On Anzac Day Sydney every year, I see the Chief March Marshall Commodore Ian Callaway proudly wearing the medals his father (whom he never new) received during WW2 on the right breast. You are immediately drawn to the 1st, The Companion of the Distinguished Service Order in company of 1939-45 star an Atlantic Star & War Medal & ASM. Ian's father was Lieut Commander Arthur Henry Callaway RANVR, Captain HMT Lady Shirley. He won his DSO for sinking U111 October 1941 South West of Tenerife. The Full list of awards for HMT Lady Shirley for that action Are as follows: DSO:1 DSC:2 CGM:1 DSM:5 MID: 6 Now I do not know & would be interested to find out if there was a more decorated ships company either within the HMT designation or of larger vessels or per head of ships company. The HMT Lady Shirley was to be lost off the coast of Gibralter sunk by torpedo from U374 with all hands lost Regards Simon
How about HMS Li Wo? I know that the list is slightly shorter, but the VC! Tmpy Lt Wilkinson VC Tmpy Lt Stanton DSO L/S Thompson CGM L/S Spenser DSM AB Spendlove DSM Two officers and four ratings MID The first two were the peacetime Master and Chief Officer of this Yangtze river steamer. The rest consisted of 19 Naval seamen - from Repulse and/or Prince of Wales- 5 soldiers, 2 airmen, 34 Europeans, 10 Malays and 6 Chinese. I think that the original information came from Hugh on this forum.
Certainly both of the above ships had many decorated members of the crew. I would add ss 'DORIEN ROSE' at Dunkirk. She had a crew of 14 - yes, ALL of them were decorated. MURPHY, Bernard - Chief Engineer - DSC O'HANLON, Terence - Mate - DSC THOMPSON, William - Captain - DSC BARNETT, William Charles - Ordinary Seaman - DSM GIBSON, Adolphus Augustus - Fireman - DSM O'RAWE, John Joseph - Able Seaman - DSM WATSON, Tom Wilson - Able Seaman RN - DSM BARNETT, Clifford Thomas - Ordinary Seaman MiD BARNETT, Thomas Henry - Cook - MiD KHAN, Ali - Fireman - MiD McFADDEN, Paddy - Boatswain - MiD MOHAND, Abdul - Fireman - MiD STEWARD, James - Second Engineer - MiD UPPERTON, James - Able Seaman - MiD Regards Hugh
I take the question further and ask what was the most decorated Merchant ship or ship with MN Crew Members during WW2? The decorations to include Gallantry, Birthday and New Year’s Honours, Foreign Decorations, Honorary Decorations and Lloyds awards. The list below is based on those found in The London Gazette and Lloyds. A very big thanks to Hugh MacLean and Don Kindell for delving into their Seedies to find me ship’s names. Enjoy the list. Cheers Mike RATHLIN - 32 LONGWOOD - 30 DUCHESS OF YORK - 26 LLANGIBBY CASTLE - 25 SAN EMILIANO - 24 DOVER HILL – 23 SAN DEMETRIO – 23 CAMERONIA – 22 MELBOURNE STAR – 22 ROCHESTER CASTLE - 22 SAN ALVARO – 22 EMPIRE STAR - 21 SAN FLORENTINO – 21 BP NEWTON - 20 DEUCALION – 20 EMPIRE BAFFIN – 20 PORT CHALMERS - 20 SAN CIPRIANO - 19 AWATEA – 18 BRISBANE STAR – 18 BRITISH COLONY - 18 STRATHALLAN - 18 OHIO – 17 RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH - 17 COPELAND - 16 DERRYMORE – 16 GAY VIKING – 16 ORARI – 16 ORONSAY – 16 PORT FAIRY – 16 REINA DEL PACIFICO – 16 RFA ENNERDALE - 16 SCOTTISH HEATHER – 16 CITY OF CAIRO – 15 CLAN