.1912.

The Great War; A Lost Hand & Two D.S.O.'s
Upon commencement of hostilities in July 1914, Heaton was appointed Acting Commander in charge of '...in charge of a Flotilla of Minesweepers; lost left hand in a motor smash 31.12.14' [The Distinguished Service Order refers], however his dramatic accident led to no reduction in the action and services rendered. Throughout the war he served '...in command of two minesweepers, and later a division' [ibid], being awarded a D.S.O. in the 1916 New Year's Honours, a Mention in January 1917, a French Croix de Guerre in November 1917 and a Second Award Bar to his D.S.O. in the Birthday Honours List of 1918. Heaton reverted to the retired list, as Commander, 11.11.1918.

An O.B.E. aboard Badger
With the escalations of the Second War, experienced Officers of the Great War were quickly re-engaged and employed in a plethora of essential training positions. From 15.3.1940 through February 1941 Heaton is recorded as Commanding Officer at H.M.S. Epping. The ship was inintially hired from the London and Eastern Railway in 1939, being re-fitted and deployed as a mine-sweeper depot ship. Its name was later adopted for the entire mine-sweeping base at Harwich, Essex. Heaton was awarded a Military Division O.B.E. in 1940, with reference made to his service aboard H.M.S. Badger, the base ship at Harwich. [Seedie's Roll of Naval Honours refers]. He was invested at Buckingham Palace, 6.8.1940.

Operation Neptune
Advanced Captain in February 1941, Heaton was appointed Commanding Officer at H.M.S. Aggressive, the Coastal Forces Base located at Newhaven, East Sussex. Aggressive was founded in November 1941, and from September 1942 acted as the Base for the experimental 1st Steam Gun Boat Flotilla. A specialist Class, similar to that and developed alongside the Fairmile D torpedo ('Gun Dog'), with nine vessels commissioned. The vessels of the 1st Steam Gun Boat Flotilla were commissioned in response to the urgent requirement for suitable vessels to track and hunt German E-Boats along the British Shores. With Heaton as Commanding Officer of Aggressive, the Flotilla was under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Peter Scott, C.H., C.B.E., only son of Captain Robert Scott, M.V.O. and himself a Bronze Medal winner at the 1936 Berlin Olympics in the O-Jolle dingy sailing class. The first fleet action for the vessels of Aggressive took place shortly after midnight on 19.6.1942 when SGB-7 and SGB-8, in convoy with the destroyer H.M.S. Albrighton encountered and engaged several E-Boats in the Baie-en-Seine. The action resulted in the sinking of SGB-7, and the realisation that the armour of the experimental vessels was inadequate for their purpose. Following the action and subsequent upgrading, SGB-5 Grey Owl was damaged whilst escorting landing craft during the Dieppe Raid, 19.8.1942.
Aggressive was once again employed during Operation Neptune, 6.6.1944, for which Heaton was rewarded with a 'Letter of Praise' [ibid]

Captain Heaton appears on the Retired list for the final time in April 1946 and died, 2.3.1976.

Approximately 37 Distinguished Service Orders with Second Award Bars awarded to the Royal Navy during the Great War. In combination the Group to Captain Heaton is scarce.

Sold for
$5,000