Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A superb and well documented Second War 1940 ‘Norway Operations’ D.S.C. group of six awarded to Lieutenant-Commander G. Hare, Fleet Air Arm, who located the German cruiser Königsberg in Bergen harbour while on reconnaissance in April 1940 and returned the following day in the lead dive bomber of 800 Naval Air Squadron to take part in her destruction - he was subsequently taken Prisoner of War by the Vichy French in Algeria in 1941 and saw post-war service at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe

Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated 1940; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, good very fine (6) £3,000-£4,000

D.S.C. London Gazette 7 May 1940:
‘For daring and resource in the conduct of hazardous and successful operations by the Fleet Air Arm against the enemy, especially on the coast of Norway.’

Geoffrey Hare was born in 1908, the son of Herbert and Fanny Hare, British residents living at Villa Delicata, St. Julians, Malta and was educated at Cheltenham College. Appointed a Midshipman in the Royal Navy in January 1928, he was advanced to Lieutenant in 1932 and commenced Observer training at the School of Naval Cooperation, Lee-on-Solent, in January 1935, continuing in the aircraft carrier, H.M.S. Furious, on the Baffin and Fairey iiiF. On 18 January 1937 he was directed to repair on board the Fleet Carrier, H.M.S. Eagle, for Observer duties with the Fairey Swordfish equipped 813 Squadron, bound for the China Station.

Hare returned to Devonport shortly after the outbreak of war in Europe, joining 712 Squadron in October 1939 and then 700 Squadron from January 1940, based at H.M.S. Sparrowhawk (R.N.A.S Hatston) in the Orkney Islands. Advanced Lieutenant-Commander in December 1939, he spent the next four months as an Observer in the Walrus catapult plane, flying out of Hatston but on the books of H.M.S. Sheffield, searching for German ships and submarines in the North Sea.

Sinking of the Konigsberg - D.S.C.
Also sharing Hatston at this time were the Fleet Air Arm’s two Blackburn Skua dive bomber squadrons: 800 N.A.S. commanded by Captain R. T. Partridge, Royal Marines and 803 N.A.S. commanded by Lieutenant W. P. Lucy, Royal Navy. Hare’s log book shows he flew with Lucy, from 28 March to 6 April 1940, engaged in fighter escort duty, following which, he was immediately sent on secondment to R.A.F. Coastal Command at Lossiemouth. As a Senior Observer, he had been chosen to help in the reconnaissance of the Norwegian harbours and identification of enemy warships. Flying over Bergen harbour in a Bristol Blenheim early on 9 April 1940, Hare identified three German cruisers at anchor and knew immediately that he had found a worthy target for the Skuas of 800 and 803 Squadrons. Captain Donald Macintyre in his account of the Norwegian Campaign, Narvik, highlights Hare’s critical role as lead Navigator and Observer in Partridge’s Skua during the raid that was to follow:

‘As he climbed out of his aircraft at Lossiemouth, Hare was immediately bundled into a waiting transport plane and flown back to Hatston. His news had led the Commanding Officer of the station to seek and obtain permission for the two squadrons of Skuas to take off at first light for an attack on Bergen. The double journey across the North Sea was just, but only just, inside the endurance of the Skuas. Its safe accomplishment was dependent upon accurate landfall on the Norwegian coast, a swift attack and an immediate return. Any time wasted checking their position or searching for their targets would mean forced-landings in the sea for want of petrol. An observer who knew from personal experience not only the coastal features in the vicinity of Bergen, but also the berths in which the targets lay, was invaluable.