CAMPBELL – 15 CLAN MACARTHUR – 15 CLAN MACPHERSON – 15 DORSET – 15 EMPIRE SCOTT – 15 EMPIRE TIDE - 15 HARPAGUS – 15 HOPEWELL – 15 ORCADES – 15 – Note one BEM(CD) was changed to an MBE(CD) so 15 and not 16 ALEXIA – 14 ANGLO CANADIAN – 14 ATHELTEMPLAR – 14 CHAUCER – 14 DELIUS – 14 DORRIEN ROSE – 14 EMPIRE JAVELIN – 14 EMPIRE MORN – 14 NARKUNDA – 14 NEW WESTMINSTER CITY – 14 NONSUCH – 14 ONDINA – 14 TEMPLE ARCH - 14 ACCRINGTON – 13 ALASKA – 13 – all Honorary EARLSTON – 13 LEINSTER – 13 LIND – 13 OCEAN VOLGA – 13 RIVER AFTON - 13 SAN CIRLO – 13 WAIWERA – 13 WALMER CASTLE – 13 ZAMALEK - 13 ALERT - 12 BOLTON CASTLE – 12 CAPETOWN CASTLE – 12 CITY OF LINCOLN – 12 CITY OF PRETORIA – 12 EMPIRE BYRON – 12 EMPIRE TRISTRAM – 12 FORT LAJOIE – 12 GAY CORSAIR – 12 GEO. W. MCKNIGHT – 12 GLENFINLAS – 12 LANCASTRIA – 12 MACHARDA – 12 PACIFIC GROVE – 12 REGENT LION - 12 ST. ESSYLT – 12 TURAKINA – 12 ZAAFARAN - 12 CALIFORNIA – 11 CORABELLA – 11 CRISTA – 11 EMPIRE GLADE – 11 EMPIRE HOPE – 11 EMPIRE STARLIGHT – 11 HELDER - 11 LADY BRASSEY – 11 NEWMINSTER – 11 PONTFIELD – 11 RMS QUEEN MARY – 11 RANGITANE – 11 REGFOS - 11 ANDES – 10 APAPA – 10 AVILA STAR – 10 BOVEY TRACY – 10 CORMARSH – 10 DAN Y BRYN – 10 DESTRO – 10 DONOVANIA – 10 ELYSIA – 10 EMPIRE ROWAN – 10 EMPIRE SNOW – 10 GOODWOOD – 10 HAZELSIDE – 10 HMS ALCANTARA – 10 – all are shown in LG with a Dis. No., so are MN and not RN IMPERIAL MONARCH – 10 MARNIX VAN ST. ALDEGONDE – 10 MONARCH OF BERMUDA - 10 OCEAN FAITH – 10 OCEAN VICEROY – 10 PAMPAS – 10 PETERTON - 10 RANGITATA - 10 STARSTONE – 10 START POINT – 10 STRATHEDEN – 10 SYDNEY STAR – 10 WINCHESTER CASTLE - 10
I take the question further and ask what was the most decorated Merchant ship or ship with MN Crew Members during WW2? The decorations to include Gallantry, Birthday and New Year’s Honours, Foreign Decorations, Honorary Decorations and Lloyds awards. The list below is based on those found in The London Gazette and Lloyds. A very big thanks to Hugh MacLean and Don Kindell for delving into their Seedies to find me ship’s names. Enjoy the list. Cheers Mike RATHLIN - 32 LONGWOOD - 30 DUCHESS OF YORK - 26 LLANGIBBY CASTLE - 25 SAN EMILIANO - 24 DOVER HILL – 23 SAN DEMETRIO – 23 CAMERONIA – 22 MELBOURNE STAR – 22 ROCHESTER CASTLE - 22 SAN ALVARO – 22 EMPIRE STAR - 21 SAN FLORENTINO – 21 BP NEWTON - 20 DEUCALION – 20 EMPIRE BAFFIN – 20 PORT CHALMERS - 20 SAN CIPRIANO - 19 AWATEA – 18 BRISBANE STAR – 18 BRITISH COLONY - 18 STRATHALLAN - 18 OHIO – 17 RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH - 17 COPELAND - 16 DERRYMORE – 16 GAY VIKING – 16 ORARI – 16 ORONSAY – 16 PORT FAIRY – 16 REINA DEL PACIFICO – 16 RFA ENNERDALE - 16 SCOTTISH HEATHER – 16 CITY OF CAIRO – 15 CLAN CAMPBELL – 15 CLAN MACARTHUR – 15 CLAN MACPHERSON – 15 DORSET – 15 EMPIRE SCOTT – 15 EMPIRE TIDE - 15 HARPAGUS – 15 HOPEWELL – 15 ORCADES – 15 – Note one BEM(CD) was changed to an MBE(CD) so 15 and not 16 ALEXIA – 14 ANGLO CANADIAN – 14 ATHELTEMPLAR – 14 CHAUCER – 14 DELIUS – 14 DORRIEN ROSE – 14 EMPIRE JAVELIN – 14 EMPIRE MORN – 14 NARKUNDA – 14 NEW WESTMINSTER CITY – 14 NONSUCH – 14 ONDINA – 14 TEMPLE ARCH - 14 ACCRINGTON – 13 ALASKA – 13 – all Honorary EARLSTON – 13 LEINSTER – 