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Auction: 25113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 487

A Second World War casualty group of four to Marine W. J. Raindle, Royal Marines, who was killed in action on 19 December 1941 whilst serving on H.M.S. Neptune which sank after striking mines off the coast of Tripoli

1939-1945 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-1945, extremely fine (4)

Sold together with the following:

i) Box of issue for the Second World War Medals addressed to Mrs Francis. L Raindle, 65 Dunstan Green, Thatcham, Newbury, Berkshire.

ii)
Condolence slip confirming the award of 4 medals.

iii) Letter from Admiralty, Bath dated 22 June 1942 confirming that PLY/X3753 Marine Randle is presumed by the Admiralty for Official Purposes to have died on 19 November 1941 on War Service.

Neptune led Force K, a raiding squadron of cruisers in 1941. Their task was to intercept and destroy German and Italian convoys en route to Libya. The convoys were supplying Rommel's Afrika Korps in North Africa with troops and equipment.

Force K was sent out on 18 December 1941, to intercept a convoy bound for Tripoli, right after the brief fleet engagement at sunset known as First Battle of Sirte.

On the night of 19–20 December, Neptune, leading the line, struck two mines, part of an Italian minefield laid by an Italian cruiser force in June 1941. The first struck the anti-mine screen, causing no damage. The second struck the bow hull. The other cruisers present, Aurora and Penelope, also struck mines.

While reversing out of the minefield, Neptune struck a third mine, which took off her propellers and left her dead in the water. Aurora was unable to render assistance as she was already down to 10 knots (19 km/h) and needed to turn back to Malta. Penelope was also unable to assist.

The destroyers Kandahar and Lively were sent into the minefield to attempt a tow. The former struck a mine and began drifting. Neptune then signalled for Lively to keep clear. Kandahar was later evacuated and scuttled with a torpedo by the destroyer Jaguar, to prevent her capture.

Neptune hit a fourth mine and quickly capsized, killing 737 crew members. Initially some 30 others survived the sinking, but they also died of wounds and exposure in the subsequent days. As a result, only one was still alive when their carley float was picked up five days later by the Italian torpedo boat Generale Achille Papa. The sole survivor, Norman Walton, spent 15 months in an Italian prisoner of war camp. In 1991, Walton travelled to the small city of Nelson, New Zealand, to unveil a memorial to Neptune. Of the 764 that perished, 150 were New Zealand sailors.

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Estimate

Starting price
£60