The Korea War pair awarded to Lieutenant-Commander D. N. Dalton, Royal Navy, who came under fire in the destroyer Comus off Kunsan in August 1950

Korea 1950-53 (Lieut. D. N. Dalton, R.N.); U.N. Korea, mounted as worn, good very fine (2) £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Exceptional Naval and Polar Awards from the Collection of RC Witte.

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David Norman Dalton, who was appointed a Midshipman in January 1947, joined the destroyer Comus as a Sub. Lieutenant in February 1950, and was present in her off Korea on the occasion that she was damaged by enemy aircraft that August:

‘Opposition to the blockade was minimal, but on 23 August 1950 H.M.S. Comus was attacked by two Ilyushin II-10 bombers 85 miles west of Kunsan. The “Shturmoviks” attacked singly from astern. The first dropped four bombs that holed the ship on the port side, killing one sailor and wounding another. The second dropped its load ahead of the ship and missed completely. The Comus immediately made for Kure for repairs, escorted by her sister, H.M.S. Consort, and covered by U.S. carrier fighters.’

The Comus returned to an operational footing in the New Year and lent good service at the bombardment of enemy gun positions in the Chinnampo Estuary in March 1951, Dalton receiving advancement to Lieutenant in the same month. Having then been advanced to Lieutenant-Commander in March 1959, he was placed on the Retired List in the course of 1970.