Hello. I hope this is the right section for this request? I'm researching my family tree and would like to know more about my uncle. John Greer Graham [P/SSX 17539] Telegraphist [Royal Navy] served on HMS Wolsey, received the DSM ? Is there any way for someone to check when he got this medal and why? what is P/SSX mean? burlingtonbert
Welcome to the forum, not sure if this helps but hear goes....... In 1943 when the majority of the Navy were pre-occupied with fighting the war, the administrators decided to introduce the change. Commencing on the 1st April a common bank of numbers would be used for all entries in the RN commencing with the number 500000. The prefix J,K,L and M, plus the letter F for Fleet Air Arm would remain for all normal engagements, and the letters SS = seamen and communicators and some stokers, SK = other stokers, SL = officers cooks and stewards, SM = ERA's and miscellaneous branches, SF = fleet air arm, were introduced for special service engagements. Thus, a man serving a twelve-year engagement could be PJX ******, whereas a man serving seven years in the RN and a further five years on the books of the RNR {the same twelve years} could be PSSX******. RN OFFICIAL NUMBERS [RATINGS]
BB, Hello and welcome to the forum. Good luck with your research. Click this link it should help with prefixes Diane, A most informative link. Thank you for posting. Regards Tom
I have a DSM book but I think the ciatations are a bit thin on information-I think they are copies of what was published in the London Gazette. I'll have a look in a bit.
Hello and welcome to the forum. Here is his name in the London Gazette for the DSM. There's not much to go on but the publication date is 16 August 1940 and looking at the list it would indicate that the medal was won during....I'll leave that to the expert
I see HMS Wolsey was heavily involved in the Dunkirk evacuation. >> HMS Wolsey, destroyer 1940 January On completion of Post-refit harbour and sea trials accepted into service. Took passage from Malta to Gibraltar. 29th Joined inward Convoy HG17F with HM Sloop LOWESTOFT as escort during passage to Liverpool. 31st HM Sloop SANDWICH joined escort. February 4th HM Destroyers BROKE and WINCHELSEA joined escort for final stage of passage. 5th HMS SANDWICH and HMS BROKE detached from HG17F. 7th Detached from HG17F on arrival at Liverpool Allocated for service in Western Approaches Command. March Deployed for convoy escort in Western Approaches. to (For details of naval activities in 1939 see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE April CLOSELY by C Barnett and The Naval Staff History.) May 10th Transferred to Dover Command for support of military operations after German advance into France and the Low Countries. 13th Escorted convoy to Dunkirk to reinforce French AA defences at Channel ports with HM Destroyers WIVERN, BOREAS and KEITH. (Operation FA) Embarked demolition parties for passage to Le Havre for destruction of port facilities. 15th Support deployment in continuation. 16th Bombarded Escault with HM Destroyer VIMIERA. 17th Carried out further bombardment of Escault. 22nd Assisted in evacuation and escorted convoys from Calais. 25th Engaged 6in howitzers with HM Destroyer WOLFHOUND in support of evacuation. 26th Nominated for service in support of evacuation of allied troops from Dunkirk. (Operation DYNAMO See Naval Staff History, NINE DAYS OF DUNKIRK by AD Divine and BEF SHIPS by J de Winser). 27th Embarked troops from small craft whilst off the beaches. 28th Landed 102 troops at Dover. 29th Landed 315 troops at Dover. 30th Made two trips to Dunkirk and landed 616 and 1065 troops at Dover. 31st Whilst at Dunkirk sustained damage from fire in Degaussing equipment and in collision with mercantile. Deployed as W/T Link to assist in communications with Dover. Landed 425 troops on return to Dover. June 1st Landed 535 troops at Dover. Withdrawn from DYNAMO for repair 2nd Passage to Portsmouth. 3rd Under repair by HM Dockyard. On completion of DYNAMO deployed for escort and patrol duties in Channel and North Sea. July Deployed for convoy defence and anti-invasion patrol in North Sea. For details of naval activities in North Sea and convoy defence see THE BATTLE OF THE EAST COAST by J P Foynes, THREE CORVETTES by N Monsarrat and THE BATTLE OF THE NARROW SEAS by P Scott.) August Resumed duty in Western Approaches Command for Atlantic convoy to escort. December For details of tactics and equipment used in defence and for attacks on Atlantic convoys see HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair. THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D Macintyre, U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) and SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann.)
The heading his name come under is: For good services in the withdrawal of the Allied Armies from the beaches of Dunkirk. I wouldn't read too much into that other than it was during the Dunkirk evacuation. I'm not all that clued up on Royal Navy awards but I believe the citations are kept at the National Archives. Do you still have his medals inc the DSM? It would be nice to see a pic of them if you do or any of your uncle in uniform. I should have some more info on his ship during Op Dynamo (Dunkirk). Cheers Andy
Thank you all for the information above. Reading the reply's I take it the DSM was awarded to a lot of seamen for the dunkirk evacuation. Would this medal be simular to the GSM awarded to Army and Royal Air Force? As the above request for info. come's from my cousin in Ireland, if she wants to find why the Medal was awarded to he dad she should write to the National Archives, is there a cost for this information? burlingtonbert
