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Auction: 25113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 516

A Second World War group of six to Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class, W. H. Spiller, Royal Navy, who was 'mentioned' in March 1944 for the sinking of the Scharnhorst whilst aboard H.M.S. Scorpion

1939-1945 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45 with M.I.D. oak leaf; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1945-48 (D/MX.56724 W. H. Spiller. E.R.A.2. R.N.), the first five mounted as worn, very fine overall (6)

M.I.D. London Gazette 7 March 1944.

On 26 December the German battleship Scharnhorst, escorted by five destroyers, attempted to attack the ships of Convoy JW 55A, but were driven away by Admiral Burnett's three light cruisers and then cut off by Admiral Fraser's force. During the action Duke of York hit Scharnhorst's starboard boiler room with a 14-inch shell, slowing her briefly to 10 knots as she attempted to evade the British fleet. This provided the destroyers with an opportunity to attack with torpedoes. Closing from astern, Saumarez and Savage fired star-shells, blinding the Germans to the approach of Scorpion and the Norwegian Stord on the starboard side of the battleship. The two destroyers launched 16 torpedoes, scoring one hit, and driving Scharnhorst into firing range of Saumarez and Savage, which scored two more hits. This crippled the German ship and allowed the slower Duke of York to catch up and sink her. After the battle Scorpion picked up 30 survivors and sailed on to the Kola Inlet, arriving there on 27 December. She returned to Scapa Flow with the rest of the fleet on New Year's Eve.

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Estimate

Starting price
£140