^NOTES

^{AWARD ABBREVIATIONS}

^{OTHER ABBREVIATIONS}

¹ Killed on duty

² Award not for RMS or BD

³ Reason for award unknown

VC: Victoria Cross
GC: George Cross
CBE: Commander of the Order of the British Empire
DSO: Distinguished Service Order
OBE: Officer of the Order of the British Empire
MBE: Member of the Order of the British Empire

DSC: Distinguished Service Cross

MC: Military Cross

CGM: Conspicuous Gallantry Medal

GM: George Medal
DSM: Distinguished Service Medal

BEM: British Empire Medal (now superseded by MBE)

MID: Mention in Despatches
Commend'n: King's Commendation for Brave Conduct

B&MD: Bomb & Mine Disposal
BD: Bomb Disposal
BSO: Bomb Safety Officer
LCOCU: Landing Craft Obstacle Clearance Unit
RMS: Rendering Mines Safe

D

DALTON
John

C/JX320281

LS

‘P’ Party 1573

15 May 45

MID

Port Clearance - MID awarded for bravery and skill in mine-clearing operations in enemy-held ports during the invasion of Normandy and the Low Countries.

DANCKWERTS
Peter Victor

Lt RNVR

HMS President
HMS Cormorant (Gibraltar)

20 Dec 40
29 Dec 42

GC
MBE

RMS -  See below.

GC awarded for great gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty. With the coming of World War II in 1939, Danckwerts became a Sub-Lt in the RNVR for training in bomb disposal. He was subsequently posted as bomb disposal officer to the Port of London Authority in time for the beginning of the blitz in September 1940. Although he had learned about the defusing of bombs his training had not included anything on magnetic mines whose use against cities had evidently not been anticipated by the Civil Defence authorities. When some of these bombs were dropped on a south London suburb, Danckwerts was informed of it by telephone, and he there and then volunteered to attempt defusing them. This he did at great personal risk. On one occasion he worked for two days almost without rest and dealt with sixteen mines during the period. In the latter part of 1940 at the height of the Blitz, Danckwerts, who had been less than six weeks in the Service, set out without orders and with incomplete equipment to deal with mines endangering his district. He had never before touched a mine, except under instruction, but he worked almost without rest for 48 hours and dealt successfully with 16 enemy mines. On one occasion he and a CPO (John Beadle) found two mines hanging from a parachute with their noses on a warehouse floor. Their footsteps started up the clock in one of them - they retreated - the clock stopped. So they went on undaunted and dealt with the mine, knowing well that its clock was highly sensitive and could only have a few seconds left to run. However, Sub-Lt Danckwerts managed to withdraw the fuse and then he dealt with the fuse in the other mine.  Later in the war he was transferred to bomb disposal work abroad and was wounded in a minefield in Sicily. Following this episode he joined the Combined Operations headquarters in Whitehall.

Appointed MBE in 1943 New Year Honours for gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty (mine disposal at Gibraltar in July 1942).

DANIELS
Donald Collins

C/JX331315

AB

‘P’ Party 1573

15 May 45

MID

Port Clearance - MID awarded for bravery and skill in mine-clearing operations in enemy-held ports during the invasion of Normandy and the Low Countries.

DANIELS
William Robert

Acting Gunner (T)

HMS Vernon

9 Aug 40

MID

RMS - MID awarded for courage and skill in dealing with an unexploded bomb.

DAVEY
William Ronald Isaac

D/JX143320

PO

HMS Byrsa (Naples)

3 Jul 45

GM

Port Clearance - GM awarded for inspiring bravery, resolution and dauntless devotion to duty during the opening-up of the Port of Leghorn. The duties in which Petty Officer Davey took part involved the clearing of sixty large demolition charges as well as many other unexploded bombs and sea mines and included over seven hundred Teller and other land mines. The whole operation had to be undertaken under the nerve-racking experience of intermittent enemy shellfire.

DAVIES
David Philpin

DSR545

PO Rigger

HMS Byrsa (Naples)

1 May 45

BEM

Diving - BEM awarded for outstanding service in diving operations and as tenders to the divers during the invasion of the South of France.

DE ASHA
Edward

P/JX515269

A/AB

‘P’ Party 1571

15 May 45

MID

Port Clearance - MID awarded for bravery and skill in mine-clearing operations in enemy-held ports during the invasion of Normandy and the Low Countries.

DEANS
Eric

PO/X115500

Marine (Later Cpl RM)

LCOCU No.12

14 Nov 44

DSM

LCOCUs - DSM awarded for gallantry, skill, determination and undaunted devotion to duty during the landing of Allied Forces on the coast of Normandy:

DELL
Harold Hagen

Lt RNVR

HMS Albury

31 Aug 43

DSC

RMS - DSC awarded for great bravery and undaunted devotion to duty. Salvaged enemy mine Plymouth area Apr 43.

DOVE
Rodney George

Sub Lt RNVR

HMS Talbot (Malta)

18 Apr 41 

DSO

Chariot Diver - Participated in Operation Principal attack on Italian fleet in Palermo, Sicily Jan 43.  Captured after placing charges on the 8,500 ton troop transport Viminale.

DOWNER
Douglas James

P/JX326436

AB

AB

'P-Party' 1571

'P-Party' 1571

15 May 45
30 Apr 46

BEM
MID

Port Clearance - BEM awarded for gallantry and skill in mine-searching and clearing operations in the ports of Normandy and of the Low Countries following the invasion of France.

MID awarded for good services in Mine Clearance and Mine Disposal Operations in NW Europe immediately before the close of the war with Germany and in the months which followed.

DOYLE
Lawrence

P/JX209771

Ord Seaman

HMS Vernon

4 Mar 41

GM

B&MD - GM awarded for gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty.  Conducted mine disposal Hopcroft Avenue and Hendon Way, Hendon on 15-20 Nov 40.

DUNCAN
Ronald Andrew

Sub Lt RNVR (Later A/Lt Cdr)

HMS Vernon
HMS Ambitious (M/S HQ Ship)

23 Jan 41
13 Mar 45

GM
MID

B&MD - GM awarded for gallantry in rendering safe the first specimen of a German "human torpedo" which ran ashore at Anzio. Although he had no previous experience in bomb-disposal work, Lieutenant Dymoke-Byrns volunteered for and successfully carried out this hazardous task under direct enemy observation at three miles range and under imminent threat of artillery fire, well knowing that there was the gravest risk that the torpedo might explode, in which case he would have had no chance of escape from a violent death.

MID awarded for Normandy assault Jun to Sep 44.

DYMOKE-BYRN
James Joseph

Lt RNR

HMS Hasdrubal (Taranto)
(Not a BSO)

16 Jan 45

GM

BD - Rendered safe the first specimen of a German ‘human torpedo’ which ran ashore at Anzio.

DYMOND
Frederick John

D/JX126317

PO Diver

PO Diver

HMS Tedworth (Diving Tender)

HMS Tedworth (Diving Tender)

4 Feb 41
1 Jan 44

MID
BEM

Diving - MID awarded for good services in diving work under enemy air attacks.

BEM awarded in New Year Honours 1944.