WWII DSC group to Sub.Lt. (A) D.J.R. Harvey, DSC, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve

Sold for £1,900

WWII. A Distinguished Service Cross group to Sub.Lt. (A) D.J.R. Harvey, DSC, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., reverse engraved 'For Bravery & Skill, Determination in air operations while serving in H.M.S. "Victorious" Sub Lieut (A) D.J.R. Harvey, R.N.V.R. 20th May 1942, hallmarks for London 1942, in Garrard & Co. Ltd case of issue
1939-1945 Star, Atlantic Star, Africa Star, War Medal, extremely fine, with a small newspaper cutting, a letter from the recipients sister to Spinks dated 1970, giving details of her brother and accepting the offer of £35 for the group plus various copied research

(Qty: 5)

Sub.Lt. (A) David James Roberton Harvey, DSC, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve was born in Berkhamstead in 1922, he joined the RNVR in 1940 and advanced to Temporary Sub Lt. (A) in 1941, he was selected for training as an Observer in the Royal Fleet Air Arm, after completing his training he joined 832 Naval Air Squadron which was equipped with the Fairey Albacore as a Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance Squadron.

In August 1941 the squadron embarked on HMS Victorious and while flying an anti-submarine patrol a fault developed and the aircraft ditched into the sea and all the crew including Harvey were rescued off Cape Wrath, Scotland. On the night of 22/23 February 1942 the squadron were on a sweep up the Norwegian coast, on taking off from Victorious their aircraft flew straight into a heavy snowstorm and lost control and they lost contact with the rest of the squadron, however, they continued their mission flying alone for 4.5 hours and made a successful landing at Sumburgh, Shetland Islands, the whole crew were decorated, with 2 DSC's and a DSM.

On 9 March 1942 a report that Tirpitz was at sea was reported and at 6.30am a search party of 3 aircraft took off from Victorious which included Harvey, the rest of the squadron formed a strike force and attacked the Tirpitz (unsuccessfully), this was the first time that Tirpitz was ever caught in the open sea.

832 Squadron were also involved in Operation Pedestal, the convoy to Malta and also Operation Torch, the North Africa landings. On the 5 November anti-submarine patrols were resumed and the following day Harvey and his crew were on a ferrying trip to HMS Avenger and them onto Argus, they crashed on Argus but nobody was hurt although Argus's deck was temporarily put out of service. On the night of 6/7 November 1942 Harvey was lost off the Argus.