Under Development. Contributions and corrections welcome.
NOTES |
AWARD ABBREVIATIONS |
OTHER ABBREVIATIONS |
1 Killed on duty 2 Award not for RMS or BD 3 Reason for award unknown |
VC:
Victoria Cross DSC: Distinguished Service Cross MC: Military Cross CGM: Conspicuous Gallantry Medal GM:
George Medal BEM: British Empire Medal (now superseded by MBE) MID:
Mention in Despatches |
B&MD:
Bomb & Mine Disposal |
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
NAME |
RANK/RATE |
UNIT |
DATE |
AWARD |
REMARKS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
M |
|||||
MacPHERSON P/JX517328 |
AB |
‘P’ Party 1574 |
30 Apr 46 |
MID |
Port Clearance - MID awarded for good services in Mine Clearance and Mine Disposal Operations in NW Europe immediately before the close of the war with Germany and in the months which followed. |
MADDERN D/J43242 |
CPO CPO |
HMS Defiance (Devonport) HMS Defiance (Devonport) |
27
Jun 41 |
GM |
RMS - GM awarded for gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty. Bomb disposal RN Hospital Plymouth 25 Mar 41. Commendation awarded King's Birthday Honours 1941. |
MAGENNIS D/JX144907 |
AB |
X-7 |
21
Dec 43 |
MID |
X-Craft Diver - See below: |
MID awarded for Operation SOURCE (Attack on Tirpitz)
VC awarded for Operation STRUGGLE (Johore Strait). Leading Seaman Magennis served as Diver in His Majesty's Midget Submarine XE-3 for her attack on 31st July 1945 on a Japanese cruiser of the Atago Class. Owing to the fact that XE-3 was tightly jammed under the target, the diver's hatch could not be fully opened and Magennis had to squeeze himself through the narrow space available. He experienced great difficulty in placing his limpets on the bottom of the cruiser owing both to the foul state of the bottom and to the pronounced slope upon which the limpets would not hold. Before a limpet could be placed therefore Magennis had thoroughly to scrape the area clear of barnacles, and in order to secure the limpets he had to tie them in pairs by a line passing under the cruiser keel. This was very tiring work for a diver and he was moreover troubled by a steady leakage of oxygen which was ascending in bubbles to the surface. A lesser man would have been content to place a few limpets and then return to the craft. Magennis, however, persisted until he had placed his full outfit before returning to his craft in an exhausted condition. Shortly after withdrawing, Lieutenant Fraser [the CO] endeavoured to jettison his limpet carriers but one of these would not release itself and fall clear of the craft. Despite his exhaustion, his oxygen leak and the fact that there was every possibility of his being sighted, Magennis at once volunteered to leave the craft and free the carrier rather than allow a less experienced diver to undertake the job. After seven minutes of nerve-wracking work he succeeded in releasing the carrier. Magennis displayed very great courage and devotion to duty and complete disregard for his own safety. |
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MANN |
Sub Lt RNVR |
HMD Benius |
16
Aug 40 |
MID2 |
RMS - MID awarded for Dunkirk. Commendation awarded for brave conduct and devotion to duty. |
MARIES P/JX426759 |
AB |
‘P’ Party 1572 |
23 Apr 46 |
MID |
Port Clearance - MID awarded for good services in Mine Clearance and Mine Disposal Operations in NW Europe immediately before the close of the war with Germany and in the months which followed. |
MARTIN |
Commissioned Gunner |
HMS Stag (Suez) |
29 Jun 43 |
MBE |
Diving - Appointed MBE for dauntless courage and skill in dangerous diving operations. |
MARTIN P/JX147610
|
AB AB AB AB |
HMS
Vernon |
3
Nov 42 |
BEM |
