Beschreibung:

The Second World War D.S.O., D.S.C. group of six awarded to Commander Robert Alexander Royal Navy, commanding H.M.S. Vivacious in the torpedo attack on the German battle-cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau in February 1942 Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., the reverse of the lower suspension officially dated 1942; Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated 1944; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, clasp, France and Germany; War Medal, with companion set of miniature medals, both sets mounted as worn; together with various original documents, comprising: D.S.O. Warrant, dated 31st March 1942; named Buckingham Palace transmission letter for the D.S.C., and an Admiralty letter concerning the award of the same; Royal Navy Commission as Sub-Lieutenant, dated 2nd February 1927; and a personal photograph album for the period when he was a Midshipman with the Mediterranean Fleet 1923-25, good very fine (12) £4000-5000 Footnote D.S.O. London Gazette 31 March 1942: ‘For daring and resolution in daylight attacks at close range and against odds, upon the German battle-cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the cruiser Prinz Eugen.’ The official recommendation for the immediate award of the D.S.O. states: ‘Lt. Cdr. Alexander handled H.M.S. Vivacious with skill and gallantry in a torpedo attack on the German battle-cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau whilst under heavy fire and attack from the air, pressing to a range of 3300 yards to fire his torpedoes. Subsequently he picked up survivors from Worcester in difficult weather conditions and whilst an air attack was in progress.’ The escape of the German battle-cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen from Brest and their dash through the Straits of Dover back to Germany in February 1942, was an occasion of glorious gallantry and self-sacrifice and, at the same time, one of bitter disappointment. The battle-cruisers had been at Brest, and under frequent air attacks, since March 1941. They had been joined by Prinz Eugen in June, after her voyage with the Bismarck. It was Hitler himself, obsessed with the notion of an Allied attack on Norway, who had ordered the Kriegsmarine to bring the ships back to Germany, or have them reduced to hulks where they lay, and their crews dispersed into the Luftwaffe. Allied Intelligence had been reporting German plans to break out for months past. Their route was anticipated. Some even guessed the date, but few the time of day; it was not thought that Ciliax, the German fleet commander, would risk passing Diver in broad daylight. Operational plans were laid to intercept the ships, but when they did make their break on the night of 11th/12th February, a combination of bad luck, bad briefing, bad practise and bad weather sent almost everything awry. Attempts were made, by destroyer, motor torpedo boat, bomber and torpedo-bomber, to sink or hinder the German ships, but they were all hurriedly mounted and not properly co-ordinated. Lieutenant-Commander Alexander, in Vivacious, wrote afterwards in his official report, ‘Weather conditions were very bad, A and Y gun’s and Tubes crews often being up to their waists in water, and heavy spray was constantly over the bridge. Great difficulty was experienced in training the tubes, and the crew could not see the target, when the torpedoes were fired...At 1547, turned to Port to fire torpedoes, range 3,500 yards...I felt that to have attempted to close any further would have exposed the ship to such a risk of serious damage that the chance of being able to fire the torpedoes at all would have almost disappeared.’ The bravest and most hopeless attack of all was the gallant sortie by six Swordfish torpedo-bombers of 825 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, led by Lieutenant-Commander Eugene Esmonde. The Swordfish had little chance of survival and all six were shot down, only four officers and one rating surviving. Esmonde, himself, was killed and awarded a Posthumous Victoria Cross. D.S.C. L