Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A very rare Second World War Fleet Air Arm pilot’s B.E.M. group of seven awarded to Lieutenant-Commander (A.) P. H. Parsons, Royal Navy, who was decorated for his attack on a French Vichy submarine in H.M.S. Devonshire’s Walrus aircraft in November 1940 and went on to serve as a Flight Deck Officer on carriers in the Korea War
British Empire Medal, (Military) G.VI.R., 1st issue (P.O. Airman Peter Henry Parsons, C/FX. 79963); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence and War Medals; Korea 1950-53 (Lieut., R.N.); U.N. Korea, mounted as worn, contact marks, very fine or better (7) £800-1000

B.E.M. London Gazette 11 March 1941. The original recommendation states:

‘Petty Officer Parsons was the pilot of H.M.S. Devonshire’s Walrus aircraft which was sent to attack a submarine reported on the surface. Although he had no previous “action” experience, he handled his machine with great coolness. His attack was well conceived and executed and he straddled the submarine as she dived with a stick of three bombs, and only missed with the fourth bomb by five yards. This accurate attack certainly had much to do with the destruction of the submarine.’

Peter Henry Parsons was born at Herne Hill, London in August 1914 and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in December 1929. Appointed a Telegraphist in October 1933, his first appointment with the Fleet Air Arm was in the aircraft carrier Hermes in 1936 and on the eve of hostilities he was advanced to Acting Petty Officer Airman having been awarded his Flying Badge in April 1939.

In May 1940, after a brief stint with No. 701 Squadron in the Glorious, Parsons joined the cruiser Devonshire as pilot for her Walrus aircraft, and it was in this capacity, on 7 November of the same year, that he won his B.E.M., when he delivered a successful attack against the Vichy French submarine Poncelet, during the operations to consolidate Free French interests in Equatorial Africa under General De Gaulle. The damaged Poncelet was forced to surrender and later was scuttled in the Gulf of Guinea.

Next appointed to Merlin, the R.N.A.S. at Donibristle, Parsons removed to the battleship Resolution in July 1941 and remained in her until April 1943, when he came ashore to the training establishment Collingwood. He was advanced to Chief Petty Officer (Pilot) in October of the latter year, was commissioned as a Sub. Lieutenant (A.) in May 1944 and ended the War with 742 Squadron (F.A.A.) out in India. Post-war, as evidenced by accompanying documentation, Parsons served as Flight Deck Officer in the aircraft carrier Theseus in the Korea War and qualified as a helicopter pilot. He retired in the rank of Lieutenant-Commander.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including Buckingham Palace forwarding letter for the B.E.M.; R.N. Certificate of Service, and further certificates for Accelerated Advancement, dated 13 November 1931, and Educational Qualification for Warrant Rank, dated 6 November 1942; a selection of ship’s “flimsies” (11), covering the period August 1944 to December 1958, among them H.M.S. Vairi for April 1945 to February 1946 (‘A pilot of above average ability ... Despite limited seniority he is considered entirely suitable to command a squadron in the rank of Lt. Cdr.’), H.M.S. Theseus November 1949 to May 1951 (‘Has carried out the strenuous duties of Flight Deck Officer with outstanding zeal, efficiency and success over a long period which culminated in the Korea War’), and H.M.S. Bulwark for November 1954 to August 1956 (‘An above average helicopter pilot who has done well’); assorted career photographs (15), several of Korean War period; and various maps (12).