Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An extremely rare Second War ‘Special Forces’ D-Day and Normandy operations D.S.M. group of seven awarded to Telegraphist H. ‘Tosh’ Monks, Royal Navy and Airborne Troop of No. 1 Combined Operations Bombardment Unit (C.O.B.U.)

Having made his first operational jump in support of the Allied invasion of Sicily, when he was deployed to Primosole Bridge, the scene of much bitter fighting, Monks was parachuted into Normandy in the early hours of 6 June 1944 and undertook vital naval bombardment observation duties in support of the Allied advance inland, on occasion working his wireless set in the open and under fire

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (Tel. H. Monks, P/JX.321640); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya, G.VI.R. (22202534 Cfn. H. Monks, R.E.M.E.) mounted for wear; together with his Airborne and R.N. shoulder patches and embroidered Para wings, nearly extremely fine (7) £20,000-£30,000

D.S.M. London Gazette 14 November 1944:
‘For gallantry, skill, determination and undaunted devotion to duty during the landing of Allied Forces on the coast of Normandy.’

The original recommendation states: ‘Telegraphist Monks was dropped by parachute on the morning of “D” Day (6 June 1944) about 0040 hours and spent most of the morning on top of a tree. He finally reported to his Officer at about 1100 hours on 6 June 1944 at Headquarters 5 Parachute Brigade. On 7 June 1944 he was sent forward with a Company of the Royal Ulster Rifles to provide support for an attack on the villages of St Honorine La Chardonnerette and Herouvillette. In the Observation Post he was under continuous shell and mortar fire and he insisted on working his wireless set in the open in order to get better results with inter-ship communications. His conduct in the ensuing battle and in Herouvillette two days later has been exemplary and up to date, 30 June 1944, he has maintained a very high standard of conduct and wireless operation.’

Harry ‘Tosh’ Monks was a native of Stockport and served in the Royal Navy from November 1941 until March 1946. One of 12 volunteers, he joined the Airborne Troop of the Combined Operations Bombardment Unit (C.O.B.U.) in May 1943, a group comprising 6 Royal Navy Telegraphists, 3 Royal Artillery Bombardiers and 3 Royal Artillery Captains. Divided into three teams, and having undertaken parachute training at Ringway, their role was to man forward observation posts in support of naval bombardments; Monks undertook 17 jumps during his training.

Monks’ first operational deployment was to Sicily in July 1943, when he and his team jumped on the Primosole Bridge, a key point in the battle for Catania. However, German paratroopers were also dropped on the bridge, and bitter fighting ensued. Shelled, mortared and attacked from the air, the British nonetheless held out and drove the Germans back, but when, at length, seven Italian battalions arrived on the scene, and ammunition was down to a few rounds, the small British force was compelled to withdraw, Monks among them.
Monks’ next operational jump was over Normandy on the night of 5-6 June 1944, when he and his team were attached to the 6th Airborne Division and landed at Ranville. His team leader, Captain W. P. Ritchie, R.A., later wrote in a letter to Monks’ son:
‘Your father was one of my party in Normandy. I am Bill Ritchie and I led the party comprising Bombardier Duggie Clegg, and Telegraphist Tosh Monks, Jock MacDonald, Will Keyes and Pete Cutler. We all survived the assault except Pete Cutler who was killed.

We were a naval bombardment observation unit to observe the fall of shot of naval ships - hence the naval telegraphists (the army signallers could not match the speed of the naval tels’). The assault had to depend on naval guns until the heavy army artillery and ammunition could get ashore. For that reason observation units (FOB’s) accompanied all assault divisions. Our lot were picked to go with 6th Airborne Div., and actually dropped with the 5th Parachute Brigade at Ranville and Le Mariquet. The allocations were actually made in 1943 and we did our parachute training together at Ringway and were fortunate in being kept together during all subsequent training and afterwards. You probably know the naval Tels wore Khaki but insisted on wearing their naval hats so we were an odd-looking lot.

Our opening ship was H.M.S. Mauritius which carried 9 6-inch guns and could fire 5 aimed rounds per gun per minute. That’s 2 tons of high explosive a minute. We dropped at 12.40 a.m. on the morning of D-Day and were accurately placed except Duggie Clegg who was 12 miles adrift. It was dark of course, very confusing and noisy but all the OP’s were able to radio back to their ships at 6 a.m. that they were in position... I remember Tosh as small, dark, sharp as a knife and like us all he liked a good moan. He was also a very good signaller & could actually recognise which of the other Tels were sending messages. We lived together in an old Norman church tower, scrounged our rations and cooked them ourselves, and the Germans never managed to knock out our tower although they hit it often enough. Wherever we were sent we went as a unit, usually by jeep and eventually on foot. Tosh carried the wireless set and the rest of us carried spares, batteries, ariel wire, etc.’

Bill Ritchie also recalled the occasion that he and Monks had to run for their lives, having got lost too far forward. Monks - who had to carry the wireless set - was not amused and swore continuously throughout their hasty retreat. The subsequent recommendation for his D.S.M. was signed-off by Lieutenant-Colonel Sinclair, R.A., on 9 August 1944.

Having been released from the Royal Navy in March 1946, Monks rejoined the armed services in March 1948, this time as a Craftsman in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and witnessed further active service in Malaya before taking his discharge in June 1953.

Sold with a photographic image of the recipient; a letter from the recipient, dated 3 July 1978; and copied research, including the above-mentioned letter from Bill Ritchie.