British War Medal 1939-45 with MID: Lieutenant E J Gregg, Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve

British War Medal 1939-45 with Mention in Despatches oak leaf. Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

Born in Launceston, Tasmania in 1919 Edwin Joseph Gregg entered the Royal Australian Navy in Hobart on 23 September 1940. He was accepted as part of the Yachtsman Scheme and appointed able seaman in the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve. After initial training at HMAS Cerberus (Flinder’s Naval Depot, at Westernport Bay, Victoria) Gregg transferred to London at the beginning of February 1941 and undertook training at the shore establishment HMS Collingwood at Fareham, near Portsmouth. Between 24 May and 12 October 1941 he served in the escort sloop HMS Banff (previously the US coastguard cutter Saranac) operating out of HMS Ferret, the Royal Navy base at Londonderry, Ireland. Banff escorted 12 convoys across the North Atlantic in this period.

After undertaking officer training at HMS King Alfred (at Hove and Lancing in Sussex), between 3 November 1941 and 5 February 1942, Gregg was posted a Temporary Sub-Lieutenant to HMS Claverhouse, a shore base at Leith from which Fairmile launches and torpedo motor boats operated. In August 1942 Gregg transferred to HMS Dinosaur, the Combined Operations base at Troon in Scotland. From here he was sent to work in landing craft supporting Allied landings in the Mediterranean, including the Sicily landings in 1943 (Operation Husky), and operating small boats in support of Greek partisans and Allied intelligence agents. In December 1943 he was appointed Temporary Lieutenant and the following month given command of HM LCI(L) 260 [landing craft infantry – large, which could transport up to 200 troops] in the Mediterranean. In August 1944 Gregg was mentioned in despatches for his work in Operation Shingle, the Anzio landings in Italy.

In August 1944 Gregg was mentioned in despatches for his work in Operation Shingle, the Anzio landings in Italy. The citation reads: 'For outstanding courage, leadership, resource and determination whilst serving in HM LCI(L)260 during the assault on Anzio (Operation SHINGLE) and in subsequent bombardments in support of the army, and in maintaining an unbroken flow of supplies which accomplished the building up of the beachhead despite bombing and bombardment by shore batteries. On 22 January [1943] he was instructed to beach his craft on a beach that was being dive-bombed and strafed by FW190s. Lieutenant Gregg showed great courage and devotion to duty in keeping a steady course to the beach, enabling his gunners to put up a constant and accurate fire, causing the enemy to drop their bombs wide of the target. When US LCI(L)20 received a direct hit, Lieutenant Gregg remained on the beach and put up a cover fire to enable the officers and crew of US LCI(L)20 to get ashore without enemy interference.’

He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in November 1944 for operations in the Dalmatian Islands and Greece.

Gregg returned to Australia in the SS Aquitania in late October 1945. He was discharged from the RAN the following year.