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

A well-documented Zeebrugge Raid group of seven awarded to Major F. K. Donovan, R.E., late Royal Naval Air Service, who manned the “flamethrower hut” on Vindictive’s navigation bridge during the famous raid of April 1918, was wounded, participated in the subsequent V.C. ballot and became Chairman of the Zeebrugge Association: he was taken P.O.W. in North Africa in 1943

British War and Victory Medals (F. 19971 A.M. 1, R.N.A.S.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals, the last four with original card forwarding box, together with related Identity Discs (3), including metalled example from Oflag IXA, and a gilt and enamel Zeebrugge Association Chairman’s lapel badge, good very fine or better (10) £1500-2000

Francis Kenelm Donovan was born at Bow, London in July 1897 and was a science student prior to joining the Royal Naval Air Service as an Air Mechanic II in August 1916. As a result of his earlier studies, he was selected for experimental work in developing flares, flamethrowers and smoke-screens, the whole with a view to future employment in the famous Zeebrugge raid of April 1918, an operation for which he volunteered for, and was accepted.

So it was that he found himself manning the “flamethrower hut” on the end of H.M.S. Vindictive’s navigation bridge, his role being to sweep the Mole with flames prior to the landing parties going ashore. In the event, his position was so badly riddled with shot and shell that none of the main flamethrower equipment could be used in anger. He did, however, try and get ashore with a portable flamethrower, but as he ran up the gangway a bullet took away the nozzle, rendering it useless, and as a result he came ashore armed only with a ‘rather blunt cutlass’, where, in any case, he was promptly wounded by shrapnel in the right arm. He was well enough, however, shortly afterwards, to walk Vindictive’s deck during her voyage home, where he recalled seeing ‘the awful mess of splintered steel, blood, oil, and shattered bodies’. Around, too, to participate in ‘the ballot for the award of a Victoria Cross for operations against Zeebrugge and Ostend on the night of 22-23 April 1918’ (his service papers refer).

Between the Wars, Donovan served as Chairman of the Zeebrugge Association, and on the renewal of hostilities he was commissioned into the Royal Engineers. A Major by the time of his capture at Thala, Tunisia on 21 February 1943, he was liberated by elements of 7th U.S. Armoured Division in March 1945. He subsequently joined the Staff of Brigadier R. G. Mountain, D.S.O., M.C., and was employed at the Displaced Persons Centre, Lollar, Landkreis Giessen. Donovan retired to Australia.

Sold with a large quantity of original documentation and photographs, including the recipient’s R.N. Certificate of Service, complete with endorsements for his Zeebrugge wound and subsequent participation in the V.C. ballot; assorted ‘Ruines de Zeebrugge’ picture postcards; a copy of the book, The Blocking of Zeebrugge, by Captain Alfred Carpenter, V.C., signed by numerous veterans, including Lieutenant-Commander Dean, V.C., of M.L. 282; an original typescript for a radio show entitled “Scrapbook for 1918”, in which Donovan participated in episode 4, duly annotated in his own hand, and the cover signed by fellow participants; letters from Admiral Keyes (dated 15 May 1935), and Lady Keyes (dated 9 April 1946), this last of a somewhat controversial nature in respect of the vacancy for the Presidency of the Association; copies of his application for the France and Germany Star, and other 1939-45 period papers, including some pencilled notes made while a P.O.W.; a good deal of material appertaining to the Zeebrugge Association, including a dozen or so reunion photographs and correspondence between Donovan and other members right up until the early 1970s, but also a quantity reunion dinner menus, mainly of the 1950s, and all signed by numerous veterans of the raid, including V.C. recipients.