Exceptional Naval and Polar Awards from the Collection of RC Witte

The Second World War D.S.C. group of six awarded to Lieutenant-Commander J. E. Mammatt, Royal Navy, who, having been present in the First Battle of Narvik in the destroyer Hostile, was decorated for his gallantry in the Hereward during the withdrawal of Greece - he was taken P.O.W. when the latter ship fell victim to Stukas off Crete in May 1941

Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated ‘1941’; Naval General Service 1915-62, 2 clasps, Palestine 1936-1939, Minesweeping 1945-51 (Lt. Cdr. J. E. Mammatt, R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, mounted as worn and contained in a leather case with gilt initials ‘J. E. M.’, minor contact wear, good very fine or better (6) £2500-3000

D.S.C. London Gazette 11 November 1941:

‘For gallantry and distinguished services in operations in Greek waters.’

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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John Edward Mammatt, who was born in March 1913, was appointed a Midshipman in January 1931 and was serving as a Lieutenant in the destroyer Hostile on the outbreak of hostilities in 1939, in which ship he would see extensive action off Norway and in the Mediterranean, right up until her mining and loss off Cape Bon on 23 August 1940.

Hostile arrived off Norway in March 1940, fresh from patrolling the South Atlantic, and was heavily engaged in the First Battle of Narvik in the following month, initially in a duel with the Roeder, which with Hotspur she left ablaze, and latterly, alongside the Havock, with the Ravenfels, which was destroyed. That done, Hostile escorted the battered Hotspur to safety. Ordered to the Mediterranean, Hostile next served in Mountbatten’s 5th Destroyer Flotilla, and was present when the Kelly was badly damaged by a torpedo on 9 May. Finally, in July, shortly before her demise off Cape Bon, she was present in the action fought off Calabria (a.k.a. the battle of Punta Stilo).

Mammatt next joined the destroyer Hereward, and was subsequently present in her during the withdrawal from Greece, for which he was awarded his D.S.C., and afterwards at the evacuation of Crete. But before either of these momentous events, Hereward shared in the destruction of the Italian submarine Vaide off Cyranaica in December 1940, finished off the Italian torpedo boat Vega in January 1941, landed Commandos on the island of Castelorizo in the following month, and was present in “Force B” at the Battle of Cape Matapan, where she picked up survivors from the Zara. So, then to Greece and Crete.

Later events in the Pacific aside, it would be fair to say from the Royal Navy’s perspective that the Crete operations witnessed one of the most prolonged and intensive air assaults ever endured and the brunt of that assault was taken by the destroyers - eight of them were sunk and another seven seriously damaged, Hereward falling victim to Stukas of 111/St.G.2 north of Plaka on 29 May 1941. David A. Thomas’ Crete 1941, The Battle at Sea, takes up the story:

‘At 0625 when the force was in the middle of the [Kaso] Strait the Hereward on the port side of the screen came in for the next attack. The first few Stukas were evaded, but another, diving low, let go a stick of bombs, one of which exploded near her foremost funnel. She swung out of line, her speed crippled and she had 450 troops aboard.

Admiral Rawlings was now faced with another grim choice, the second only in a few hours: whether to send another destroyer to assist Hereward or whether to abandon her to her fate. To detach another destroyer would invite almost certain destruction, for the main hope of salvation against these aircraft attacks lay in concentration. The fact that the coast of Crete lay only five miles away helped persuade Rawlings to leave the Hereward to her own devices. As the force continued on its way the Hereward was last seen heading slowly for the coast, her guns still engaging enemy aircraft. She was commanded by Lieutenant-Commander W. J. Minn, Cunningham’s Flag Lieutenant in the Hood.’

At length Hereward was abandoned two miles north of Plaka and all those on board who survived were taken prisoner - but for the intervention of an Italian Red Cross seaplane, which circled over the survivors as they came ashore, two Stukas intent on attacking them may well have increased her casualties. As it transpired, these were already of a dramatic nature, for having departed Heraklion earlier that day with 450 troops, and of course her own complement of around 150 officers and ratings, the Italian naval authorities could only muster a total 229 survivors by the time they issued an official statement.

Mammatt, who was among those taken prisoner, was duly incarcerated in assorted Italian P.O.W. camps at Sulmona, Padula and Gavi, prior to being moved to a Stalag at Spittal in Austria in September 1943. From there he was transported to Stalag IV B at Muhlberg in Germany and thence to Marlag Und Milag Nord, at which latter camp he was liberated at the War’s end.

Mammatt, who was advanced to Lieutenant-Commander with seniority from October 1944, received his D.S.C. at an investiture held on 11 December 1945 and was still serving in the 1950s.