13 LIND – 13 OCEAN VOLGA – 13 RIVER AFTON - 13 SAN CIRLO – 13 WAIWERA – 13 WALMER CASTLE – 13 ZAMALEK - 13 ALERT - 12 BOLTON CASTLE – 12 CAPETOWN CASTLE – 12 CITY OF LINCOLN – 12 CITY OF PRETORIA – 12 EMPIRE BYRON – 12 EMPIRE TRISTRAM – 12 FORT LAJOIE – 12 GAY CORSAIR – 12 GEO. W. MCKNIGHT – 12 GLENFINLAS – 12 LANCASTRIA – 12 MACHARDA – 12 PACIFIC GROVE – 12 REGENT LION - 12 ST. ESSYLT – 12 TURAKINA – 12 ZAAFARAN - 12 CALIFORNIA – 11 CORABELLA – 11 CRISTA – 11 EMPIRE GLADE – 11 EMPIRE HOPE – 11 EMPIRE STARLIGHT – 11 HELDER - 11 LADY BRASSEY – 11 NEWMINSTER – 11 PONTFIELD – 11 RMS QUEEN MARY – 11 RANGITANE – 11 REGFOS - 11 ANDES – 10 APAPA – 10 AVILA STAR – 10 BOVEY TRACY – 10 CORMARSH – 10 DAN Y BRYN – 10 DESTRO – 10 DONOVANIA – 10 ELYSIA – 10 EMPIRE ROWAN – 10 EMPIRE SNOW – 10 GOODWOOD – 10 HAZELSIDE – 10 HMS ALCANTARA – 10 – all are shown in LG with a Dis. No., so are MN and not RN IMPERIAL MONARCH – 10 MARNIX VAN ST. ALDEGONDE – 10 MONARCH OF BERMUDA - 10 OCEAN FAITH – 10 OCEAN VICEROY – 10 PAMPAS – 10 PETERTON - 10 RANGITATA - 10 STARSTONE – 10 START POINT – 10 STRATHEDEN – 10 SYDNEY STAR – 10 WINCHESTER CASTLE - 10
I take the question further and ask what was the most decorated Merchant ship or ship with MN Crew Members during WW2? The decorations to include Gallantry, Birthday and New Year’s Honours, Foreign Decorations, Honorary Decorations and Lloyds awards. The list below is based on those found in The London Gazette and Lloyds. A very big thanks to Hugh MacLean and Don Kindell for delving into their Seedies to find me ship’s names. Enjoy the list. Cheers Mike RATHLIN - 32 LONGWOOD - 30 DUCHESS OF YORK - 26 LLANGIBBY CASTLE - 25 SAN EMILIANO - 24 DOVER HILL – 23 SAN DEMETRIO – 23 CAMERONIA – 22 MELBOURNE STAR – 22 ROCHESTER CASTLE - 22 SAN ALVARO – 22 EMPIRE STAR - 21 SAN FLORENTINO – 21 BP NEWTON - 20 DEUCALION – 20 EMPIRE BAFFIN – 20 PORT CHALMERS - 20 SAN CIPRIANO - 19 AWATEA – 18 BRISBANE STAR – 18 BRITISH COLONY - 18 STRATHALLAN - 18 OHIO – 17 RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH - 17 COPELAND - 16 DERRYMORE – 16 GAY VIKING – 16 ORARI – 16 ORONSAY – 16 PORT FAIRY – 16 REINA DEL PACIFICO – 16 RFA ENNERDALE - 16 SCOTTISH HEATHER – 16 CITY OF CAIRO – 15 CLAN CAMPBELL – 15 CLAN MACARTHUR – 15 CLAN MACPHERSON – 15 DORSET – 15 EMPIRE SCOTT – 15 EMPIRE TIDE - 15 HARPAGUS – 15 HOPEWELL – 15 ORCADES – 15 – Note one BEM(CD) was changed to an MBE(CD) so 15 and not 16 ALEXIA – 14 ANGLO CANADIAN – 14 ATHELTEMPLAR – 14 CHAUCER – 14 DELIUS – 14 DORRIEN ROSE – 14 EMPIRE JAVELIN – 14 EMPIRE MORN – 14 NARKUNDA – 14 NEW WESTMINSTER CITY – 14 NONSUCH – 14 ONDINA – 14 TEMPLE ARCH - 14 ACCRINGTON – 13 ALASKA – 13 – all Honorary EARLSTON – 13 LEINSTER – 13 LIND – 13 OCEAN VOLGA – 13 RIVER AFTON - 13 SAN CIRLO – 13 WAIWERA – 13 WALMER CASTLE – 13 ZAMALEK - 13 ALERT - 12 BOLTON CASTLE – 12 CAPETOWN CASTLE – 12 CITY OF LINCOLN – 12 CITY OF PRETORIA – 12 EMPIRE BYRON – 12 EMPIRE TRISTRAM – 12 FORT LAJOIE – 12 GAY CORSAIR – 12 GEO. W. MCKNIGHT – 12 GLENFINLAS – 12 LANCASTRIA – 12 MACHARDA – 12 PACIFIC GROVE – 12 REGENT LION - 12 ST. ESSYLT – 12 TURAKINA – 12 ZAAFARAN - 12 CALIFORNIA – 11 CORABELLA – 11 CRISTA – 11 EMPIRE GLADE – 11 