D.S.M. (GV1) second type ‘Fid Def’ group for Korea. Extremely rare type, destroyer HMS Charity which was variously engaged in ship to shore action

Distinguished Service Medal, (GVI)., 2nd issue  ‘Fid Def’ (P.O. R.N.), 1939/45 Star; Atlantic Star; Pacific Star; War Medal, Korea, 1st issue ( D.S.M. P.O. R.N.); U.N. Korea,  Royal Navy L.S.G.C., GV1) 2nd issue ( P.O. H.M.S. Charity.)

Mounted as originally worn. Minor correction to surname on LSGC

J.M. Lockhart

Only 24 D.S.M.’s were awarded to Royal Navy and Royal Marine personnel for the Korean War. In addition there 8 awards for the Yangtse incident. Of the former I would consider at least 6 were Queen awards

D.S.M. L.G. 19/5/1953.

‘For distinguished service in operations in Korean Waters.’ ‘Petty Officer James Hamilton Lockhart, P/JX.777508, H.M.S. Charity.’

James Hamilton Lockhart joined the Royal Navy in 1937, served during the Second World War in both H.M.S. Rodney and H.M.S. Guillemot, before proceeding to America as crew for the first voyage of the lend-lease ship H.M.S. Slinger, and sailed in her to Australia for service in the Pacific theatre.

Following the outbreak of the Korean War Lockhart went out to Korea on the aircraft carrier H.M.S. Warrior, before transferring to H.M.S. Charity, and was serving in her when he was awarded both his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and the Distinguished Service Medal. He was invested with his D.S.M. by H.M. The Queen at Buckingham Palace on 24 July 1953.

Sold with two photographic images of the recipient outside Buckingham Palace having received his D.S.M.,  copied research including a memoir of a shipmate serving aboard H.M.S. Charity.

Unfortunately current restrictions prevent the extraction of any specific recommendation though the following gives a good indication of the nature of ‘Charity’s’ contribution. It would appear awards were one 2nd clasp to the DSC to the Captain and the DSM to Lockhart.

A couple of extracts from the shipmate’s memoir:-

‘On the evening of the 11th (March 195), we shelled some gun emplacements on the mainland in company with the USS “Gurke”, a destroyer. This was the pattern of the patrol. On the 13th we went alongside the “Belfast” for a conference at which the captains of the “Cardigan Bay” and an American LSMR (Rocket Ship) were also present. It had been decided that “Charity” was to sail up the Yalu River that evening in an attempt to capture an enemy junk. These craft were known to have been sowing mines willy nilly, just letting them float on the tide. The plan was later abandoned after our radar began playing up. Instead we carried out some more shelling. USS “Gurke” was straddled by 75mm shells and then “Belfast” moved in and blasted the offending gun positions. Generally the next few days passed in much the same manner. My diary records that on the 17th shore batteries of approx. 175mm (7″) opened up on us. Earlier we had engaged gun positions south of Chodo. We had the “Cardigan Bay” and two American Rocket Ships in company with us and this developed into quite a heavy bombardment from very close inshore. It was carried out in total darkness and later on it petered out to sporadic fire for the rest of the night. There was intermittent fire from ships around us with “Charity” occasionally joining in. On one occasion after fuelling and ammunitioning at”a place ca lied Taechong Do we met “Belfast” and after collecting some mail from her I was leaning over the ship’s rail chatting to a Chief Petty Officer. We were watching fish leap out of the water when suddenly there was an almighty splash just off the bow. I thought ‘Wow’ that was a big one, and the Chief yelled “We’re being shelled”. The shell had arrived before the bang from the shore, and the splash before it’s explosion. Our guns immediately returned the fire and quite a duel ensued. Their shells (175mm) were dropping all around us, with some passing over the top. As we were . outgunned , approximately 175mm to 114mm (7″ to 4.5″) we eventually laid a smokescreen, doubled round behind it, then withdrew. A South Korean minesweeper later informed us that we had put one big gun out of action and had straddled several others. But by the following day, we had learned that in fact we had put three batteries out of action. The Reds had become very skilled at moving batteries into an area considered clear and then when you least expected it they opened fire on you. Not cricket old boy! We had many near misses to the bow and the stern, and they were much too close for comfort. ‘

‘On the 9th of October and went through until the 25th. This patrol was full of incidents, a couple of which I will relate. Shortly after midnight on the 12th we shelled and stopped a train at the spot known as ‘Package One.’ One of our lads had spotted sparks coming from the engine’s funnel and when we fired a star-shell to illuminate the scene, there it was. We let it have everything we had including our anti- aircraft armament. It was most spectacular watching some of the tracer shells ricocheting off the ground around the train and careering up the hillside beyond. All the while we were firing star-shells in order to keep the area lit up. After some time we were almost out of starshells and we contacted the USS “Walker” by radio. She was patrolling at ‘Package Two,’ some miles South. She steamed up at high speed and joined us. As the train was on a single track line which ran all the way from the Manchurian border to Hungnam it was obvious that if the line could be kept blocked, https://france-coree.pagesperso-orange.fr/eurokorvet/uk/ted_charity.htm 7/9
12/3/2020 Korean souvenirs… aboard HMS Charity 1952 nothing could move in either direction. We therefore set about smashing up the train in order to prevent it’s removal, and also endeavoured to plough up the track in front of and behind the train. Over the next couple of days we kept up harassing fire to prevent repair gangs from working, but notwithstanding this, the Reds made valiant efforts to clear the line. ‘Package One’ was a small bridge and embankment about 25 feet (7.62 m) high and 3000 feet (almost 1 km.) long. It carried a single track railroad across a level valley between two tunnels. It was situated a few miles South of Songjin. In order to keep the Iine blocked for as long as possible the USS “Iowa” was called in to plough up the roadbed with her 16″ (406 mm) guns. I was amazed to find that the “Iowa” was firing over the top of us and that her shells, weighing over a ton each, and being fired nine at a time, sounded like express trains passing overhead. I have tried to explain what this equated with to non nautical friends, and have said it was like hurling nine Volkswagens at once towards the shore. Each one packed with high explosives. And these could be hurled over twenty miles (32km.) Also aircraft from Task Force 77 were directed to the scene. As a result of ail this activity the rail line was kept blocked for 12 days. ln the end the Reds dynamited the wrecked train clear of the track, or what was left of it, and finally were able to repair the crossing. I imagine that there was heavy loss of life among those trying to clear the track, as sometimes we wouId fire a parachute flare in the dead of night and see them scattering in all directions before the arrival of the first high explosive shells. For this and similar subsequent incidents HMS “Charity” was admitted as a member of the US Navy’s ‘Train Buster’s Club.’ Also during this patrol we joined a large number of American destroyers in a large scale bombardment of the city of Wonsan. From memory I think about fifty destroyers or similar craft took part. We being the only non American unit. All the ships involved formed into line astern and then steamed at high speed down the coast and swept into the harbour. As soon as each ship entered the land locked harbour it opened up on the city. There were plenty of targets, factories, docks, railways, and a huge oil refinery. It was quite an impressive sight as the great line of ships sailed right around the shoreline blasting away. I was not on watch in the wireless office as my action station was down aft with a spare radio transmitter and receiver. This was an emergency transmitting site only to be used if the main office took a hit and was out of action. It was situated right behind the 4.5″ gun, and therefore I was able to get a grandstand view of all that was going on.’

A particularly fine and rare award

GVF