Date of birth:

1906 (Gateshead/Northumberland, Great Britain)

Nationality:

British (1801-present, Kingdom)

John Hall joined the Merchant Navy and with the outbreak of the Second World War he was employed by the Port of London Authority as an Assistant Mooring and Wreck Raising Officer.

On 2nd August 1940, the S.S. City of Brisbane, which had earlier grounded near the Long Sands Buoy, was under salvage in the Thames Estuary when it was approached by twenty-one enemy aircraft flying at a height of 2000 feet and two of them dived to five hundred feet before releasing bombs which damaged the ship. Later, other aircraft approached and further bombs were dropped, one falling through the ship's aft hatchway. Captain J.W.K. Hall was on the deck in the bows when the ship was first attacked and he made his way through the dropping bombs and machine gun fire to warn the ship's officers and company. Thereafter, he actively assisted in continuing salvage operations but, with the after part blazing furiously, the ship had eventually to be beached, eight people having been killed. The ship had steamed from Freemantle, Western Australia with a particularly valuable eleven thousand ton cargo in a journey which had taken six weeks, almost reaching her destination.
Captain Hall, a native of Gateshead, was later appointed Harbour Master at Wisbech, and subsequently became Surveyor to the Ministry of Transport, the highest qualification which can be attained by a Master Mariner, with Hall coming top of the list following the examination held in London during 1946 and 1947.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Unit:

Port of London Authority

Awarded on:

January 24th, 1941

Citation:
"Captain J.W.K. Hall, Assistant Mooring and Wreck Raising Officer, Port of London Authority, was engaged in salvage operations aboard the S.S. City of Brisbane in the Thames Estuary, near Long Sands Buoy, on 2nd August 1940. The ship was approached by enemy planes flying at a height of about 2000 feet, two of which dived to within 500 feet of water level, releasing bombs which damaged the ship. Other bombers approached and one of their bombs fell into an aft hatchway. Captain Hall was on deck in the bows when the ship was first attacked. He made his way through the dropping bombs and machine gun fire to warn the ship's officers and company. Thereafter throughout the attacks Captain Hall displayed steadfast resolution and actively assisted in continuing salvage operations.'"

• - Page 481 | Supplement 35053, 21 January 1941 | London Gazette | The Gazette
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