Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Dunkirk D.S.M. group of five awarded to Petty Officer M. W. Crisp, Royal Navy, killed when H.M.S. Express struck a mine in August 1940

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (J.100655 M. W. Crisp, P.O. H.M.S. Express) impressed naming; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (P.O. H.M.S.Osprey) together with named Admiralty condolence slip, nearly extremely fine (5) £400-500

D.S.M. London Gazette 16 August 1940 ‘For good services in the withdrawal of the Allied Armies from the beaches of Dunkirk.’ The following citation is taken from Admiralty Files: ‘As Chief Boatswain’s Mate Crisp was most active in organising work in embarking troops and a most inspiring influence between decks while the ship was engaged.’

The destroyer Express made six trips during Operation Dynamo, two to the beaches and four to the pier at Dunkirk, bringing home a total of 3500 troops. During these trips Express experienced two heavy dive bomb attacks and bombardment from shore batteries on several occasions. In the first attack one aircraft was destroyed and another badly damaged.

During the night of 31st August 1940, Express when sailing in company with the destroyers Esk, Ivanhoe, Intrepid, Icarus and Impulsive, ran into a minefield forty miles west of Texel. Esk and Ivanhoe were sunk with a loss of 191 men. Express was badly damaged, the fore part being crushed back as far as the bridge, but managed to reach port, where a new fore end was fitted, the repairs taking 13 months to complete. Petty Officer Crisp was among those killed and is commemorated on the Portsmouth War Memorial.