Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part I)

Five: Petty Officer E. J. Harper, Royal Navy

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, M.I.D. oak leaf; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (JX. 125358 P.O., H.M.S. Wensleydale), mounted as worn, this last with officially corrected number, extremely fine (5) £100-120

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the collection of Angela and the late Douglas Bertram.

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Edward John Harper, who was from Lymington, was mentioned in despatches for his services in the Hunt-class destroyer H.M.S. Wensleydale (Seedie’s refers - London Gazette 1 January 1945).

The Wensleydale was launched in June 1942 and commissioned at the end of the year. During the period 1943-44 she served in the Atlantic, North Sea and English Channel, and was several times in action. On the night of 9-10 July 1943, in company with two other destroyers in the Channel, she participated in an action that resulted in the destruction of the enemy minesweeper M135, and on 5 February 1944, off the North Britanny coast, again in company with other destroyers, she participated in an action against assorted enemy ships, one of them, the M156, being badly damaged. And on D-Day, as part of Force ‘B’, she acted in support of the U.S. landings to the West.

But her most memorable actions followed in August 1944, when she was closely involved in two successful anti-U-boat operations. The first of these took place off Le Havre on the 4th, when, in company with the frigate Stayner, she delivered an accurate depth-charge attack against the U-671. The latter was wrecked and “bottomed”, but 20 of her crew escaped from the conning tower using breathing apparatus, and five of them were picked up by the British. And on the 20th, the Wensleydale witnessed the destruction of the U-413, picking up the sole German survivor, the U-Boat’s Chief Engineer.

The Wensleydale was badly damaged in a collision later that year.

Sold with the recipient’s original M.I.D. certificate and a copy of Eisenhower’s famous eve of D-day message to the men and women of the Allied forces.