Exceptional Naval and Polar Awards from the Collection of RC Witte
There was an urgent need for a respite in which to get the situation under control. Lean put his wheel over and retired, signalling his predicament to the Admiral. Heroic efforts were then made to master the fires. The steam system was repaired and the magazine pumped out. Within an hour Punjabi was steaming into action again, though her speed was restricted to 15 knots by the jagged hole in her bows ... ’
As Harvey concluded in his Midshipman’s Journal, had the enemy employed H.E. rather than S.P.D. shells, Punjabi would have surely been sunk. Lean was awarded the D.S.O., while fellow officers and ratings received a brace of D.S.Cs, six
D.S.Ms and eight “mentions”, four of the latter posthumously. Harvey, too, would shortly find his name appear in the London Gazette, though for services aboard the destroyer Croome, which ship he joined as an Acting Sub. Lieutenant in the summer of 1941, after further seagoing appointments in the cruisers Berwick and Norfolk.
D.S.C. and a brace of “mentions” - Mediterranean 1941-44
Following a period of working-up at Scapa, Croome joined the Sixth Escort Group on the Atlantic run but, before long, found herself operating out of Gibraltar and Alexandria. Nor was it to be long before she gained her first confirmed U-boat-kill, namely the Italian Submarine Maggiore Francesco Baracca, 270 miles S.E. of the Azores on 8 September 1941. Harvey takes up the story, moments after he had masterminded two accurate depth-charge attacks:
‘Now the target was fully visible on the surface, right ahead and broadside on. The order was “Stand by to ram!” With the dome housed, the A./S. team now had nothing more to do, so I sent my yeoman, who had come up on the bridge, to fetch my cine camera, and filmed the ensuing action.
The range closed rapidly but we had to take off some speed before ramming to reduce the damage to ourselves to a minimum. The U- boat’s crew were tumbling out of the conning tower hatch and whilst some leaped overboard, others under the orders of an officer trained their gun on us and opened fire.
‘A’ gun could no longer depress sufficiently to bear on the target but the port Oerlikon was scoring hits on the conning tower and along the casement. At this stage, to prevent unnecessary bloodshed, the Captain ordered the Oerlikon gunner to fire only between the conning tower and the U-boat’s gun mounting to prevent them from supplying ammunition. Abaft the conning tower a man lay on the casing with blood pouring from a groin wound, reddening the sea which continually washed over him as the U-boat wallowed in the swell. Then we struck her just forward of the conning tower.
The impact threw all the U-boat’s crew on deck into the sea and they began swimming towards the nets lowered over our port side where the First Lieutenant, armed with a pistol, was preparing to rescue survivors and take prisoners.
The captain sent me to the iron deck to assist, but the First Lieutenant and Gunner’s Mate were calmly subduing the Italians with drawn pistols, separating the wounded from the others and directing them either to the Sick Bay or forward mess deck.
Two men, clinging to a piece of wreckage that was barely supporting them in the water, beat off a third who was wounded and desperately trying to gain a hold for support. He soon gave up and sank, exhausted.
The ship by now was drawn clear by going astern, and two survivors, breaking free from the small guard on the iron deck, ran up the break ladder to the forecastle shouting with anguish as the U-boat lifted her stern and slid under, carrying with her the less fortunate of their shipmates.
I returned to the bridge where everyone was keeping a shocked silence ... The Captain acknowledged my report of the last survivor and said he would pick him up when we were able to go ahead, so I kept my binoculars trained on him as he was difficult to spot. The chief made his report on the damage and repairs and the Captain manoeuvred the ship ahead in accordance with reports from the paint shop on the stress on the foremost watertight bulkhead.
Only 30 yards from the ship the last survivor became exhausted and sank. I reported this to the Captain who looked at me with concern, I think, for my emotional state, but I was more hardened to war than he realised.’
Lieutenant-Commander J. D. Hayes, R.N., the captain, was awarded the D.S.O., while Harvey received the D.S.C.
