Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War 1945 ‘Operation Dropkick’ D.S.C. group of eight awarded to Lieutenant-Commander M. H. Collar, Royal Navy, who was six times decorated for his services during the Second World War, including in the North Sea, where he served in H.M.S. Windsor during the evacuation of the Dutch Government in May 1940; in the Mediterranean in H.M.S. Glengyle during the Commando Raid on Bardia, and as a Beachmaster during the Invasion of Sicily in Operation Husky; with the Atlantic and Arctic Convoys in H.M.S. Milne, where she sank the enemy submarine U-289; and finally as Flotilla Navigating Officer in H.M.S. Ready, successfully minesweeping the Dutch and North German coasts in Operations Calendar and Dropkick

Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated 1945, silver (hallmarks for London 1947); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star, 1 clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Naval General Service 1915-62, 2 clasps, Palestine 1945-48, Minesweeping 1945-51 (Lieut. M. H. Collar. D.S.C. R.N.) surname partially officially corrected; Netherlands, Kingdom, Order of Orange Nassau, Military Division, Chevalier’s breast badge, with swords, silver and enamel, lacking reverse central medallion, and with significant white enamel damage to motto around central medallion, mounted court-style as worn, very fine and better (8) £1,600-£2,000

D.S.C. London Gazette 4 September 1945: Lieutenant (N) Thomas Michael Henry [sic] Collar, Royal Navy:
‘For courage, resolution, and skill in minesweeping operations clearing a channel from the Humber to Heligoland and thence along the North German Coast to Cuxhaven, Hamburg, and Bremerhaven during May 1945.’
The Recommendation, dated 26 June 1945, states: ‘As Flotilla Navigating Officer he showed high skill, endurance, and cheerful devotion to duty during exceptionally long hours of minesweeping during Operation Dropkick.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 7 July 1942: Lieutenant Michael Harvey Collar, Royal Navy:
‘For good services.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 21 December 1943: Lieutenant Michael Harvey Collar, Royal Navy:
‘For gallant and distinguished services and untiring devotion to duty in operations which led to the capture of Sicily by Allied forces.’
The Recommendation, dated 20 July 1943, states: ‘This officer recently suffered seriously from diphtheria, but by his keenness and enthusiasm he avoided a lengthy convalescence and took part in the operation. His leadership, energy, and enthusiasm, and his unfailing cheerfulness were an inspiration to all, and these factors were undoubtedly largely responsible for the success of his difficult beach.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 30 May 1944: Lieutenant Michael Henry [sic] Collar, Royal Navy:
‘For outstanding courage, determination, and devotion to duty in H.M. Ships... Milne... in successfully escorting convoys to North Russia in the face of attacks from enemy submarines and aircraft.’
The Recommendation, dated 19 April 1944, states: ‘For rapid appreciation and cool judgement in confirming the approach of torpedoes thereby allowing avoiding action to be taken which saved the ship from being struck and perhaps lost.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 3 April 1945: Lieutenant (N) Michael Henry [sic] Collar, Royal Navy:
‘For great gallantry and endurance in clearing the estuary of the Scheldt of mines during the period of October to November 1944.’
The Recommendation, dated 1 January 1945, states: ‘Lieutenant Collar joined H.M.S. Ready as Flotilla Navigating Officer of the 18th Minesweeping Flotilla, with no previous experience of minesweeping, in the middle of a period of intensive and difficult operations which still continues. He has carried out his duties most admirably and whereas I fully expected him to be a liability to begin with, he has been a tower of strength ever since the day of his appointment (16th October 1944). I feel that his skill and devotion to duty make him well worthy of some recognition.’

Dutch Order of Orange Nassau, Chevalier, London Gazette 12 May 1942

Michael Harvey Collar was born on 30 November 1919, and joined the Royal Navy in 1933. He was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant on 16 April 1939, and served during the Second World War in the Destroyer H.M.S. Windsor from February to October 1940, during which time Windsor evacuated the Dutch Government and Royal Family from the Hook of Holland on 13 May 1940, and subsequently was involved in Operation Dynamo, the evacuations from Dunkirk.

In February 1941 Collar was posted to the Assault Ship H.M.S. Glengyle, and was promoted Lieutenant on 1 March 1941. For his services during the withdrawal of the troops from Bardia, following a commando raid in North Africa carried out by No. 7 Commando on 19-20 April 1941 (for which the Glengyle served as the transporting ship), he was awarded the first of his Mentions in Despatches, ‘for good services’ in the Mediterranean, and later took part in the evacuation of Greece. He next served in H.M.S. Nile from October to December 1941, and then in H.M.S. Carlisle from April to August 1942.

After a period of illness in early 1943, Collar was appointed Beachmaster for the Sicily Landings, Operation Husky, for which he received a second Mention in Despatches. His next posting was to the Destroyer H.M.S. Milne, in which ship he was employed on the Atlantic Convoys, and for his services during Operation ‘F.X.’, the defence of the North Russian Convoys J.W. and R.A.57, between February and March 1944, he was reportedly recommended for the Distinguished Service Cross, although the award he was subsequently Gazetted was a third Mention in Despatches. The following day he had a further success when H.M.S. Milne sank with depth-charges the enemy submarine U-289 off Jan Mayen Island in the Arctic Ocean.

In June 1944 Collar undertook a Navigation Course, and was subsequently appointed Flotilla Navigating Officer in Fleet Minesweeper H.M.S. Ready on 16 October 1944. For his services on minesweeping duty in the North Sea off the Dutch coast in Operation Calendar he was Mentioned in Despatches for a fourth time, and finally, for his work minesweeping the approaches to the Elbe, during Operation Dropkick, he was awarded a richly-deserved D.S.C.

Promoted Lieutenant-Commander on 1 March 1949, Collar retired from the Royal Navy on 2 June 1958, and died on 10 November 1997.