WWII Distinguished Service Cross group attributable to Lieut...

Hammer

£1,550

WWII Distinguished Service Cross group attributable to Lieutenant Sidney Edward Willis DSC of the 41st bn LCT Flotilla, with Distinguished Service Cross (hallmarked 1944), 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star with France & Germany clasp, Africa Star with North Africa 1942-43 clasp and BWM, mounted as worn in glass frame, plus mounted miniatures set including Defence Medal and NGSM, letter from Buckingham Palace, as well as accompanying ephemera and copied research. Includes newspaper clippings from time of his death reading 'Mr Willis won the Distinguished Service Cross for his role as a beach master in the D-Day landings at Normandy. He rose to the rank of lieutenant in the crack Naval Commando during the war. Afterwards he served in the Naval Reserve for 20 years before retiring as lieutenant-commander.', plus typed version of hand written account of service during WWII which includes extract of D-Day landings part of which is as follows;
'After a not very restful sleep, we were called at 4 am on 6th June, and given a 'hearty breakfast. About 5 am, we embarked in an LCA slung in davits over the ship's side - a precaution in case the ship was disabled. We waited for some time before being lowered. Whilst sitting in the LCA, I saw the Norwegian destroyer hit amidships, and she sank very quickly. The bow and stern seemed to separate, and both went down vertically.
After lowering, we formed up in line ahead with our 'opposite numbers' abeam. My opposite number, Ricky Dougal (?), the other ABM, would land on the right-hand extremity of the beach. My party of two was in the last craft in the line for the seven mile journey. The weather conditions were very poor, the sky was overcast, a fine drizzle and a choppy sea.
On the way in we passed the first marker, a midget submarine. Later, we passed the final marker, a lone COPP in his canoe (Combined Operations Pilotage Party, an expert navigator). On approaching the shore, we came under fire from shore batteries and the flotilla changed into line abeam so that all craft were side by side going into the beach. I was now in the left-hand craft and would land on the extreme left-hand side of the whole seaborne invasion. About two hundred yards from the beach, we came under heavy machine gun fire. We touched down at H Hour 7.25 am, DBST.
DD tanks came in with us, and I saw several tank crew swimming clear of their tank sunk by the gunfire. They were wearing Davis escape gear as used in submarines.
As we touched down, the rocket craft fired over our heads, and we came under heavy fire from mortars. We touched down, the bow doors opened, and we charged out - several soldiers were hit. As we started up the beach, my bodyguard A/B Compton was hit and badly wounded. We were almost run over by a DD tank coming in behind us, and our mini beach signs were lost. I tore open my dressing, pushed back what I took to be Compton's liver, and wedged the dressing as best I could. He said he was able to walk, and I left him to start reconnoitring the beach to the east.
All the time the tide was rising, and more and more craft were landing troops. The beach defences were being covered, and craft were hitting them and exploding the Teller mines and obsolete French shells attached. The LCOCU frogmen were busy demolishing the obstructions under water. Royal Engineers were busy clearing the obstructions above the water line.
Later, when the main party arrived together with the DUKWs allocated to us containing heavy equipment, we set about erecting all the various signs showing the limits of the beach, marking underwater obstructions - knocked-out tanks and sunken landing craft etc., and transit beacons. Beach headquarters were established, with loud hailers and signal staff.
A few hours after landing I heard an unearthly noise, and an LCIS came steaming out of the murk with Lord Lovat's army commando being played in by a piper in the eyes of the craft. By this time there was a steady stream of men, vehicles, tanks and bicycles across the beach, with LCTs and LCIS coming and going like clockwork. Our Beach Master, Lt. Church, was busy checking the detailed schedules of ships to be brought in in the required sequence.
On the evening of D Day, we were warned to 'stand to' in preparation to ward off an expected enemy attack by tanks in the neighbourhood. Fortunately, this did not materialise. Soon after the initial assault, a heavy smokescreen was laid to conceal operations from the German heavy gun battery at Le Havre which had been firing intermittently, targeting the ships unloading as well as the beach area. Unfortunately, supply ships had been flying protective barrage balloons which enabled the enemy to range (?) on the beach. These were cut adrift very quickly.
After a few days, block ships arrived to form the 'Raspberry', a shelter for larger ships to unload with landing craft and DUKWS. Unlike the two main beaches further west, Sword beach did not have a Mulberry harbour.
A few nights after landing, I heard what appeared to be a motorcycle engine in the sky and I saw a strange light shooting over the sea towards England. This was the first V1 flying bomb.
About two weeks after D Day, there was a terrific storm which caused much damage to the Mulberries further west. However, on Sword beach, although normal landings were suspended, a dumb barge (unmanned) was cast adrift and floated ashore to be unloaded at low water. This enabled ammunition to be provided for the advance force. The storm caused immense damage, and many small craft were washed ashore and deposited in the dunes at the back of the beach, some among the uncleared minefields.
After the storm damage had been cleared up, the beach remained open for a further ten days or so, and it was decided that as the Mulberry harbours were now fully established, and as the beach was still under intermittent enemy fire, it should be abandoned. Therefore, on 4th July we returned to England and the comfort of a hot bath and change of clothes for the first time for a month.
As a result of Fox Commando's service in Normandy, officers and ratings received four Distinguished Service Crosses, a Croix de Guerre, four Distinguished Service Medals, and some Mentions in Despatches.' (½B)