Commissioned by the Royal Naval Patrol Service Association as a tribute to all veterans of the Royal Navy branch who served to protect coastal Britain and convoys between 1939 and 1945.
My maternal grandfather – Arthor James Gibson – was a sailor in the Royal Navy Patrol Service (RNPS) based in the North Atlantic Theatre between 1942-1946! I am told that during WWII – the RNPS lost around 250 ships protecting the UK coasts from Nazi German aggression! My grandfather assisted in the ongoing process of keeping the sea-lanes ‘free’ of Nazi German sea-mines that did so much damage to Allied shipping! Linked above is the article recording his official MOD Medals issued in 1950 for his Military Service – but this article is about a special RNPS Commemorative Medal (Commissioned by the Royal Naval Patrol Service Association) which we had to apply for (and finance) separately – which honours the bravery of the RNPS whilst respectfully remembering the price (and ‘sacrifice’) the men of the RNPS had to pay – to secure the freedom their fight against Nazi Germany secured for us today! Furthermore, my family in the UK are proud that our grandfather assisted the hundreds of ships that formed the Russian Arctic Convoys which carried much needed aid to our Allies in the Soviet Union! Long Live the Royal Navy Patrol Service!
OBVERSE
The official emblem of the Royal Naval Patrol Service (sanctioned for wear by Prime Minister of the day – Winston Churchill) features a Crown, a Net trapping a Mine and Two Sharks aggresively Patrolling and safely Containing the Situation – all engraved on a highly polished background with the words:
“ROYAL NAVAL PATROL SERVICE 1939-1945”
REVERSE
A floating mine is surrounded by the words:
“TO SWEEP AND DESTROY”
on the reverse of the medal.
RIBBON
The woven ribbon comprises the dark and light green of the deep and shallow of the ocean while the black stripes represent the mines and orange the explosion. This medal is supplied on a concealed single pin, ready to wear.
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 