Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War ‘Withdrawal from Dunkirk’ D.S.M. group of nine awarded to Engineering Room Artificer J. Barton, Royal Naval Reserve

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (P.O. 32EE. J. Barton. E.R.A. 1. R.N.R.); 1914-15 Star (E.A. 1202, J. Barton, E.R.A., R.N.R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (1202 E.A. J. Barton. E.R.A. R.N.R.), B.W.M. officially re-impressed; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Royal Naval Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, with Second Award Bar (138 F.D. J. Barton. E.R.A. R.N.R.), court mounted as worn, some awards polished and minor edge bruising, nearly very fine or better (9) £1,000-£1,400

D.S.M. London Gazette 16 August 1940:
‘For good services in the withdrawal of the Allied Armies from the beaches at Dunkirk’

M.I.D. London Gazette 17 April 1918

James Barton was born in Belfast on 16 October 1891; he enrolled in the Royal Naval Reserve on 2 September 1914, seeing service in H.M.S. Arrogant and Attentive II between then and 1919. He was re-engaged for service in the Second War.

Dunkirk by A. D. Divine, who was himself awarded a D.S.M., notes Barton’s award was for services in Express. In June and July 1940, Express made a number of trips to Dunkirk and was one of the first to arrive and commence taking troops off the beaches. At first there were not many troops on the beach, but numbers soon grew and they were subject to continual attack by enemy aircraft. Taking troops off from a shelving beach could only be down in small boats, although there had been an attempt to make a pier by driving lorries into the sea for the troops to walk out on. Later troops were taken off from Dunkirk Harbour.

The Express and Shikar were the last ships to leave with troops, before the evacuation was ended. The Express brought out 2,795 troops, including some French. Many ships were sunk or damaged during the evacuation. The Express was damaged by bombing, but was repaired in time to continue taking part in the evacuation.