Norway, King Haakon VII’s Freedom Cross 1945, silver-gilt and enamel, with original ‘Tostrup’ case of issue and Admiralty letter of notification addressed to Temporary Acting Lieutenant-Commander M. H. C. Perr-Groves, R.N.V.R. (dated 8 August 1947) nearly extremely fine £180-220

Norwegian Decorations Awarded to Members of the British Armed Forces 1940-1945, by Arne Simenstad states: ‘He expressed an exceptional understanding and helpfulness during the operations on the Norwegian coast from the beginning of the war until the autumn of 1942. Furthermore, he showed real sympathy for the Norwegian cause and displayed thorough knowledge of the conditions in Norway’.

Lieutenant-Commander Michael Hepton Christopher Perr-Groves, R.N.V.R., the son of Major W. Perr-Groves, who is reputed to have been involved in an attempt to rescue the Russian Royal family in July 1918 (Michael Occleshaw’s The Romanov Conspiracies refers), was, like his father, an Intelligence Officer. A colleague of Ian Fleming, he was one time S.O.1 in the Orkneys and Shetlands, in which capacity it is probable he was involved in the famous ‘Shetland Bus’ story.