Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Able Seaman

Unit:

s.s. "Stonepool", British Merchant Navy

Awarded on:

December 1st, 1939

Citation:
"On sighting a U-boat " Stonepool " manned her gun in about two minutes and exchanged shot for shot with the enemy, with guns of a similar calibre at a fair rate of fire. The shooting was good and the fifteenth shot may well have hit or damaged the U-boat whose thirteenth or fourteenth shot holed " Stonepool " two feet above the water line. By his resolute and skilful action the Master saved his ship. The discipline was excellent and the gunlayer and gun's crew did very well. This is the first straight fight in this war between a defensively armed merchantman and a U-boat."

Civil Division.