Campaign Groups and Pairs

Five: Chief Ordnance Artificer W. H. Stockdale, Royal Navy 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (M.37938 W. H. Stockdale. A/C.O.A. H.M.S. Cornwall.) nearly extremely fine (5) £120-£160 --- M.I.D. London Gazette 30 January 1945: ‘For courage, leadership, and skill in H.M.S. Belona in the destruction of an enemy convoy off the coast of Norway.’ William Harry Stockdale served as a Chief Ordnance Artificer during the Second World War, and was Mentioned in Despatches for his gallantry in Operation Counterblast, a spectacular night action off Norway on the night of 12-13 November 1944 when nine enemy ships were destroyed, an action described in the following terms in Gordon Holman’s The King’s Cruisers: ‘The luck came shortly after 11 p.m. as they were off Egersund Fjord. It was very dark, but there was good visibility and a calm sea, and keen eyes that had got used to the darkness had no difficulty in making out an enemy convoy steaming north. With the escort, which included “M” class minesweepers, it stretched over a distance of several miles, and was directly in the path of the British warships. For a few tense minutes, Admiral McGrigor allowed his force to close the enemy, the guns ranging all the time. Then, at about two miles range, the Kent fired her first 8-inch broadside. The shells fell like a sledgehammer blow among the vessels of the convoy. One leading escort ship was hit straight away and began to sink. The Bellona and the destroyers had opened fire, too, and other enemy ships were hit. One, probably filled with ammunition, blew up, lighting the whole scene with a vivid red flash. Tracer shells weaved an odd pattern in the darkness, and some of the German vessels sent up distress signals. The convoy had scattered and, probably not knowing the strength of the opposition, survivors of the escort were attempting to fight back. One approached firing hard, but was hit aft and then lost in the darkness. Shore batteries designed to protect these convoys joined in the action, but in the words of the Admiralty communique, “their fire, although spectacular, was ineffective and none of H.M. ships sustained any material damage”. It was estimated that at one time our cruisers and destroyers were engaged within two and a half miles of the Norwegian coast. After 20 minutes there was a lull, but when several vessels were seen drawing away, Admiral McGrigor sent in the destroyers. They delivered the final attack by the light of starshells and well under the German shore guns. Of 11 ships in the convoy, nine were either blown up or sunk and one was driven ashore. In the whole of our force the casualties were two killed and less than a dozen wounded. Summing up afterwards, Admiral McGrigor said, “We caught the Hun in his nightshirt”.’