Croome was next busily engaged on the Malta run, where Harvey noted the ‘Union Club threw its doors open to all officers but the ‘gin’ was only fit for use as lighter fuel’; meanwhile, he had celebrated his 21st birthday:
‘My 21st birthday was celebrated ashore with Mac and the Doc, but there was not much to do until we discovered the local dance hall. There was the usual shortage of women, but one Adeni Indian girl, who was there with her two brothers, was coping well with a stream of would-be-partners, with great charm and poise. I launched a cutting-out expedition and she told me it was her 18th birthday. Only because it was my 21st birthday did she, with a slight reproof, give me a second dance, and then we returned onboard. It had made my day.’
Such diversions were welcome, for by now Harvey was feeling the strain caused by months of active service, particularly following a period of operations in the Dodecanese, where enemy aircraft were ever present:
‘One Stuka, selecting us as a target, began to dive and all of us on the bridge instinctively crouched beneath the parapet for the illusionary protection it gave. I could only get my head and shoulders under and, feeling like an ostrich, decided to stand up and watch, and die, if I must, in the open. Looking up I could see the pilot’s visored face and blue eyes as he roared down towards us pulling up above our heads and leaving the bomb to travel on. It seemed to be coming straight for me, growing larger by the second, and I prayed for a quick death; then it passed out of my line of vision and I waited for the explosion and the inevitable hot splinters in my back. It fell on the sea, a few feet from the ship’s side, and split an oil fuel tank.’
Notwithstanding such dangers, Croome notched up further successes on the anti-U-boat front, sharing in the destruction of the U-581 with the Westcott on 2 February 1942, south-west of the Azores - she picked up some of the 41 survivors, among them Kapitain- Leutnant Werner Pfeifer, who was in a rage, claiming to have been attacked in neutral waters, but Croome’s crew were having none of it and locked him in the Captain’s sea cabin with paper, pen and ink.
Then on 4 August 1942, in company with Sikh, Zulu and Tetcott, the Croome shared in the destruction of the U-372, herself delivering an accurate ten-pattern depth-charge attack and picking up 23 of the 48 survivors. Harvey was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 20 October 1942 refers), the recommendation again citing his efficiency as the A./S. control officer.
In mid-September 1942, the Croome was ordered to lend support to “Operation Agreement”, the ill-fated attack on Tobruk. Stukas were everywhere, sinking her consorts Sikh and Zulu, in addition to the cruiser Coventry, some of whose survivors were recovered by Croome. The flotilla’s officers and men were furious:
‘That the enemy had obviously had foreknowledge of the attack led to some ugly rumours spreading concerning the lax security of the shore staff, who were by no means held in high regard after their precipitant retreat from Alexandria some weeks earlier. There was also ill-feeling between the R.A.F. and the Navy who considered they were not getting adequate fighter protection at sea. In fact it became necessary for a station memorandum to be issued forbidding Naval personnel from making derogatory remarks when they met R.A.F. personnel ashore. But the fighter protection of units at sea did improve and escorts were fitted with V.H.F. radio to enable them to communicate with, and direct fighters when available.’
