Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War D.S.M. group of seven awarded to Leading Seaman J. H. Knowles, Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Reserve, who was decorated for services aboard the anti-aircraft ship H.M.S. Goatfell, in 1944

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (L.S., J. H. Knowles. C/J. 93450); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45; Imperial Service Medal, E.II.R., 2nd issue (Joseph Henry Knowles D.S.M.); Royal Fleet Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (J.93450 (CH. B. 22697) J. H. Knowles L.S. R.F.R.) nearly extremely fine (7) £800-£1,200

D.S.M. London Gazette 1 January 1945:
‘For gallantry or outstanding service in the face of the enemy, or for zeal, patience and cheerfulness in dangerous waters and for setting an example of wholehearted devotion to duty, upholding the high traditions of the Royal Navy’

A newspaper article from the Shields Daily News dated 11 January 1945 states:
‘For his services with a British gunboat during the Normandy invasion, Leading Seaman Joseph Henry Knowles, of North Shields, has won the Distinguished Service Medal. He wears it beside the British War Medal, which he earned as a boy in 1918, the Royal Fleet Reserve Long Service Medal and the 1939-45 Star.
The D.S.M. was awarded, states the citation, “For zeal, patience and cheerfulness in dangerous waters, and for setting an example of wholehearted devotion to duty, upholding the high tradition of the Royal Navy.”
Leading Seaman Knowles, who, like his wife, is a native of Tyneside, joined the Navy in 1918, when he was fifteen and a half. He was in the cruiser H.M.S. Coventry when she visited German ports with members of the Allied Commission. Later he served in the battleships Commonwealth, Benbow and Valiant in China and Mediterranean waters. During the trouble between the Greeks and Turks in the early nineteen twenties he served with the Naval field gun crews landed at Chanak, in the Dardanelles.
After leaving the Navy in 1933 he became a postman driver at North Shields Post Office. Mobilisation in 1939 saw him back in seaman’s uniform again.
Normandy was not the first sight Knowles had of the other side of the Channel during this war. During the Dunkirk evacuation he had the job of helping to sink a blockship close in shore.’

Joseph Henry Knowles was born on 1 May 1903 in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 17 October 1918. During the inter-war period he served in a large number of Cruisers and Battleships including H.M. Ships Coventry, Commonwealth, Emperor of India, Benbow, Weymouth, Colombo, Ajax, Danae, Valiant and Frobisher. Promoted Leading Seaman on 28 February 1929, he joined the Royal Fleet Reserve in May 1933. The resumption of hostilities saw him recalled for service, still in the rate of Leading Seaman, stationed initially at H.M.S. Pembroke I from 31 August 1939 and he joined the ship’s company of H.M.S. Goatfell on 6 May 1941. Goatfell was the former steam packet ship Caledonia, built in 1934. She was requisitioned for naval service in September 1939, renamed Goatfell and armed with a 12 pounder gun and light weapons. She was converted for use as a minesweeper, being assigned to the 11th Minesweeping Flotilla and around 1941/42 she was converted to an anti-aircraft ship and given a number of close range anti-aircraft guns. Knowles was awarded the D.S.M. for services aboard H.M.S. Goatfell and he remained with her until 26 June 1945, at which time he joined the 6th Submarine Flotilla’s depot ship, H.M.S. Elfin.

Knowles was released class A on 6 November 1945 and his I.S.M. was awarded in 1965 on his retirement from the North and South Shield Post Office (London Gazette 26 February 1965).