EMPIRE HOPE – 11 EMPIRE STARLIGHT – 11 HELDER - 11 LADY BRASSEY – 11 NEWMINSTER – 11 PONTFIELD – 11 RMS QUEEN MARY – 11 RANGITANE – 11 REGFOS - 11 ANDES – 10 APAPA – 10 AVILA STAR – 10 BOVEY TRACY – 10 CORMARSH – 10 DAN Y BRYN – 10 DESTRO – 10 DONOVANIA – 10 ELYSIA – 10 EMPIRE ROWAN – 10 EMPIRE SNOW – 10 GOODWOOD – 10 HAZELSIDE – 10 HMS ALCANTARA – 10 – all are shown in LG with a Dis. No., so are MN and not RN IMPERIAL MONARCH – 10 MARNIX VAN ST. ALDEGONDE – 10 MONARCH OF BERMUDA - 10 OCEAN FAITH – 10 OCEAN VICEROY – 10 PAMPAS – 10 PETERTON - 10 RANGITATA - 10 STARSTONE – 10 START POINT – 10 STRATHEDEN – 10 SYDNEY STAR – 10 WINCHESTER CASTLE - 10
In February 1942 HMS Li Wo made an epic but suicidal attack on a Japanese convoy during the retreat from Singapore which earned the scratch crew of 84 a number of gallantry awards. Only seven crew members survived the attack, the sinking and the subsequent captivity as Japanese PoWs, one was Leading Seaman William Dick Wilding who received a MID. He subsequently married Joyce Marion Fuller, a Fouth Cousin of mine.
I seem to recall that there was another award of a MiD to a rating, whose name I cannot at the moment remember. He also survived and became a FEPOW. He proved to the authorities that he had been on the Li Wo and was awarded a MiD sometime after the others. Ring any bells with anyone? Tim NB. In WW1 there are several instances for RN submarines where the whole crew received awards.
His Majesty has approved the following awards to officers and men of HMS Li Wo: 1. Victoria Cross - Temporary Lieutenant Thomas Wilkinson, RNR 2. Distinguished Service Order - Temporary Sub Lieutenant Ronald George Gladstone Stanton RNR 3. Conspicuous Gallantry Medal - Acting Petty Officer Arthur William Thompson 4. Distinguished Service Medal - Leading Seaman Victor Spencer 5. Distinguished Service Medal - Able Seaman Albert Spendlove 6. Mentioned in Despatches (Posthumously) - Temporary Lieutenant Edgar Neil Derbridge, RNZVR 7. Mentioned in Despatches (Posthumously) - Temporary Sub Lieut. J. G. Petherbridge, Malaya RNVR 8. Mentioned in Despatches (Posthumously) - Able Seaman Desmond Palmer 9. Mentioned in Despatches - Acting Chief Petty Officer Charles Halme Rogers 10. Mentioned in Despatches - Leading Seaman William Dick Wilding 11. Mentioned in Despatches - Able Seaman John Smith
Again Li Wo, does anyone know who these two were? The unsung hero of this part of the engagement was one of the two RAF Sergeants. He manned the Lewis gun, as he had done throughout the passage. He wiped out the four man gun’s crew, then swept the decks of the first target and a second, killing many.
Roy, that's the list in LG 37819. What I was saying was that I thought there was another MiD awarded at a later date. Found him. Seaman Harold Humphrey, RNR. LG 38132 I don't think the RAF Sergeant has ever been identified. Tim
Thanks Tim, I will add him to my list. Not very often you see a seaman RNR rather than RNVR. Sad about the RAF Sergeants' names not being known and the machine gunner not able to be recognised.
Roy. Jogging both our ageing memories. Harold Humphrey was a merchant seaman in RNR. Info is in this thread:HMS LI-WO Tim