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Auction: 25111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 686

A Second World War 'Landing Craft Infantry (Large) Operations' D.S.M. awarded to Leading Seaman C.H. Cobb, Royal Navy, Coxswain of Landing Craft Infantry Large 102

A veteran of the Salerno, Anzio & Elba landings; he shared in the costly landings on Elba - an action 'fought in total darkness, relieved only by the light of gunfire and the flash of explosions' and a 'night that saw a thousand and one acts of bravery'

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (Temp. A/L.S. C.H. Cobb. P/JX.261096); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, very fine (6)

D.S.M. London Gazette 14 June 1945. The original recommendation states:

'During the 21 months from December 1942 to September 1944 whilst acting as Coxswain, he set an excellent example of efficiency and devotion to duty. He maintained this high standard throughout the operations at Salerno, Anzio and Elba and his cheerful disposition always encouraged the spirits of the crew in the face of enemy fire.'

Charles Henry Cobb was born at Portsmouth on 28 August 1915, the son of Henry George and Alice Elizabeth Cobb. He married Ella Miller in January 1938 and had 8 children. In the 1939 census he is recorded as a shipyard labourer at Portsmouth Dockyard before enlisting in the Royal Navy as an Ordinary Seaman on 3 February 1941. Sent to Collingwood and Victory for his initial training he was posted to Quebec on 1 August 1941.

The navy base, H.M.S. Quebec, was part of the No. 1 Combined Training Centre. Following additional training he was posted to Dinosaur from 1 April 1942-30 April 1943 and then Hamilcar which was a shore base for Combined Operations and Landing in Algeria on 1 May 1943 until 30 September 1943, serving on Landing Craft Tanks, 35, 131 and later 394.

He was next posted to Landing Craft Infantry (Large) 102 as its Coxswain on 17 February 1943-20 September 1944 subsequently taking part in Operation Avalanche - Salerno , Operation Shingle - Anzio & Operation Brassard - Elba.

The main assault on Elba in June 1944 was carried out by French troops, with the support of R.N. Commandos, and assorted ships and landing craft manned by the R.N. and U.S.N. - among the latter a P.T. Boat commanded by the film star, Douglas Fairbanks, Jnr., who was awarded the French Croix de Guerre. In terms of the D-Day landings in Normandy, which had taken place 10 days earlier, the operation may well have been classed as a 'little sideshow', but in terms of enemy opposition and resultant gallantry it was anything but little - in fact "Operation Brassard" proved to be an extremely costly enterprise, the R.N. Commandos alone suffering losses of 38 killed.

As confirmed by Rear-Admiral Troubridge's post-operational report, Allied intelligence had grossly underestimated Elba's defences - rather than 'under 800 Germans, preponderantly Poles and Czechs of low morale and all set for evacuation', the Allied assault was met by a force of '2,600 Germans who fought extremely well', while the local defences were formidable in the extreme, for 'they had excavated caves in the granite cliffs flanking the beaches and installed 155mm., 88mm. and machine-guns in them'. Added to which, 'behind the beaches, exactly ranged on the likely places of disembarkation, were heavy mortars.'

Because of the shallow waters large naval and transport ships could not be used. The only naval gunfire support would be provided by landing craft, Aphis and Cockchafer.

Shore discharged on 24 January 1946. Cobb died at Portsmouth on 17 February 1980; sold together with copied research and a copy of his service record.


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Sold for
£1,000

Starting price
£700