Before daylight on the 10th, fifteen Skuas roared into the darkness and headed into the dawn. Under each was slung a 500-lb bomb. Travelling above cloud for most of their two hour journey and so dependent, in those early days, entirely on dead reckoning and forecast strength and direction of wind, they ran into clear weather off the Norwegian coast to make a perfect landfall. Flying up the fiord under Hare’s directions to where he had seen the cruisers on the day before, there was a brief moment of dismay when the berths were seen to be empty. The Köln, as we know, had sailed after dark the previous evening; the Königsberg had shifted berth. Now, just when it began to seem that the journey had been in vain, she was sighted alongside a jetty in the harbour.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Partridge led the formation in a long line of steeply diving aircraft. One after the other the fifteen aircraft pulled out at the bottom of their dive and released their bombs. Not until half of them had done so and were streaking away low over the water did the German gunners come into action to send their streams of tracer shells climbing steeply into the air. Three bombs made direct hits on the cruiser; others hit the jetty or fell into the water close alongside. Before the last aircraft was out of sight the Königsberg was already over on her side. In a few more minutes the first major warship ever to be sunk by air attack had gone to the bottom. Of the aircraft not one had been shot down, though one was lost by accident on the return journey.’

Partridge and Lucy were awarded D.S.O.s. while Hare’s D.S.C. was one of five awarded specifically or partially for the sinking of the Königsberg. Despite its impressive demonstration of dive-bombing over Bergen, the Skua was to soon reveal its flaws and was withdrawn from service but not before Lucy had been shot down and killed flying from H.M.S. Ark Royal on 14 May 1940 and Partridge shot down and badly burned in the attack on Scharnhorst at Trondheim on 13 June 1940; he was picked up and spent five years as a P.O.W. For his part, Hare’s brief but spectacular association with the two Skua squadrons came to an end and he immediately returned to his duties with 700 squadron, including catapult launched reconnaissance over Trondheim from H.M.S. Sheffield. He was promoted C.O. of 700 Squadron on 2 August 1940, based out of the Shetland Islands.

Prisoner of the Vichy French; Post War S.H.A.P.E. Service
On 1 May 1941, Hare transferred to 801 Squadron for Observer duties in Fairey Fulmars, based at R.A.F. Hal Far on Malta. While en-route to Malta on H.M.S. Furious, Hare embarked for Hal Far, in an 801 Squadron Fulmar piloted by Lieutenant P. J. Connelly but the aircraft was seen to leave formation and head in the direction of Cape Bon, Algeria. Upon landing they were taken P.O.W. by the Vichy French and taken to Medea near Algiers, where they were held for 18 months. On 18 November 1942, following the allied landings in North Africa and the subsequent occupation of Algiers, Hare and Connelly were released when the allies moved into Medea, with the French capitulating the next day.

After his release, Hare saw service at Quonset Point, the U.S. Navy Station on Rhode Island, concerned with Fleet Air Arm squadron formation and Escort Carrier work up duties. Post war he continued to work in a variety of Admiralty Departments culminating in an appointment in 1949 as Naval Assistant to the 2nd Sea Lord. Later still, he served outside the Admiralty with S.H.A.P.E. (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe) from June 1951 until his retirement in August 1953.

Sold with the recipient’s Naval Observer’s Flying Log Book covering the period 10 January 1935 to 20 December 1940 (including sinking of Königsberg with 800 Squadron); ‘Records & Certificates’ booklets compiled during his service as Cadet, Midshipman & Sub-Lieutenant; Certificates of appointment as Midshipman, Sub-Lieut., Lieut., Lt. Cdr., etc., Suitability for Command of a Destroyer; London Gazette dated 7 May 1940 (containing award of the D.S.C.); series of certificates of service on board various ships; SHAPE Headquarters certificates; Original copy of the accord establishing SHAPE headquarters in France (which the recipient helped construct), presented to him and signed by 20 officers, with confirmatory letter; two metal S.H.A.P.E. badges and a cloth S.H.A.P.E. badge; a caricature drawing of the recipient in 1945 (37cm x 25cm); a large quantity of photographs relating to the recipient’s career; a copy of the recipient’s detailed service record; a Secret Report on the Königsberg Attack, signed off by Commander C. L. Howe and containing the report of the attack submitted by Captain R. T. Partridge and Lieutenant Commander G. Hare; and a copy of the book ‘Skua’ by Peter C. Smith, which gives a comprehensive account of the Königsberg attack.