Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry


This plan was carried through with 'one small adjustment. The Chief Engineer on the large tug had very wisely raised the question of the reaction of the native stokers to the 'big bangs,' and it was decided that I should go down the stokehole and control the stokers, for the vital importance of maintaining steam was indisputable. This meant of course, unfortunately, missing most of the fun, but I did not regret it, for those stokers worked magnificently.


Every single man was briefed as to his exact duty, and rehearsal after rehearsal of the coming action took place on the outward voyage on both tugs. We arrived at our destination in pitch darkness shortly before midnight. Arms were issued, and last minute preparations made. The signal to go in was given, and the two tugs slid silently between the buoys towards the sleeping town and our prey. Once inside the harbour, the two tugmasters, by beautiful judgement, with engines stopped but still under way, brought their craft exactly alongside the target ships before they were heard and challenged by the look-outs.


"As the tug slid to within two feet of the liner's fo'castle Gus gave the order to board, and he led his party over the rails of the tug and the enemy ship and overpowered the look-out before the alarm could be given. The boarders were armed with coshes, 12 inch bolts covered with rubber and strictest orders were given to avoid the use of firearms.


Once aboard, the raiders, about twenty in all, split into small parties to carry out the tasks allotted to them. Gus, followed closely by his diminutive bodyguard 'Haggis' led his party quickly through the ship and captured the bewildered crew without a shot being fired. Only one blow was struck, and that was when one of the volunteers found an enemy officer 'looking aggressive.' The poor wretch did not look very aggressive after a tap with his assailant's 'persuader.' From the bridge Gus was able to see Apple and Andre fix their charges to the heavy anchor chains forward, and Andy and his party heave aboard the heavy hawser and make it fast to the bollards. The prisoners were driven into the after dining saloon, and astern John Eyres and Desmond Long placed their charges on the mooring cables. On the tug the Master had eased forward with the engines just turning over, and was looking expectantly towards Gus on the bridge. Below in the tug, the Chief and Second Engineers were waiting for the clang of the telegraph and every ounce of steam and every revolution they could coax out of the 2,000 h.p. engines. In the stokehold I was telling the sweating stokers the tale as I had never told it before, and promised them a big 'dash' if they worked well. My powers of persuasion were considerably assisted by a tommy gun and a Colt .45.


Gus's shrill whistle pierced the silence and immediately the ships and harbour were shaken by a series of tremendous explosions. The telegraph clanged in the engine room of the tug, and the Chief opened the throttle wide. The powerful engines shook the tug as she strained and pulled at her huge burden, and the water was churned up into a phosphorescent race by the thrash of her propellers. The liner did not move. In the silence that followed the explosions Apple's clear voice was heard 'I am laying another charge.’ One of the forward charges had failed to ignite and Apple, realising that the whole success of the operation depended upon him, rushed forward and laid another charge with a short fuse on the huge anchor chain. After what seemed an eternity Apple's voice rang out again 'I am going to blow.' Unable to get back to proper shelter he crouched behind a nearby winch. A blinding flash and a huge explosion followed immediately, the tug’s propellers thrashed again, and the huge liner lurched and began to slide forward. A mighty shout rang out from the bridge : ‘My God, she's free.'


Responsibility now shifted to the Tug Master and the Chief Engineer, and they acquitted themselves splendidly. By superb seamanship the Master towed his unwieldy prize through the narrow channel to the buoys, against a severe cross current, whilst below the Chief and Second broke all the safety rules of the Mercantile Marine as the engines threatened to shake themselves out of their beds. The black stokers worked like demons and I almost felt like kissing them - but not quite!


Pandemonium reigned ashore. Immediately after the detonations were heard the anti aircraft guns went into action and blazed into the sky, the explosions having been mistaken for bombs from raiding aircraft. It was not until daylight came that it was realised on the shore that steamers had gone in the night. It was as well that the 6 inch guns covering the harbour had not opened fire because the most powerful gun aboard the tug was a Bren!


In the meantime, the smaller tug, whose Master had matched the skill of his colleague on the larger vessel, had come alongside her target preceded by Graham and Tom Winter who had launched collapsible canoes from their parent ship, and had boarded the enemy vessel from them. On board they had found the watchman, who had challenged them, and who, confronted by two men with knives in their teeth and truncheons in their hands, took one horrified look and promptly dived overboard and swam for the shore.


Finding no further opposition, Graham and Tom at once laid their cutting charges on the anchor chain and stern cables. At this moment the remaining two members of the boarding party came aboard from the tug and made fast the towing cable. The tug then went slowly ahead and took the strain on the cable. After making sure that the ship was actually in tow Graham and Tom fired the charges, the tug went 'Full ahead' in exactly the same way as the larger one was doing in the case of the liner.


Just as they got under way they heard the tremendous explosion from the liner and were overjoyed to find that all was well with Gus and his party. A few moments later they saw the huge bulk of the liner silhouetted in the dim light. She was moving faster than the smaller tug and reached the safety of the open sea ahead of Graham.


Progress was slow against a strong flood tide, and when only two miles from the shore the engine failed once more. Whilst Tom and the engineer were trying to get some life out of the engine the tide was taking them back to the port which they hoped they had just left for ever. They found that the trouble was serious, and had to disconnect the connecting rod from one cylinder in order to get the engine to run on the remaining two. After three hours' work the engine started on the two cylinders and enabled the party to go ahead at one to two knots. Graham was determined not to lose the small craft which was lashed alongside the enemy vessel, and to help the disabled engine she was dropped astern of the main prize and towed in line ahead. Graham steamed straight out to sea for the remaining hours of darkness for a prearranged rendezvous with Gus some 200 miles distant.


When daylight came they found that, in addition to their new prize, they were towing a sailing dinghy and a canoe! These they regretfully abandoned later as they could not spare the time to stop and get them onboard with a heavy swell running. The following day the second prize broke away and considerable time was lost circling to pick her up again. This accomplished, to the accompaniment of several very expressive remarks by all the party, it was decided to abandon the rendezvous and steam independently for the home port. Danger from British warships or submarines caused great concern, as the enemy vessel had her national colours painted on the funnel. Running short of water, they had the good fortune to sight a British cargo ship, which sheered off violently on seeing the enemy colours! Fortunately, however, the Tug Master knew the British ship and her Master which by now was approaching warily with her guns manned. By means of Morse he managed to make himself known and all was well! The Master of the British ship very sportingly offered to tow Graham's entire fleet, and in this way, in long line ahead, they all reached the home port before Gus, much to the latter's surprise and relief.


Meanwhile, Gus's party, during the long slow voyage back to port cleaned up the liner and made all shipshape. The enemy crew was put to work, a check made of her cargo, and on the bridge I laboriously typed out Gus's official report. Gus forbade any form of looting, the only exception being clean linen. ‘Haggis’ had been appearing in clean shirts daily and Gus ordered him to unearth his hoard, which he confiscated and shared between Apple and myself, to the deep chagrin of 'Haggis,' who as a mark of protest appeared in a pair of very feminine unmentionables which he had ferreted out from somewhere! When both Gus and Graham's parties arrived in home waters they were very quickly intercepted and taken over by the vigilant Navy who never got over their astonishment at finding enemy ships manned by their own countrymen.


The raid took place at a time when the shortage of Allied shipping was acute. This very fine ship and the smaller craft were welcome additions to the hard-pressed Merchant Navy, whilst their valuable cargoes made an equally useful addition to the Home country's depleted stores.’


all lots are illustrated on our website www.dnw.co.uk and are subject to buyers’ premium at 20% (+VAT where applicable)


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