Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War campaign group of six attributed to Hurricane, Wildcat and Corsair ‘Fighter Ace’ Lieutenant Commander D. M. Jeram, Fleet Air Arm and 213 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Attached to the latter for the duration of the Battle of Britain, Jeram is accredited with 4 enemy aircraft destroyed, and 2 probably destroyed during the Battle. He added another aircraft destroyed, and a shared destroyed during operations in North Africa, and went on to take part in operations supporting the invasion of Sicily and the Salerno Landings. Jeram commanded 1839 Squadron on operations along the Norwegian coast, 1943-44

1939-45 Star, 1 clasp, Battle of Britain; Air Crew Europe Star, 1 clasp, Atlantic; Africa Star, 1 clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Burma Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf, mounted as originally worn, and additionally mounted for display on wooden board and cloth with worded tape ‘This set of 6 medals belonged to Lt. Cmdr. Denis Mayore [sic] Jeram RN Fleet Air Arm. Active Duty - Arcraft [sic] Carriers HMS Formidable and HMS Indomitable. Pilot flying Grummer Martlets/Wildcats/Mentioned in Dispatches [sic]’, and medals similarly listed, back cloth and ribands faded by sun, sometime cleaned, generally nearly very fine or better (6) £2,600-£3,000

Purchased by the current vendor as is in October 1986.

M.I.D. London Gazette 4 May 1943:
‘For great bravery in air operations against enemy Submarines and Shipping.’

Dennis Mayvore Jeram was born in Middlesex in November 1917, the son of a Lloyds Bank Manager. Jeram entered the Air Branch of the Royal Navy for a seven year engagement, 1 May 1939, with the rank of Midshipman. He did his elementary flying course at 14 E.F.T.S., Elmdon and moved on to No. 1 F.T.S., Leuchars for No. 6 Course, November 1939 - April 1940.

Jeram was loaned to the Royal Air Force, 15 June 1940, and was posted to convert to Hurricanes at No. 7 O.T.U., Hawarden 17 June 1940. He was posted as a pilot for operational flying with 213 Squadron (Hurricanes) at Exeter, 1 July 1940. Jeram was immediately up in the air the following day, and took to the Hurricane well during the Battle of Britain:

Destroying a Ju.88, and probably another, south of Portland Bill on 11 August, and destroying Me.110s on 12 and 15 August. Jeram destroyed a Do.17 on 15 September, and a probable Me.110 on the 30 September 1940 (latter not accredited by most sources).

After the Battle of Britain Jeram returned to the Fleet Air Arm and in December 1941 was posted to 888 Squadron. The latter served with the carrier H.M.S. Formidable, February 1942 to the end of the following year. During the operations in North Africa, Jeram shot down a Vichy French Bloch 175 on 6 November 1942. The latter aircraft was searching for an Allied convoy, which had been reported as it passed through the Straits of Gibraltar on its way to North Africa. Three days later Jeram shared in destroying a Ju.88 near Algiers. It had Italian markings and a German crew. He also took part in the invasion of Sicily and the Salerno landings.

Jeram was posted to the command of 1839 Squadron (Corsairs) at the end of 1943, and led the Squadron in operations along the Norwegian coast. He commanded the Squadron until September 1944, retired as Lieutenant Commander in 1954, and died in Poole, Dorset in March 1977.