www.dnw.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212 |
Page 213 |
Page 214 |
Page 215 |
Page 216 |
Page 217 |
Page 218 |
Page 219 |
Page 220 |
Page 221 |
Page 222 |
Page 223 |
Page 224 |
Page 225 |
Page 226 |
Page 227 |
Page 228 |
Page 229 |
Page 230 |
Page 231 |
Page 232 |
Page 233 |
Page 234 |
Page 235 |
Page 236 |
Page 237 |
Page 238 |
Page 239 |
Page 240 |
Page 241 |
Page 242 |
Page 243 |
Page 244 |
Page 245 |
Page 246 |
Page 247 |
Page 248 |
Page 249 |
Page 250 |
Page 251 |
Page 252 |
Page 253 |
Page 254 |
Page 255 |
Page 256 |
Page 257 |
Page 258 |
Page 259 |
Page 260 |
Page 261 |
Page 262 |
Page 263 |
Page 264 |
Page 265 |
Page 266 |
Page 267 |
Page 268 |
Page 269 |
Page 270 |
Page 271 |
Page 272 |
Page 273 |
Page 274 |
Page 275 |
Page 276 |
Page 277 |
Page 278 |
Page 279 |
Page 280 |
Page 281 |
Page 282 |
Page 283 |
Page 284 |
Page 285 |
Page 286 |
Page 287 |
Page 288 |
Page 289 |
Page 290 |
Page 291 |
Page 292 |
Page 293 |
Page 294 |
Page 295 |
Page 296 |
Page 297 |
Page 298 |
Page 299 |
Page 300 |
Page 301 |
Page 302 |
Page 303 |
Page 304 |
Page 305 |
Page 306 |
Page 307 |
Page 308 |
Page 309 |
Page 310 |
Page 311 |
Page 312 |
Page 313 |
Page 314 |
Page 315 |
Page 316 |
Page 317 |
Page 318 |
Page 319 |
Page 320 |
Page 321 |
Page 322 |
Page 323 |
Page 324 |
Page 325 |
Page 326 |
Page 327 |
Page 328 |
Page 329 |
Page 330 |
Page 331 |
Page 332 |
Page 333 |
Page 334 |
Page 335 |
Page 336 |
Page 337 |
Page 338 |
Page 339 |
Page 340 |
Page 341 |
Page 342 |
Page 343 |
Page 344 |
Page 345 |
Page 346 |
Page 347 |
Page 348 |
Page 349 |
Page 350 |
Page 351 |
Page 352 |
Page 353 |
Page 354 |
Page 355 |
Page 356 |
Page 357 |
Page 358 |
Page 359 |
Page 360 |
Page 361 |
Page 362 |
Page 363 |
Page 364 |
Page 365 |
Page 366 |
Page 367 |
Page 368 |
Page 369 |
Page 370 |
Page 371 |
Page 372 |
Page 373 |
Page 374 |
Page 375 |
Page 376 |
Page 377 |
Page 378 |
Page 379 |
Page 380 |
Page 381 |
Page 382 |
Page 383 |
Page 384 |
Page 385 |
Page 386 |
Page 387 |
Page 388 |
Page 389 |
Page 390 |
Page 391 |
Page 392 |
Page 393 |
Page 394 |
Page 395 |
Page 396 |
Page 397 |
Page 398 |
Page 399 |
Page 400 |
Page 401 |
Page 402 |
Page 403 |
Page 404 |
Page 405 |
Page 406 |
Page 407 |
Page 408 |
Page 409 |
Page 410 |
Page 411 |
Page 412 |
Page 413 |
Page 414 |
Page 415 |
Page 416 |
Page 417 |
Page 418 |
Page 419 |
Page 420 |
Page 421 |
Page 422 |
Page 423 |
Page 424 |
Page 425 |
Page 426 |
Page 427 |
Page 428 |
Page 429 |
Page 430 |
Page 431 |
Page 432 |
Page 433 |
Page 434 |
Page 435 |
Page 436 |
Page 437 |
Page 438 |
Page 439 |
Page 440 |
Page 441 |
Page 442 |
Page 443 |
Page 444 |
Page 445 |
Page 446 |
Page 447 |
Page 448 |
Page 449 |
Page 450 |
Page 451 |
Page 452 |
Page 453 |
Page 454 |
Page 455 |
Page 456 |
Page 457 |
Page 458 |
Page 459 |
Page 460 |
Page 461 |
Page 462 |
Page 463 |
Page 464 |
Page 465 |
Page 466 |
Page 467 |
Page 468 |
Page 469 |
Page 470 |
Page 471 |
Page 472 |
Page 473 |
Page 474 |
Page 475 |
Page 476 |
Page 477 |
Page 478 |
Page 479 |
Page 480 |
Page 481 |
Page 482 |
Page 483 |
Page 484 |
Page 485 |
Page 486 |
Page 487