B & MD and Port Clearance - BEM awarded for bravery and devotion to duty. Mine disposal Channel Nov 41 to Jul 42. DSM awarded for courage and undaunted devotion to duty. Mine disposal Channel 21 Apr 44. MID awarded for gallantry and distinguished services in the work of mine-clearance in the face of the enemy. Mine disposal Seine Bay and Cherbourg 1944. MID awarded King's Birthday Honours 1946. |
MARTYN |
Sub Lt RNVR |
HMS
Vernon |
27
Jun 41 |
GM |
RMS & Minesweeping - GM awarded for gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty. Mine disposal Manchester Dec 40. MID awarded for bravery and sustained devotion to duty in keeping the Approaches to the Harbours of Malta clear of mines May to Jun 42. |
MAYDON P/JX514914 |
AB |
‘P’ Party 1571 |
30 Apr 46 |
BEM |
Port Clearance - BEM awarded for valuable services in connection with |
MAYS P/JX381171 |
AB |
‘P’ Party 1571 |
15 May 45 |
MID |
Port Clearance - MID awarded for bravery and skill in mine-clearing operations in enemy-held ports during the invasion of Normandy and the Low Countries. |
McCLINTON |
Sub Lt RNVR |
HMS Vernon |
23 Jan 41 |
GM |
RMS - GM awarded for gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty. Mine disposal London 15 Oct 40. |
McCOURT P/SSX29101 |
AB AB AB |
HMS Vernon HMS Vernon MFV 1037 |
19
Sep 44 13 Jun 46 |
GM MID |
RMS and Port Clearance - GM awarded for gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty. Mine disposal UK Aug 43 to Apr 44. First MID awarded for gallantry and distinguished services in the work of mine-clearance in the face of the enemy. Mine disposal Seine Bay and Cherbourg 1944. Second MID awarded in King's Birthday Honours 1946. |
McDONALD P/JX632764 |
Ord Seaman |
‘P’ Party 1574 |
15 May 45 |
BEM |
Port Clearance - BEM awarded for gallantry and skill in mine-searching and clearing operations in the ports of Normandy and of the Low Countries following the invasion of France. |
McFADZEAN FAA/FX78783 |
Air Artificer Third Class |
HMS Emperor (Aircraft Carrier) |
1 May 45 |
BEM |
Diving - BEM awarded for outstanding service in diving operations and as tenders to the divers during the invasion of the South of France. |
McFETRIDGE 6927C |
Seaman RNR |
HMS Vernon |
27 Jun 41 |
GM |
RMS - GM awarded for gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty. Mine disposal UK Dec 40 to Jan 41. |
McGUIRK P/JX382454 |
AB PO |
‘P’ Party 1572 ‘P’ Party 1572 |
15
May 45 |
MID |
Port Clearance - First MID awarded for bravery and skill in mine-clearing operations in enemy-held ports during the invasion of Normandy and the Low Countries. Second MID awarded for good services in Mine Clearance and Mine Disposal Operations in NW Europe immediately before the close of the war with Germany and in the months which followed. |
McILDUFF P/JX430542 |
AB |
‘P’ Party 1571 |
15 May 45 |
MID |
Port Clearance - MID awarded for bravery and skill in mine-clearing operations in enemy-held ports during the invasion of Normandy and the Low Countries. |
McINNES |
Sub Lt RNVR |
HMS Vernon |
20 Dec 40 |
MID |
RMS - MID awarded for courage, coolness and devotion to duty. |
McKEE |
Sub Lt RNVR |
HMS Vernon |
23 Jan 41 |
GM |
RMS? - GM awarded for gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty. Mine disposal UK Aug to Oct 40. |
McKENZIE C/JX294465 |
LS |
‘P’ Party 1573 |
15 May 45 |
MID |
Port Clearance - MID awarded for bravery and skill in mine-clearing operations in enemy-held ports during the invasion of Normandy and the Low Countries. |
McKERRACHER P/JX306762 |
AB |
‘P’ Party 1572 |
15 May 45 |
MID |
Port Clearance - MID awarded for bravery and skill in mine-clearing operations in enemy-held ports during the invasion of Normandy and the Low Countries. |
McKINLAY Ronald Harry George P/JX245579 |
PO | RM Beach Cdo 'Peter' | 29 Aug 1944 | CGM |
Later CPO(CD1). See below.
