Baldwin & Sons
Auction 98 3 May 2016
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MILITARY MEDALS, Awards for Gallantry and Distinguished Service, An Immediate HMS Saumarez World War Two Far East Destroyer Flotilla Distinguished Service Medal Group of 6 awarded to Temporary Stoker Petty Officer H. Cracknell, comprising Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R., 1st type (Temp Sto. P.O. H. Cracknell. D/KX 80625); 1939-1945 Star; Atlantic Star, clasp France and Germany; Africa Star, single clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Burma Star; 1939-45 War Medal; DSM removed from brooch mount and in case of issue, others brooch mounted. Slight contact wear to DSM, very fine and better. (6)
Distinguished Service Medal
For Initiative, coolness and efficiency in keeping No.2 Boiler Steaming, when No.1 Boiler was put out of action. By his quiet reaction, under conditions of difficulty and with his ship under heavy fire, way was kept on the ship enabling torpedoes to be fired and the ship to make good her subsequent withdrawal.
HMS Saumarez was part of the Carrier Force in Operation Bishopwhich was formed to protect the convoys in the seaborne assault on Rangoon and then took part in Operation Dukedom, which was mounted to attack a Japanese naval force reported to be sailing from Singapore on 10 May 1945. On this occasion, she was part of the newly constituted Force 61. The Japanese Cruiser Haguro and the destroyer Kamikaze had left the Malacca Strait on 14 May; early next day an Avenger torpedo bomber operating from the escort aircraft carrier HMS Emperor sighted them. HMS Saumarez, HMS Verulam and HMS Vigilant in one division and HMS Venus and HMS Virago in a second, were diverted to intercept. The destroyers attacked both ships early on 16 May. HMS Haguro, overwhelmed by their torpedoes, went to the bottom at 0209 in a position some forty-five miles southwest of Penang, although she had straddled HMS Saumarez twice prior to her sinking. HMS Kamikaze was damaged but managed to escape.
Estimate: £800-1200
Distinguished Service Medal
For Initiative, coolness and efficiency in keeping No.2 Boiler Steaming, when No.1 Boiler was put out of action. By his quiet reaction, under conditions of difficulty and with his ship under heavy fire, way was kept on the ship enabling torpedoes to be fired and the ship to make good her subsequent withdrawal.
HMS Saumarez was part of the Carrier Force in Operation Bishopwhich was formed to protect the convoys in the seaborne assault on Rangoon and then took part in Operation Dukedom, which was mounted to attack a Japanese naval force reported to be sailing from Singapore on 10 May 1945. On this occasion, she was part of the newly constituted Force 61. The Japanese Cruiser Haguro and the destroyer Kamikaze had left the Malacca Strait on 14 May; early next day an Avenger torpedo bomber operating from the escort aircraft carrier HMS Emperor sighted them. HMS Saumarez, HMS Verulam and HMS Vigilant in one division and HMS Venus and HMS Virago in a second, were diverted to intercept. The destroyers attacked both ships early on 16 May. HMS Haguro, overwhelmed by their torpedoes, went to the bottom at 0209 in a position some forty-five miles southwest of Penang, although she had straddled HMS Saumarez twice prior to her sinking. HMS Kamikaze was damaged but managed to escape.
Estimate: £800-1200