REVIEW: ORDERS, DECORATIONS, MEDALS AND MILITARIA 27 JULY

Gallantry and sacrifice are much-used words in describing recipients of campaign medals, but in the case of Commander W. R. Marshall-A’Deane they could hardly be more fitting.

Described as highly emotive and unique, his Second War D.S.O., D.S.C. and Posthumous Albert Medal group of eight appeared in Noonans’ 27 July auction, providing a welcome opportunity to honour a hero and retell his story.

Walter Roger Marshall-A’Deane (b.1902) joined the Royal Navy under his original surname of Marshall during the First World War, eventually rising to the rank of Commander (having added his wife’s surname to his own) in the days leading up to the Second World War.

In July 1939, Marshall-A'Deane was appointed commanding officer of the G Class destroyer H.M.S. Greyhound, which was assigned to the 22nd Destroyer Flotilla in November. She first saw action on November 18, rescuing survivors from the ocean liner S.S. Simon Bolivar, which had struck a mine, and from S.S. Torchbearer the following day.

Over the ensuing months Greyhound escorted coastal convoys, captured the German blockade runner Phaedra in the North Sea, and acted as escort during minelaying to prevent the transport of Swedish iron ore from Narvik in Norway to Germany.

Damaged by German bombers at Scapa Flow on 18 April, 1940, she underwent repairs in April and May before providing naval gunfire support at the Siege of Calais and then helping evacuate Dunkirk before again being damaged by German bombers and being towed back to Dover.

After further repairs she rejoined the flotilla at Dover and then escorted the aircraft carrier Argus to Gibraltar, joining the 13th Destroyer Flotilla based there, and going on to reinforce the Mediterranean Fleet.

During the battle of Dakar on 23 September, Greyhound joined with the destroyer Fury, and the Australian heavy cruiser H.M.A.S. Australia in engaging the Vichy French destroyer L'Audacieux which was set on fire and forced to beach itself.

Greyhound then returned to escort duty before being transferred to the 14th Destroyer Flotilla in Alexandria, where she participated in the inconclusive Battle of Cape Spartivento on 27 November during Operation Collar.

In January 1941 she sank the Italian submarine Neghelli while escorting a convoy to Piraeus before joining the destroyers Juno, Jervis, and Janus to escort the badly damaged aircraft carrier Illustrious from Malta to Alexandria.

Greyhound then sank the Italian submarine Anfitrite on 6 March as she attempted to attack a convoy carrying British troops to Greece.

Later that month she initiated the night action during the battle of Cape Matapan when her searchlight illuminated an Italian cruiser, and in April sank the Italian sailing ship Romagna off Apollonia, Cyrenaica, as she was conducting an anti-shipping sweep off the North African coast with the Australian destroyer H.M.A.S. Vendetta.

Action during the invasion of Crete ended in tragedy when Greyhound was struck by three bombs dropped by Stukas and sank a after few minutes. Her survivors were rescued by the destroyers Kingston and Kandahar, but six officers and 74 sailors were lost. The Germans later rescued four more sailors.

Commander Marshall-A’Deane was among those rescued by H.M.S. Kandahar. However, when later that day H.M.S. Fiji was also sunk, Kandahar raced to the rescue. Marshall-A’Deane dived into the water in the gathering darkness to save some of the Fiji crew. He was never seen again.

His decorations, the D.S.O., D.S.C. and Posthumous A.M. were all presented to his next of kin by King George VI.

By the time of his death, Commander Marshall-A’Deane had been award the Distinguished Service Cross for good service in the Royal Navy since the outbreak of War, and the Distinguished Service Order for courage and skill in a successful attack on the Anfitrite. He had also been twice Mentioned in Dispatches, once for Dunkirk, the other for the Battle of Cape Matapan. His final, fatal sacrifice in attempting to rescue crew from the Fiji was recognised with the Albert Medal (Posthumous).

“At the time of his death in 1941 aged just 39, Commander Marshall-A’Deane had completed 25 years of unbroken service with the Royal Navy, none of it more challenging than the last two years,” said Noonans’ Medals Specialist Oliver Pepys.

“His command of Greyhound played a significant part in numerous crucial actions in the first years of the war, as his awards testify; his ultimate sacrifice, having only just been rescued himself, illustrates his exceptional character.”

The DSO, DSC and Posthumous Albert Medal group of eight was accompanied by a series of photographs showing Marshall-A’Deane and the Greyhound. They sold over top estimate at £32,000.