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Auction: 9033 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 28

A Fine Second War 1944 ´Mediterranean Squadron, Adriatic Coastal Force´ D.S.M. and ´Immediate´ 1945 Bar Group of Five to Able Seaman, Gun Layer and Captain of the Gun R.S. Whiteley, Royal Navy, Who Served in M.G.B. 662, 1943-45, And ´By His Great Accuracy´ With His Six-Pounder ´Sank a Number of Craft... As a Gun Layer this Rating Has Shown Himself to be Unsurpassed in Mediterranean Coastal Forces´ a) Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R., with Second Award Bar (A.B. R.S. Whiteley, C/JX. 308197), in case of issue b) 1939-1945 Star c) Atlantic Star d) Italy Star e) War Medal, M.I.D. Oakleaf, extremely fine, the campaign awards in named card box of issue addressed to recipient at ´56 Overbury Crescent, New Addington, Nr. Croydon, Sussex´, together with a ´Commando´ cloth shoulder title (5) Estimate £ 3,800-4,200 D.S.M. London Gazette 5.12.1944 Able Seaman Raymond Stewart Whiteley, C/JX.308197 (Croydon) ´For great skill and daring while serving in Light Coastal Craft in a series of sharp and successful encounters with enemy forces in the Adriatic and Aegean´ D.S.M. Second Award Bar London Gazette 13.2.1945 Able Seaman Raymond Stewart Whiteley, D.S.M., C/JX.308197 (New Addington, Surrey) ´For outstanding courage and determination in skilful attacks on enemy shipping in the Adriatic while serving in Light Coastal Craft´ The Recommendation, dated 16.10.1944, states: ´Description of action or operation: On the night of 11th/12th October 1944, H.M. M.G.B. 662 and H.M. M.T.B.´s 634, 637 and 638 on patrol North of Zara, encountered one or more enemy "F"-lighter convoys. Our unit carried out three well-ordered gunnery and torpedo attacks which lasted five hours. In face of heavy enemy fire these attacks were pressed home and as a result 6 enemy "F"-lighters, 4 enemy Pi-L Boats and 1 "E"-Boat were destroyed, 1 "F"-lighter and 1 "E"-Boat were probably destroyed and 2 "E"-Boats were damaged by gunfire. This great success was achieved at the cost of only very few casualties, and minor damage to our own craft. Specific act or service for which officer or rating is recommended: For leadership, courage and great skill. Able Seaman Whiteley was a six-pounder gun layer on His Majesty´s M.G.B. 662 and Captain of the gun. In the face of heavy enemy fire he did some brilliant spotting that was an example to every boat in the unit; and by his great accuracy quickly sank a number of enemy craft.´ Remarks of Administrative Authority: ´Forwarded fully concurring. As a gunlayer this rating has shown himself to be unsurpassed in Mediterranean Coastal Forces, and no amount of enemy fire has any effect on his coolness and accuracy.´ M.I.D. London Gazette 21.11.1944 Able Seaman Raymond Stewart Whiteley, C/JX.308197 (Croydon) ´For courage, skill and determination in a series of close actions with the enemy off the West coast of Italy and Dalmatia while serving in Light Coastal Craft´ The Recommendation, dated 26.4.1944, states: ´Description of action of operation: On the night June 24th/25th, 1944, H.M. M.G.B.´s 662, 659 and H.M. M.T.B. 670 encountered the ex-Jugoslav Torpedo Boat T.7. After a very intensive close range gun action the T.7 was driven ashore and destroyed and some prisoners were taken. Specific act or service for which officer or rating is recommended: For skill coolness and initiative as six-pounder gunlayer on H.M. M.G.B. 662. He did a very good shoot and scored many useful hits.´ Remarks of Administration Authority: ´Forwarded fully concurring. This rating has been in MGB 662 for 9 months and seen much action.´ Remarks of Operating Authority: ´Fully concur. He inflicted severe damage on the enemy.´ C/JX.308197 Able Seaman Raymond Stewart Whiteley, D.S.M., a native of Croydon, served during the Second World War with the Royal Navy in Motor Gun Boat 662, from October 1943; M.G.B. 662 had been built in April of that year and was under the command of Acting Lieutenant-Commander T.J. Bligh, R.N.V.R., who was to be awarded an O.B.E., D.S.O., D.S.C. and Bar for his time with Whiteley and the other crew of M.G.B. 662 in the Adriatic; M.G.B. 662 was a member of the 57th M.G.B. Flotilla (also commanded by Bligh) as part of the Mediterranean Squadron tasked with fighting the Adriatic Campaign; the M.G.B´s were part of the Coastal Forces based on the Dalmation Island of Vis; the latter is about 14 miles long and 8 miles wide, with two ports out of which M.T.B.s and M.G.B.s worked against German convoys of lighters and barges passing through the narrow channels north of Dubrovnik; in 1944, after Marshal Tito´s escape from Italy, the island also became his headquarters (with his arrival on the 6th June) and a centre from which to resume the direction of Partisan activities; Tito´s Partisans combined with the British Forces also based on Vis, which consisted of men of 40th and 43rd Royal Marine Commando and 2nd S.A.S. Brigade under the command of Brigadier George Daly, and used the naval vessels present to transport materials and men and especially to make landings on the islands of Dalmatia to liberate them from German occupation, ´in July [1944] raids were repeatedly made against enemy-held Dalmation islands and the adjacent mainland. The assault forces, consisting of British Commandos and Yugoslav Partisans, were escorted and covered by destroyers and coastal craft from Vis; and their forays undoubtedly increased the insecurity of the enemy´s communications along the coastal roads and his hold on the offshore islands. In addition the steady pressure of our surface ships and aircraft against the enemy´s seaborne supply traffic continued all the time, on both sides of the Italian mainland´ (The War at Sea, Vol. III, Part II, Captain S.W. Roskill, D.S.C., R.N., refers); in August strong parties of British troops and Partisans landed on the Dalmatian mainland and on the offshore islands; while the sweepers started to clear the inshore channels so that larger warships, and later the merchantmen waiting to carry in supplies to relieve the urgent needs of the civil population, could reach the principal ports; Whiteley´s work continued as ´on the 6th and 11th September troops landed on the islands of Hvar and Brac, and by the 18th both were firmly in Allied hands. Coastal craft ferried in reinforcements and supplies after each new landing, and attempts by the Germans to evacuate their garrisons by sea were severely handled by our light naval forces and patrolling aircraft..... in October the scale of operations was kept up. Thus on the night of the 11th-12th [See D.S.M. Second Award Bar Recommendation above] three M.T.B.´s and an M.G.B. [662] intercepted a convoy off Vis Island and sank three vessels; and out of eight craft which left Dubrovnik on the 20th to evacuate the enemy garrison none reached safety... Four I-boats were captured intact during the month, and heavy losses were inflicted on almost every occasion when the enemy attempted a movement by sea.´ (Ibid).

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