Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War B.E.M. awarded to Henry Calcott, a retired Royal Marine who was recalled for services as a D.E.M.S. gunner - and quickly saw action against a U-Boat off Morocco in November 1939

British Empire Medal, (Civil) G.VI.R., 1st issue (Henry Calcott), in its card box of issue, extremely fine £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to Merchant Seamen and D.E.M.S. Gunners.

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B.E.M. London Gazette 20 March 1940. The joint citation states:

‘S.S. Egba is armed with one 4-inch gun. She had no cargo or passengers. Her crew was 52. She was zigzagging at about 10 knots in clear weather and smooth sea, when soon after daybreak a large enemy submarine was sighted chasing her on the surface at high speed. Egba sent out a wireless message and continued zigzagging. After about half-an-hour the enemy opened fire at about 10,000 yards, without a warning shot. She fired five rounds in some 20 minutes. None of them reached its mark: Egba used five smoke floats, which seemed to hamper the enemy. She hoisted her ensign and opened fire at about 7,000 yards. Five rounds in all were fired, the first three in about 30 seconds; the third detonated on the submarine. As a result the submarine dived at once and took no further action. The crew of the Egba behaved very well and not one of them was hit.’

Henry Calcott was born in Dublin in March 1899 and enlisted in the Royal Marine Light Infantry in March 1917. Appointed to the Plymouth Division, he served aboard the light cruiser H.M.S. Constance from April 1918 until the War’s end, thereby qualifying for the British War and Victory Medals. Having then been discharged in March 1938, he was quickly recalled to President III in October 1939. Signed-on as a Supernumerary Ordinary Seaman, he actually became a gunlayer - the D.E.M.S. organisation was not yet fully operational at this time and as a result the Admiralty placed on board reservist R.N. and R.M. gunners. And it was in this capacity that he won his B.E.M. for the above cited action off the coast of Morocco on 1 November 1939; sold with a file of research.