Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Petty Officer Stoker Mechanic F. G. Mapp, Royal Navy

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, all unnamed as issued, extremely fine (5) £180-220

Frederick George Mapp was born in the Parish of Broomyard, Worcestershire and spent his early years in Saltash, Cornwall. A storekeeper by occupation, he entered the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class on 3 February 1936. He served aboard the battleship Rodney during August 1936-January 1939, being promoted Stoker 1st Class on 3 December 1936. With the outbreak of war he was serving on the aircraft carrier Hermes (February 1939-February 1940). After initial anti-submarine operations in the S.W. Approaches, the ship was despatched in October 1939 with the French battleship Strasbourg and the British cruiser Neptune to the W. Indies as part of the hunt for the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee. On 25 October 1939 the Hermes assisted in the capture of the German blockade runner Santa Fé, for which Stoker Mapp was awarded prize money of 10 shillings. During November and December the Hermes and two French cruisers patrolled off Dakar. Promoted Acting Leading Stoker in June 1940, Mapp’s next seagoing appointment was aboard the cruiser Kenya (August 1940-June 1942). In May 1941 the Kenya was involved in the hunt for the Bismarck as part of the 2nd cruiser Squadron. On 3 June 1941 she, together with the Aurora, sank the German tanker Belchen which had been refuelling German U-boats. On 27 December 1941 the Kenya took part in Operation Archery in which a commando force was landed at Vaagsö and Maalöy in Norway.

Later the same year the ship took part in covering convoys to Russia. Appointed Acting Stoker Petty Officer whilst ashore on 14 June 1942, his next seagoing appointment was on the sloop Cygnet (November - December 1942) and then the cruiser Newfoundland (December 1942-September 1943). Mapp was serving aboard the latter, as part of the Sicily invasion force, when she was torpedoed by the U407 (other sources cite the Italian submarine Ascianghi as the culprit) on 27 July 1943. Surviving the attack, the ship limped to Malta for emergency repairs and thence to Boston, U.S.A. for further attention. Having been promoted Stoker Petty Officer in June 1943 when on the Newfoundland, he served in the same capacity on his next three ships, the cruiser Ajax (September - November 1943), the destroyer Vansittart (December 1943-March 1944) and the destroyer Bulldog (March 1944-June 1945). The Bulldog formed part of the massive naval presence that covered the allied invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944 and Mapp was aboard the Bulldog when she sank the U719 N.W. of Ireland on 26 June 1944. Mapp ended his seagoing naval career with service aboard the destroyer Beagle (June-July 1945), the minesweeper Serene (August-December 1945) and finally, the frigate Tremadoc Bay (September 1946-November 1947). He attained the rank of Petty Officer Stoker Mechanic whilst based ashore on 13 November 1947. He was released from the Service on 9 April 1948, being in possession of three good conduct badges and having being paid a war gratuity.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including: letter of reference from the Headmaster of St. Stephen’s School, Saltash, Cornwall, 1931; cloth and paper copies of the recipient’s Certificate of Service; Royal Navy Educational Test Certificate, 1936; Auxiliary Machinery Course for Stoker Ratings Certificate, 1938; Receipt for 10/-, prize money for the capture of the German S.S. Santa Fé by the Hermes; Passing Certificate for Stoker Petty Officer, 1940; Provisional Interim and Interim Trade Certificates as Stoker Mechanic, 1948; Letter of Reference from the Commissioned Engineer, H.M.S. Tremadoc Bay, 1947; Release from Naval Service form, 1948; Certificate for services rendered during 1939-46 from the townsfolk of Paignton; Certificate from the British Institute of Engineering Technology, elected an Associate Member, for having passed the final examination in Boiler Inspection & Operation, 1948 - together with two associated letters; City & Guilds of London Institute Certificate (2), 2nd Class, Intermediate Examination, for Boiler-house Practice,1950 and 1st Class, Final Examination, for Boiler-house Practice, 1951 - with associated letter; coupon booklets (3); also with medal forwarding box (name and address illegible) and cloth badge.