Beschreibung:

A superb Second World War Battle of Cape Matapan D.S.M. group of nine awarded to Chief Petty Officer G. C. M. Pharoah, Royal Navy: as a direct result of his skills as Warspite’s Director Layer, two Italian cruisers were reduced to blazing wrecks in a matter of minutes Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (J. 93906 G. C. M. Pharoah, H.M.S. Warspite); British War and Victory Medals (J. 93906 Boy I, R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue, coinage bust (J. 93906 P.O., H.M.S. Valorous), one or two minor official corrections, the Great War awards with contact marks, edge bruising and polished, fine, the remainder very fine and better (9) £1800-2200 Footnote D.S.M. London Gazette 29 July 1941: ‘For courage, coolness and devotion to duty in the Battle of Cape Matapan.’ The original recommendation for an immediate award states: ‘As Director Layer of the main armament, Chief Petty Officer Pharoah showed conspicuous ability. He laid the armament on one of the enemy cruisers before she was illuminated by searchlight, and subsequently fired seven broadsides, the accuracy of which crippled two cruisers and probably one destroyer.’ George Charles Matthias Pharoah was decorated for his gallant deeds aboard the battleship H.M.S. Warspite at the Battle of Cape Matapan on 28-29 March 1941. In his autobiography, A Sailor’s Odyssey, Admiral of the Fleet Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope refers to the moment that Pharoah, as Warspite’s Director Layer, confirmed that the battleship’s main armament was ready for action: ‘Never in the whole of my life have I experienced a more thrilling moment than when I heard the calm voice from the director tower - “Director Layer sees the target”; sure sign that the guns were ready and that his finger was itching on the trigger. The enemy was at a range of no more than 3,800 yards - point blank ... Then came the great orange flash and the violent shudder as the six big guns bearing were fired simultaneously ... The plight of the Italian cruisers was indescribable. One saw whole turrets and masses of other heavy debris whirling through the air and splashing into the sea, and in a short time the ships themselves were nothing but glowing torches and on fire from stem to stern. The whole action lasted no more than a few minutes.’ Indeed it would be fair to observe that as a direct result of Pharoah’s skill, fast reactions, and undoubted coolness, the Italian cruisers Zara and Fiume had been reduced to blazing wrecks before they could even train their guns on Cunningham’s force. A great victory had been won, and for his telling performance as Warspite’s Director Layer, Pharoah was recommended for an immediate D.S.M., an award that he received at an investiture held in October of the same year. Interestingly, Pharoah had been previously recommended for a decoration - unsuccessfully - for his part in the Second Battle of Narvik in April 1940 (ADM 1/11377 refers), when no doubt the Warspite’s gunnery was responsible for part of the final tally of eight enemy destroyers sunk. Added to which, he must also have been present at Calabria in July 1940, the evacuation of Crete in May 1941 and witnessed a number of Malta convoys in the same period, just three more episodes which added to the Warspite’s remarkable wartime tally of 13 Battle Honours. Sold with an original ‘S-329 Signal Log (Current Messages)’ binder, the contents comprising 40pp. of naval signals exchanged by Cunningham’s force during the Matapan episode (28-31 March 1941).