An outstanding Second War Norway 1940 operations D.S.O. group of eleven awarded to Captain...

An outstanding Second War Norway 1940 operations D.S.O. group of eleven awarded to Captain P. N. Walter, Royal Navy, who as captain of the destroyer H.M.S. Fame lent gallant assistance in the landing and withdrawal of Allied troops during the Narvik operations; subsequently, as ‘Senior Naval Officer Inshore’ at Tobruk in June 1942, he received gunshot wounds to his left arm, both thighs and pelvis, the severity of which led to his repatriation from Italian captivity in April 1943

Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., reverse of the suspension bar officially dated ‘1940’; 1914-15 Star (Mid. P. N. Walter, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (S. Lt. P. N. Walter. R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; France, Legion of Honour, Chevalier’s breast badge, silver, silver-gilt and enamels; France, Croix de Guerre 1939, with bronze palme, mounted court-style as worn, extremely fine (11) £1,800-£2,200
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Importation Duty
This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK
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D.S.O. London Gazette 26 September 1940: ‘For services in Norway.’

Philip Norman Walter was born in Malta on 12 December 1908, the son of a naval officer, and was educated at West Downs School, Winchester prior to entering the Royal Navy as a Cadet in September 1911. Having then attended the Royal Naval Colleges Osborne and Dartmouth, he was appointed a Midshipman in the battleship H.M.S. Queen on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914. He subsequently saw action in the Gallipoli campaign, where Queen lent supporting fire to the ANZAC landings at Gaba Tepe in April 1915, and afterwards operated in the Adriatic.

His next seagoing appointment was in the battleship Royal Sovereign from April 1916 until March 1917, in which latter month he was advanced to Sub Lieutenant. But he transferred to destroyers in the summer of 1917, when he joined the flotilla leader Valkyrie, and was likewise employed when she was mined on convoy escort duties to the Netherlands on 22 December 1917; he survived the ordeal but 12 of his shipmates were killed and seven more died of their wounds.

Having then seen out the Great War in the destroyer Walrus in the Harwich Force, Walter was advanced to Lieutenant in November 1919, in which year he attended Cambridge University. His subsequent inter-war appointments included two tours of duty on the China Station, in addition to the Naval Intelligence Division at the Admiralty, and he was serving as captain of the destroyer Fame on the renewal of hostilities. He quickly saw action, sharing in the destruction of the U-39 on 14 September 1939, the first U-boat to be destroyed in the war. He was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 23 December 1939, refers).

Norway 1940

Afterwards, as Executive Officer of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla, Walter and Fame saw extensive action in the Norwegian campaign in 1940, supporting the landings of French troops at Bjerkvik on 12-13 May, and, subsequently, in further Combined Operations at the evacuation of Bodo, Harstad and Borkenes at the month’s end. Fame also participated in the withdrawal from Narvik on 7-8 June but her valuable work was curtailed in the first week of July, when she was badly damaged by enemy aircraft when undertaking a search for the submarine Shark:

‘One bomb, which did nearly all the damage, fell very close to the port side abreast Y Gun, probably only about five feet from the ship’s side, which was moving rapidly to port, and exploded on impact with the water. The explosion caused serious damage to the side plating and ignited 4.7in cartridges in the port ready-use locker as well as causing other damage to the ship’s structure in the vicinity. The wardroom, wardroom pantry, engineer officer’s cabin and stewards’ flat were wrecked by the blast, and the after magazine and shell room flooded. The full extent of underwater damage is not yet known. The tiller flat was holed in various places and water entered through these holes and through number 161 bulkhead, which was strained. Further damage was caused to the bridge and fore super structure (Walter’s report, refers).

Fame’s crew rallied quickly, shoring up bulkheads and making good speed for port. Sadly, however, three of her crew were killed and 20 wounded, one mortally so. Walter, who had been advanced to Captain in June 1940, was awarded the D.S.O., which distinction he received at a Buckingham Palace investiture in March 1941, in addition to the French Legion of Honour and Croix de Guerre (his service record, refers).

Tobruk – severe wounds – P.O.W.

Ordered to the Middle East in February 1942, he was borne on the books of the shore establishment Nile as Senior Naval Officer Inshore, and it was in this role that he was severely wounded at Tobruk in June 1942, an incident referred to in a confidential report:

‘A capable and fearless officer who carried out his difficult duties in a most satisfactory manner. He refused to leave Tobruk until everything had been done to effect demolitions and remove his personnel. He was seriously wounded in the course of his duties.’

In fact, he was taken P.O.W. on the same occasion but, owing to the severity of his wounds, the Italians repatriated him in April 1943. Thereafter, it is clear from his service record that his fitness was under question for many months, although he appears to have returned to duty as Captain (D.) of the 13th Flotilla at the end of 1944. Be that as it may, when placed on the Retired List after the war, he was ‘still disabled and should not be recalled’ (his service record, refers).

Captain Walter died in Berkshire in January 1984.