Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas (Part I)

The Second War D.S.M. group of seven awarded to Acting Yeoman of Signals G. J. Davis, H.M.S. Vanoc, later Chief Airman Fleet Air Arm, for the destruction of U-99 and U-100, commanded by two of Germany’s leading U-boat aces

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (P/JX.137589 G. J. Davis. A/Y.S. H.M.S. Vanoc); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; War Medal 1939-45; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Malaya, E.II.R., 1st issue (L/FX. 670883, G. J. Davis. D.S.M. C.A. R.N.) small correction to official number; Coronation 1953; Naval L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 2nd issue (FX.670883 G. J. Davis. D.S.M. C.P.O. Air. H.M.S. Blackcap) mounted as worn, generally very fine (7) £2,000-£2,400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas.

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D.S.M. London Gazette 6 May 1941: ‘For skill, enterprise, and resource in successful actions against enemy submarines.’

The recommendation for the immediate award of the D.S.M. states: ‘Acting Yeoman of Signals Geoffrey John Davis, H.M.S. Vanoc, who was on the bridge all night. On each occasion of sighting a Submarine on the surface he was the first to sight, and throughout the night his keen lookout and intelligent commentary on what was going on were invaluable. He has always been most zealous and efficient.’

On 15 March 1941, U-99, commanded by Knights Cross winner Otto Kretschmer, was directed to intercept the eastbound convoy HX 112, WSW of the Faroes. After dark on the 16th U-99 penetrated the convoy and sank three tankers and a steamer. Kretschmer also torpedoed and damaged another tanker. In the early hours of the 17th U-99 made another attack on the convoy, sinking another tanker. With all her torpedoes gone, the boat moved away from the convoy. Kretschmer was below when the watch officer sighted a destroyer, H.M.S. Vanoc, and assuming U-99 had been seen, ordered a crash dive. Almost immediately an Asdic contact was made and a depth charge salvo sent the boat to the dangerous depth of 720 feet, badly damaged. With leaks appearing, Kretschmer was obliged to resurface and with nothing left to fight with and unable to move as the destroyers Walker and Vanoc began firing, he scuttled the boat by opening all hatches. When the Walker was lowering a boat and U-99 had still not sunk, the Engineer Officer went back on board to flood the ballast tanks. He was not seen again and the boat sank before she could be boarded. 3 men were lost and Kretschmer and 38 other members of the crew were picked up by the Walker.

U-99, a type VIIB boat was, after the U-48, the second most successful U-boat of the entire war, in terms of tonnage and number of ships sunk. Kretschmer was her commander from the time of her commissioning in April 1940. In her short career of less than a year she sank 39 ships for a total of 246,794 tons, and damaged a further six. Amongst these was the auxiliary cruiser H.M.S. Laurentic, sunk on 3 November 1940, after an epic battle.

As the Walker was playing out the last act in the career of U-99, H.M.S. Vanoc detected the U-100 on the surface in the overcast night. This boat was of the same type as the U-99, commanded by Kptlt. Joachim Schepke, also a Knights Cross winner, with Oak Leaves. The Vanoc, moving at high speed, turned in towards U-100 and rammed the conning tower of the boat, crushing and killing Schepke and sending U-100’s bow into the air before she slid, stern first, into the depths. Six survivors were picked up but 38 men, including Schepke, were lost. U-100 was the first U-boat to be sunk after being located by radar.