|
CGM awarded for gallantry, skill, determination
and undaunted devotion to duty during the initial landings of Allied
Forces on the coast of Normandy. Petty Officer McKinlay was put ashore between noon and 1400 hours on 6th June. Finding himself at some distance from his pre-arranged destination he made his way along the beach and took charge of a party of Naval ratings and Army ranks who were bound for the same point. Single-handed, he silenced two enemy strong points on the way with hand grenades. Later, on an open stretch of sand which was under fire from enemy snipers, disregarding his own safety, he went to the rescue of a wounded man and brought him safely to cover. |
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McNEIL C/JX408664 |
Ord Seaman |
MTB 675 |
21 Dec 43 |
DSM2 |
DSM awarded for Askvoll CHARIOT attack. |
McNICOLL |
Lt
Cdr RAN |
HMS
Medway (Alexandria) ? |
8
Jul 42 |
GM |
B&MD - GM awarded for gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty. Disarmed Italian torpedoes Alexandria. |
McVITTIE P/JX321875 |
AB AB |
‘P’ Party 1573 ‘P’ Party 1573 |
15
May 45 |
MID |
Port Clearance - First MID awarded for bravery and skill in mine-clearing operations in enemy-held ports during the invasion of Normandy and the Low Countries. Second MID awarded for good services in Mine Clearance and Mine Disposal Operations in NW Europe immediately before the close of the war with Germany and in the months which followed. |
MERGLER P/JX520493 |
AB AB |
‘P’ Party 1573 ‘P’ Party 1573 |
15
May 45 |
MID |
Port Clearance - MID awarded for bravery and skill in mine-clearing operations in enemy-held ports during the invasion of Normandy and the Low Countries. BEM awarded for valuable services in connection with mine clearance and mine disposal in NW Europe immediately before the close of the war with Germany and in the months which followed. |
MILLER |
Sub Lt RNVR (Later Lt Cdr) |
HMS
President |
4
Jan 41 |
GC |
BD - See below. |
GC awarded for great gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty. Worked with AB Tuckwell in the dangerous work of mine disposal during the early days of the Blitz. Called to deal with a mine which had fallen into the soft mud in Roding River, which runs into Barking Creek. Sub-Lt Miller decided to borrow a canoe and having put this on a fire-float with the kit, he and AB Tuckwell went up the creek to where the mine was thought to be lying. They then left the River Fire Service fire-float and went on in the canoe until they sighted the black rim of the mine which was stuck in the mud by the nose. They worked together - AB Tuckwell handing the necessary tools to Sub-Lt Miller who was working under about a foot of water. They managed to get out one fuze, but could not reach the other, so appealed to several crane-drivers who had come to see what was happening, and they at once volunteered to help. The two experts got back into the water, put ropes round the mine, and with the assistance of the crane-drivers, the huge cylinder was dragged slowly out of the creek, over the muddy bank and up on to the wharf. The final stages of the operation were then completed in comparative comfort.
Commendation awarded for brave conduct and devotion to duty. On the night of 8/9 Dec 40, a mine fell, practically undamaged with its tail propped up at about 40 degrees to the horizontal against a part of the signal box outside London Bridge Station. The importance of this mine, quite apart from its effect on rail communications at the time, lay in the fact that, if it should explode, a viaduct carrying all the lines to Cannon Street, Charing Cross and London Bridge Stations would have been destroyed; also the electrically operated signal box would have been destroyed. The bomb fuze was underneath and there was only just room to get between the mine and the wall of the signal box to reach the fuze. It was too risky to attempt to pull the mine out to make it more accessible, in case of precipitating a disaster, so Lt Miller carefully dug a hole below the fuze big enough to take the safety pressure horn. The pressure horn was then screwed on and the pressure admitted, but the usual click of the hydrostatic valve was not forthcoming. The keep ring of the fuze was started carefully, and it had hardly been moved before a noise was heard like the starting of the fuze clock. After twenty minutes Lt Miller went back to investigate and found that the pressure horn had lost its pressure; this was taken off and tested and found to have been leaking. Two further horns were obtained from the Admiralty; one was tested and then screwed on to the fuze; the click of the valve was again not forthcoming when the pressure was applied; however, Lt Miller decided he had better get on with the job as quickly as possible. The spanner had scarcely been applied to the keep ring when the same noise, as of the clock of the fuze starting, was again heard. Again nothing happened so he returned to the mine again and found the horn had lost its pressure. Lt Miller then considered that the hydrostatic valve of the fuze was leaking and that there was nothing to be done but to try to remove the fuze without safety arrangements and despite the fact that he considered that the clock had already started and stopped twice. He explained this to the station-master, returned to the mine and, utterly regardless of consequences, removed the bomb fuze and rendered the mine safe. On investigation it was found that the bomb fuze itself was leaking, consequently the pressure horn was quite useless as a safety arrangement. The mine, therefore, was in a highly dangerous state throughout the whole operation, including those periods when Lt Miller thought the pressure horn was effective. |
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MOHAMED Sultan 2951 |
CPO RIN | HMIS Adyar | 23 Oct 45 | BEM | B&MD - BEM awarded for courage, skill and devotion to duty whilst serving with HMIS Adyar in the salvage of aircraft and depth charges. |
MOORE |
Sub
Lt (Sp) RNVR |
HMS
President |
27
Dec 40 |
GC |
B&MD - GC awarded for great gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty. Although he had no practical training, he was called upon in an emergency and disarmed five mines. On the night of 20 Sep, four mines fell on Dagenham but only one exploded. Moore and his assistant accompanied police officers to the site of two of the unexploded devices. One had fallen on a road outside a factory which had been evacuated. On examination, it could be seen that the impact had distorted the fuse ring so that it could not be unscrewed. Moore borrowed a drill from the factory and drilled out two gaps on opposite sides of the ring so that it broke in two, thus allowing the fuse to be extracted. CPO George Wheeler was awarded the BEM (Mil Div for gallantry) in this action |
MORGAN-GILES |
Lt
RN |
HMS
Nile (Alex) |
2
Sep 41 |
GM |
B&MD and Port Clearance - See below. |
GM awarded for gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty.
