A Second War 1945 ‘Far East’ D.S.C. group of six attributed to Commander D. N. Penfold, Royal Navy, who distinguished himself serving with H.M.S. White Bear minesweeping and surveying the approaches to the Rangoon river, prior to the assault on Rangoon. Penfold had already been M.I.D. for operations during the assaults on the Arakan coast in March 1945, and was later to receive the Commander-in-Chief’s Commendation for his actions during the Great Flood of 1953

Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1945’, silver, hallmarks for London 1948; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals, 1939-45, M.I.D. Oak Leaf, mounted as worn, last has come loose from mounting, with 2 sets of related mounted miniature awards (one of which is mounted with an N.G.S.1915-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1945-48), a set of riband bars which also include the N.G.S., generally very fine or better (6) £800-1000

D.S.C. London Gazette 20 November 1945:

‘For courage, efficiency and devotion to duty in the establishment of navigational aids in the approaches to the Rangoon river, in minesweeping and in the survey of the river prior to the assault on the city, May, 1945.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 21 August 1945:

‘For bravery, skill and determination shown during hazardous assaults on the Arakan coast in March, 1945.’

Commander-in-Chief, The Nore, Commendation:

‘Flood Relief Operations - February, 1953.

Lieutenant-Commander D. N. Penfold, D.S.C., R.N.
For initiative and presence of mind. H.M.S. Sharpshooter was in dry dock at Chatham on the night of 31st January/1st February when the dock became flooded. In his capacity as Commanding Officer he took prompt action which undoubtedly prevented the ship from receiving serious damage.’

David Noel Penfold was commissioned Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, 4 September 1937. His service included in H.M.S. Jason (minesweeper), from April 1939, and H.M.S. Franklin (minesweeper and survey ship), June 1943 - January 1944. The latter was primarily employed in carrying out surveys around the coast of the UK in connection with the laying of minefields.

Penfold served in H.M.S. White Bear during operations off the Arakan coast, March-April 1945. The White Bear was an armed yacht originally called the Iolanda, which had been requisitioned and renamed by the Royal Navy in 1939. Her war service had initially been as a submarine tender, but later she converted to work as a survey ship, employed in connection with minesweeping. She was armed with 20mm Oerlikon AA and Bofors 40mm AA, and was equipped with full printing facilities in order to print sea charts. During the period that Penfold served with her, the White Bear served as the Far East Fleet’s Survey Ship. Under the command of Captain Archibald Day (later Vice Admiral Sir Archibald Day) she cruised around the south China Sea especially the Mallaca Straits, Malaya, Sumatra and the other Indonesian islands.

Day commanded an assorted squadron of minesweepers and survey craft, known as ‘W Force’, which cleared and marked the Rangoon river prior to the assault of the city (for which Day was awarded the D.S.O., and Penfold the D.S.C.), before moving southwards to open up the Malayan and East Indies ports after the Japanese surrender.

After the war Penfold advanced to Lieutenant-Commander, and was the commanding officer of H.M.S. Sharpshooter (survey ship) when she was in dry dock at Chatham during the Great Flood of 1953. His prompt action saved the ship from serious flood damage, and was recognised with a Commander-in-Chief’s Commendation. Penfold was subsequently employed by the Ministry of Defence, and retired as Commander in September 1976.

Sold with the following related documents and items: M.I.D. Certificate, dated 21 August 1945; Admiralty Letter to recipient notifying him of the award of his D.S.C., dated 27 November 1945; Commander-in-Chief’s Commendation, dated 6 March 1953; Special Order of the Day, listing all those receiving the Commander-in-Chief’s Commendation for Flood Operations; Certificate in Gunnery for the rank of Lieutenant, dated 16 September 1938; recipient’s certificates of conduct for his time in H.M. ships Jason and Franklin, dated 19 September 1939 and 17 January 1944 respectively; Telegram, ‘Good luck and thank you for your Surveying and Pilotage which were the key to the operation’, dated 16 March 1945; Letter of thanks from the Ministry of Defence to the recipient upon the occasion of his retirement from the Civil Service, dated 30 September 1976; 2 Defence Medals and a War Medal 1939-45, last missing retaining rod; Middlesex Volunteer Regiment cap badge; Royal Army Medical Corps cap badge; St. John Ambulance War Service badge, with Middlesex suspension, reverse numbered ‘3592’, and other ephemera.