Distinguished Service Order EIIR reverse dated 1953; 1939-45 Star; Pacific Star clasp Burma; Defence Medal; War Medal 1939-45; Naval General Service Medal clasp Malaya (LT. J.H.S. PEARCE. R.N.); Queens Korea Medal (LIEUT. J.H.S. PEARCE. R.N.); United Nations Medal clasp Korea - unnamed as awarded with original case for the D.S.C.
James Henry Silvester Pearce was born in Bombay, India in 1923, the son of a Clerk in Holy Orders. According to the 1939 Register he was a School Boy at King's College, South Road, Taunton in Somerset. He was commissioned a Temporary Lieutenant in the RNVR on 14 May 1943 at the age of 20 and went on to serve in WWII and the Korean War where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in the LG of 6 November 193 "for distinguished service in operations in Korean waters. He was aboard HMS Glory at the time.
In 1954 he was Officer Commanding 801 Squadron, the "Sea Furies" who were based at R.N.A.S. Ford - they took part in the NATO exercise "Morning Mist" that year, flying to Norway via Holland and based at the Royal Norwegian Air Force base Dardu. In 1955 he was in Mauritius for a seven day visit with the Admiral of the East Indies Station and was in Command of the Royal Guard at the parade to mark the Queens Birthday.
The 801 Naval Air Squadron, which Pearce commanded was re-established on 1 July 1947, at RNAS Ford (HMS Peregrine) in Sussex The Sea Hornet represented the FAA's adaptation of the RAF's de Havilland Hornet long-range fighter, marking it as the first twin-engine, single-seat fighter to be deployed from the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers. Following a period stationed at RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor), Angus, Scotland, the Sea Hornets of 801 Squadron were deployed aboard the name ship of her class HMS Implacable in 1949, as part of the 1st Carrier Air Group and the squadron continued to operate these aircraft until they transitioned to Hawker Sea Furies in March 1951.
The Hawker Sea Fury represented the final piston-engine fighter utilised by the Fleet Air Arm in front-line squadrons, operating from 1947 to 1955. It was notable for being the first British naval aircraft to feature power-folding wings in regular service. The Sea Fury commenced its operational service in the late summer of 1947 and saw action in the Korean War from March 1951 when 801 Naval Air Squadron received twelve Hawker Sea Furies flying from the Colossus-class aircraft carrier HMS Glory.
During its deployment in theatre from November 1952 to May 1953, 801 executed a total of 2,881 sorties across eleven operational patrols. The Sea Furies were capable of being equipped with either two bombs or four rockets, along with drop tanks in both configurations. Primarily utilised alongside Fairey Fireflies within the same Carrier Air Group for ground-attack missions employing bombs and rockets, the Sea Furies also engaged the significantly faster MiG-15 jet fighters. The squadron suffered seven casualties.
Later, the squadron strength was reduced to twelve aircraft. From February 1954 it was shore based in the United Kingdom until it disbanded at RNAS Ford in January 1955. Pearce was the OC of the squadron from 1 March 1954 until it was disbanded on 31 January 1955. In 1958 he was in charge of arranging the tours for visitors aboard the newly refurbished HMS Victorious, an aircraft carrier working out of Portsmouth.
Pearce was next OC of 898 Naval Air Squadron - from 29 August 1955 until it was disbanded on 19 April 1956. In May 1955, the squadron had a brief deployment with sister ship, HMS Bulwark, during a visit to Oslo, after which it re-equipped with the Fighter/Ground attack variant FGA.6 upon its return. In September, the squadron embarked in the Audacious-class aircraft carrier, HMS Ark Royal for another six-month operation in the Mediterranean, ultimately disbanding at RNAS Brawdy on April 19, 1956
He was promoted to Commander on 31 December 1959 and was, on 16 September 1968, based in Norway as the Staff Officer (Plans) for the Allied Forces Northern Europe - part of NATO (Northern Atlantic Treaty Organisation)
He died on New Year's Day 1979 whilst living at 9 Hersham Road, Walton-on-Thames
Medals are in good condition unless otherwise indicated. Sold with copied research.