Appointed OBE for courage, leadership and devotion to duty in fire-fighting, rescue work and the salvage of valuable ships during and after a heavy air raid on Bari.
MID awarded for outstanding services.
MID awarded for distinguished service in command of a successful operation against enemy Destroyers off the Dalmatian coast.
DSO awarded for courage, outstanding leadership and devotion to duty whilst serving in HM Ships Fabius, Brocklesby, Wilton, Quantock, Lamerton and Light Coast Forces in an attack on the Island of Lussino: |
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MORRIS FAA/FX79747 |
PO Air Mechanic (E) |
HMS Attacker (Aircraft Carrier) |
1 May 45 |
BEM |
Diving - BEM awarded for outstanding service in diving operations and as tenders to the divers during the invasion of the South of France. |
MORRIS |
Lt RNR |
HMS Borde (Mine Disposal Ship) |
8 Mar 40 |
DSC |
RMS - DSC awarded for dangerous and successful experimental work dealing with mines. |
MORSS PO/X1808 |
A/CSM RM |
4 Commando Brigade |
17 Nov 44 |
MID |
LCOCUs - MID awarded for gallantry, skill, determination and undaunted devotion to duty during the landing of Allied Forces on the coast of Normandy. Also operated off Walcheren. |
MOULD |
Lt RANVR (Later Lt Cdr) |
HMS
Vernon |
27 Jun 41 |
Commend'n |
RMS then underwater mine disposal - See below. |
Commendation awarded for brave conduct and devotion to duty for mine disposal. GM awarded for gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty. Participated in mine disposal London and later in Med.
GC awarded for mine disposal Nov 41 to Jun 42. His outstanding work in dock clearance operations and those resulting in the stripping of the early German mine Type G has been the subject of a previous recommendation for which he was ultimately awarded the GM. Carried out the most important recovery and rendering safe operations with brilliant success. These operations included the recovery, rendering safe and investigation of the first German acoustic unit and moored magnetic mine.
First man to win both GC and GM for such exploits as tackling a live acoustic mine and general contribution to mine disposal work. |
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MOUNTFORD P/SSX20260 |
AB |
HMS Vernon |
27 Jun 41 |
GM |
RMS - GM awarded for gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty. Assisted Lt Cdr Wadsley conduct first rendering safe and recovery of a photo-electric cell booby-trapped G Type mine in Clyde area. Assisted Lt Fenwick render safe mine in 3rd floor office of building adjacent to main telephone exchange in Liverpool 13 Mar 41. |
MUIR PO/X110265 |
A/Cpl RM |
'P-Party' 1574 |
15 May 45 |
BEM |
Port Clearance - BEM awarded for gallantry and skill in mine-searching and clearing operations in the ports of Normandy and of the Low Countries following the invasion of France. |
MURRAY |
Lt Cdr RN |
HMS Vernon |
9 Aug 40 |
MID |
RMS - MID awarded for courage and skill in dealing with an unexploded bomb. |
MUTTOCK C/JX320267 |
AB |
‘P’ Party 1573 |
30 Apr 46 |
MID |
Port Clearance - MID awarded for good services in Mine Clearance and Mine Disposal Operations in NW Europe immediately before the close of the war with Germany and in the months which followed. |
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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