Lot 19
Clandestine Operations – X Craft
Clandestine Operations - Inc The D.J. Croll Medal Collection & Other Properties | M26002
Auction: 16 September 2026 at 10.30 BST
Description
The Historically Important DSC Group awarded to Lieutenant Commander Joe Brooks Royal Navy who served as a Midshipman abord H.M.S. Dorsetshire at the sinking of the Bismarck, was Second in Command of Midget Submarine X9 During Operation Source the attack on the Tirpitz immortalised in the Book and Film “Above us The Waves” and was 1st Lieutenant on X24 during Operation Guidance, the attack in Bergen Harbour for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, later a Royal Navy Diver who served with Lieutenant-Commander Lionel Kenneth Philip Crabb, OBE, GM Buster Crabbe, comprising Distinguished Service Cross, GVIR, officially date (1944) hallmarks Garrad & Co 1945, unnamed as issued, 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, Burma Star, 1939-45 War Medal, all unnamed as issued, fine (5)
When war started Joe Brooks was a Midshipman at Dartmouth soon to be posted to H.M.S. Dorsetshire, a posting that would change his out-look on life forever. Dorsetshire arrived after Bismarck had been crippled by Ark Royal’s Swordfish. Brooks must have watched the torpedoing of Bismarck at close range; he noted that as the ship turned over and he could see crew standing on the keel. Dorsetshire began to pick up survivors, from Bismarck’s crew of 2200, using her scrambling nets, and lines used for paint stages. Brooks saw a German, who had lost most of both of his arms trying to cling to a rope with his teeth Brooks immediately dived overboard to help the sailor. He tied a Bowline around the wounded German who was trying to say thank you when, due to the large swell, both he and the German were swept under the keel, Brooks re-surfaced but the German disappeared. When Brooks came back abord, he was immediately put under arrest for “Desertion in the Face of the enemy”. Owing to a reported U Boat threat, from a possible periscope sighting, Dorsetshire had to leave many men behind in the water. In total, Dorsetshire rescued 82 survivors, H.M.S. Maori 25. Brooks was placed in a cell on board and faced, ultimately a charge of Desertion which carried the Death Penalty. He was imprisoned for 3 months, he remembered that the sailors visited him and gave him Tots of Rum, the most precious commodity for sailors aboard ship, whilst he also remembered that the Officers never came near and ignored him.
In 1942 Brooks volunteered for Special Service in the Midget Submarine or “X” Craft Service. After training and before meeting the enemy, he had worked out the biggest peril was the Craft not the enemy.
He was made 1st Lieutenant of Midget Submarine X9. Their first deployment was Operation Source in September 1943, an attempt to neutralise the heavy German warships based at Kåfjord, Nordkapp in Northern Norway. Six X-Craft were used but only two successfully laid charges under the German battleship Tirpitz. Two were lost while being towed to Norway; X8 began taking water and was scuttled, and X9 sank with her crew after the towline parted.
Only X6 and X7, commanded by Lieutenant Donald Cameron and Lieutenant Godfrey Place respectively, were successful in placing their charges although their crews were captured. Tirpitz was badly damaged, crippled, and out of action until May 1944.
Brooks then participated in Operation Guidance when the British midget submarine X24, entered Bergen harbour in German-occupied Norway on a mission to sink a large floating dock. After being detected and shaking off their pursuer, X24 made it to the target area, but faulty intelligence and incorrect charts led them to lay their charges not on the floating dock, but on a large German ship nearby, which was sunk in the explosion.
After returning from this raid in X24, and, incidentally the only X Craft ever to return from an operation, which is now on permanent display at the Submarine Museum in Portsmouth, Brooks learned that 100 Norwegians had been executed by the Gestapo as a retaliation for the Raid. Brooks was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his part in the attack but refused the award and refused to attend the investiture at Buckingham Palace. The D.S.C. was eventually posted to him. The D.S.C. box in the group still contains the Buckingham Palace letter stating that the King greatly regrated that he was personally unable to give him the award, the Letter is addressed to “Lieutenant Joe Brooks, D.S.C. R.N.”.
In 1955 he lost, tragically, both legs in a diving accident.
Joe Brooks was a very accomplished artist and with the Group are two original works, one a Water Colour of the Sinking of Bismarck, and the second two pencil drawings of an X-Craft making its way through an anti-submarine net.
The Medals come with his Royal Tournament Silver Medal for 1939 – (Foil V Foil Cadets Under 16 Best Style, Cadet J. Brooks, R.N.C. Dartmouth), hallmarked silver, and a Royal Tournament Bronze Medal (1st Prize Foil V Foil Lieut. J Brooks, D.S.C R.N. 1951) and two sailing medals.
The group comes directly from the family with a 1st Edition Hard Back copy of “ Above Us The Waves” Inscribed “In Memory and with respect to my father Joe Brooks Michael Brooks 14th of April 2026”
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