Sold with some original documentation, including a Foreign and Commonwealth Office letter, from the S.O.E. Adviser's Office, with statement verifying that the recipient served as a 'Staff Officer, Special Operations in the Mediterranean' and 'was intimately connected with the operations of Force 133 in support of Greek resistance' (dated 3.4.1992), very probably being in response to his application for the Greek Commemorative Medal - a related 'progress report' from Gervase Cowell, the S.O.E. Adviser being attached (dated 26.8.1993); a letter from the Office of the Prime Minister of Malta forwarding the 50th Anniversary National Commemorative Medal (dated 13.10.1993); and an old carbon copy statement of services.

Also sold with a Dunkirk Medal; Combined Services 'Voluntary Service Medal', silver (Lieutenant-Commander H.W. Stowell, D.S.C., V.R.D., R.N.R.), engraved naming; 'For General Services' Medal, silver (Lieutenant-Commander H.W. Stowell, D.S.C., V.R.D., R.N.R.), engraved naming; a Sporting Medal (dated 5.2.1946); and a 'George Cross Island Association' Lapel Badge.

D.S.C. London Gazette 8.9.1942. Recommendation states 'This Officer showed great courage and devotion to duty throughout the entire operation. As G.C.O. he controlled the fire of the main armament and remained at his post almost continuously for nearly 36 hours. After the First Lieutenant had been wounded, he took over his duties and when picking up survivors from the Southwold took charge of operations with skill and coolness. A fine example to all under him'.

Bar to D.S.C. London Gazette 4.4.1944. Recommendation states 'This Officer displayed a high sense of duty while conducting his work as First Lieutenant of the base at Leros, during continuous heavy bombing. During the invasion he took command of an Italian F. Lighter and transported 187 prisoners to Samos with a very small guard and subsequently continued the journey to Egypt, running the gauntlet of German craft in the area'.

Lieutenant-Commander Hugh William Stowell, D.S.C., V.R.D., was a pre-War member of the Mersey Division of the ''Wavy Navy'' and was called up for duties at Chatham in the Gunnery School in September 1939. Joining the Ship's Company of H.M.S. Wolfhound in March 1940, he went on to serve in operations off the French coast, including Dunkirk. Advanced to Lieutenant in September 1940, Stowell next served aboard the Destroyer H.M.S. Dulverton, in which ship he won his first D.S.C. for bravery during the passage of the Malta-bound convoy 'M.G. 1' in March 1942. The convoy encountered heavy resistance, a Destroyer and three Merchantmen being lost. The fiercest engagements were fought out on 22.3.1942, when the enemy launched a continuous assault from the air, from 9 a.m. until dusk. At the same time, the Italian Navy made two attempts to cut off the convoy, on the first occasion with a force of four Cruisers, and later with one Battleship and five Cruisers - both attacks were 'frustrated by rigorous offensive action', the enemy being engaged with gunfire and torpedoes and compelled to withdraw. Discharged from the Dulverton to hospital in July 1943, for reasons unknown, Stowell was fortunate to be absent when she was bombed and sunk by enemy aircraft off Kos, in the Dodecanese on 13.11.1943, three Officers and 75 Ratings being lost. Subsequently engaged in operations from the Shore Base Nile at Alexandria, and very probably in liaison with S.B.S. and S.O.E. units, he went on to win his second D.S.C. for courage in the invasion of Leros. Stowell was latterly Staff Officer (Special Operations), H.M.S. Mosquito, the Coastal Forces base at Alexandria, from March 1944.