A rare Second War Arctic Convoys D.S.M. group of seven awarded to Able Seaman H. J....

A rare Second War Arctic Convoys D.S.M. group of seven awarded to Able Seaman H. J. Woodward, Royal Navy, who killed when H.M.S. Gossamer was bombed and sunk in the Kola Inlet and posthumously awarded the Soviet Order of the Patriotic War Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (J.104237 H. J. Woodward A.B.) impressed naming; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (J.104237 H. J. Woodward A.B. H.M.S. Suffolk); Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd Class, enamelled breast badge with screw-back ribbon, reverse officially numbered ‘84’, mounted court style for display, top arm of the last damaged and retouched with paint, otherwise nearly extremely fine (7) £3,000-£4,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- DSM London Gazette 25 August 1942: ‘For distinguished services in HM Ships... Gossamer... in taking convoys to and from Murmansk in March and May 1942, through the dangers of ice and heavy seas and in the face of relentless attacks by enemy U-boats, aircraft and surface vessels.’ Order of the Patriotic War announced in Edict from the Kremlin, Moscow, 7 September 1942, and London Gazette 17 November 1942: ‘For valour and courage shown during the delivery of armaments from the United Kingdom to the U.S.S.R.’ A contemporary translation of this edict, announcing 12 soviet awards accompanies the group together with the original Soviet award booklet with recipient’s photograph and pension booklet, this unused. During the Second World War a total of 166 Soviet awards were given to British and Colonial forces, including 19 Orders of the Patriotic War 2nd Class, of which only 3 Royal Navy and 5 Merchant Navy. In October 1941 Gossamer was part of the anti‑submarine escort of the North Russian convey PQ1, arriving at Archangel on the 11th. She was afterwards engaged on minesweeping and anti‑submarine sweeps from that port and in the escort of later convoys. On 30th April 1942, Gossamer left Murmansk with two other ships of her flotilla to assist the cruiser Edinburgh which had been torpedoed with Convoy QP11, enabling 480 men to be saved. Next day the Edinburgh was further attacked by German destroyers and sunk, taking with her several tons of Soviet gold going to Britain as payment for arms. Gossamer herself had rescued 440 survivors. In May 1942 she to took part in the escort of Convoy PQ16. Gossamer remained in North Russia and on 24th June was sunk by a direct bomb hit from a JU-88 during an air attack while at anchor in the Kola Inlet. Only 30 of the 178 crew survived. Henry James Woodward, of Shepherds Bush, London, is commemorated by name on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.