Scurfield, Bryan Gouthwaite

Date of birth:: August 7th, 1902
Date of death:: April 11th, 1945
Buried on:: Commonwealth War Cemetery Becklingen
Plot: 3. Row: A. Grave: 12.
Nationality:: British

Biography

09.1920: special entry cadet, HMS Thunderer
25.03.1922 - 08.1923: HMS Iron Duke (battleship)
1924: Promotion course, RN College, Greenwich [HMS President] (won the Ryder Memorial Prize in French)
01.1925: HMS Blenheim (cruiser; CRMS depot ship, Sheerness) *
04.07.1925 - (05.)1926: HMS Walpole (destroyer) (Atlantic Fleet)
10.09.1926 - (06.1928): HMS Hawkins (cruiser) (China) (borne as additional)
01.01.1929 - (02.).1931: HMS Wryneck (destroyer) (Mediterranean)
17.07.1931 - (11.1934): HMS Nelson (battleship) (Home Fleet)
03.01.1935 - 08.05.1936: Commanding Officer, HMS Skate (destroyer) (Portsmouth)
08.1936: no appointment listed (06.1936 qualified as interpreter in French)
30.09.1936 - (02.)1937: Commanding Officer, HMS Hunter (destroyer) (Albert Medal)
06.1937 - 22.07.1938: Commanding Officer, HMS Active (destroyer) (Mediterranean)
08.1938: no appointment listed
04.10.1938 - 23.08.1939: Training Commander, HMS Drake (RN base, Devonport)
27.09.1939 - 07.07.1941: Commanding Officer, HMS Broke (destroyer) (OBE & Polish Military Cross)
08.07.1941 - 15.06.1942: Commanding Officer, HMS Bedouin (destroyer) (DSO)
15.06.1942 - 11.04.1945: POW in Italian & German captivity (was killed by the strafing of an American aircraft)

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Albert Medal in Bronze

Period:: Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
Rank:: Lieutenant Commander
Unit:: HMS Hunter (H35), Royal Navy
Awarded on:: June 30th, 1937

"On 13th May, 1937, H.M.S. "Hunter" sustained serious damage in an explosion off Almeria, Spain. Immediately the ship took on a heavy list, all lights were extinguished and there was no steam. Apparently she was about to sink.
Lieutenant-Commander Scurfield, who was aft, rushed forward. Passing the galley, he heard cries from the Petty Officer Cook, who had fallen into the boiler room. He jumped down through the smoke, oil fuel, steam and debris, and by extraordinary feats of strength removed the wreckage pinning the man down. The rating was passed up on deck, but did not long survive.
Lieutenant-Commander Scurfield then proceeded to the Torpedomen's mess deck. This was flooded to a depth of 2| feet in oil fuel; also battery gas had escaped from the switchboard room. The ladder having been blown away, he jumped down into the mess deck, not knowing whether it was intact, and passed up two men. Calling for assistance, he was joined by Lieutenant Humphreys and A.Bs. Collins, Thomas and Abrahams.
After the mess deck had been cleared, he led the party into the stoker petty officers' mess. The bulkhead had been shattered, and bedding and curtains were smouldering on top of the oil fuel. Bodies were pulled out from under the wreckage, and passed up on deck.
During the whole of this time, he might in the darkness have fallen into the oil fuel tanks below or into the sea. By his gallant behaviour he saved the lives of Stoker Petty Officers Lott, May and Fenley, Stoker Neil and A.B. Oliffe."

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: July 8th, 1941

Krzyz Walecznych

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Commander
Unit:: HMS Broke (D83), Royal Navy
Awarded on:: October 21st, 1941
Awarded for:: Operation Dynamo

"In recognition of services during the 1940 withdrawal of Polish troops from France."

Distinguished Service Order (DSO)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Commander
Awarded on:: September 1st, 1942

"For bravery and resolution in H.M. Ships Antelope, Badsworth, Bedouin, Blankney, Cairo, Eagle, Hebe, Ithuriel, Liverpool, Marne, Matchless, Middleton, Partridge and Westcott, while escorting an important Convoy to Malta."