AWM52 1/11/18/5 - Headquarters London Victory March Contingent, 1946, part 4, Summary of events and correspondence - Part 4

NAVAL VICTORY  CONTINGENT.

 

The Naval Victory Contingent includes:

[[?]] Officers

[[?]] [[?]] Officers

[[?]] Naval [[?]] [[?]]

[[?23?]] Other ranks

making the total strength 30.

The contingent is led by Lieutenant Commander

R.I. Peek, O.B.E., D.S.C., R.A.N. (Senior Officer) and

Lieutenant Commander G.J. Cliff, O.B.E., G.E. & Bar, R.A.N.V.R.

Chief Officer S.McClemens represents the

Women's Royal Australian Naval Service and Sister C. Wilson,

the Royal Australian Naval [[?]] Service.

The men have been selected from all branches of

the Navy [[?]] [[?]] [[?]] Petty Officers, Petty Officers,

Telegraphists, [[other?]] [[?]] Attendants, Able Seamen, and Stokers.

Their awards been gained in services in all parts of the

world and are representative of all sections of the R.A.N.

activities.

Twenty-eight members have earned between them,

2 O.B.E's, 1 M.B.E., 1 D.S.C., 2 G.R.'s, 23 D.S.M's, 1 B.E.W.,

1 Lloyd's War Medal, 1 Greek Medal and 7 mentions in despatches.

 

 

O.B.E         ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

M.D.S.        MEDAL OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

D.S.C.         DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS

GM             GEORGE MEDAL

LIEUTENANT COMMANDER R.I.PEEK. O.B.E. D.S.C. R.A.N.

of Penrith N.S.W.

Awarded OBE as Gunnery Officer in H.M.A.S.Australia for

operations at Loyte Gulf. In this action "Australia" was hit by

a suicide aircraft causing casualties to most of the bridge

personnel. Lt. Cdr. R.I.Peek took charge and organized fire

fighting and damage control operations.

The DSC was awarded on the same ship for gallantry, skill

and devotion to duty during successful action in Lingayan Gulf.

LIEUTENANT COMMANDER G.J.CLIFF, O.B.E.. GEORGE MEDAL & BAR, RANVR.

of Collaroy Beach N.S.W.

Serving war years as member of special Admiralty squad

engaged on mine recovery and disposal operations around ports

harbours of United Kingdom.

Gained George Medal for rendering a buried mine safe, in

London Docks area, May,1941.

Bar to George Medal awarded for a successful recovery

operation of live magnetic mine in Belfast Reservoir, July,1941.

Awarded MBE in March,1943  for removal on magnetic mine from

vicinity of Training ship "Mercury",Southampton.

OBE awarded in November,1943 for removal of buried mine in

Southampton docks.

CHIEF OFFICER S.M.McCLEMANS, W.R.A.N.S. of Perth, West. Australia.

Joined WRANS 1942. Appointed Director, May,1943.

Prior to war service, practiced Law in Western Australia

and has the distinction of being the first woman to appear as

Counsel before the Supreme Court in Western Australia.

SISTER C.S.WILSON,  R.A.N. NURSING SERVICE. of Geelong Victoria

Joined Nursing Service in 1942 as one of its original

members.

Served during the wart Flinders Naval Depot, Westernport;

Milne Bay (New Guinea) Naval hospital, being one of four Nursing

sisters sent to that area; Sydney Repatriation hospital Naval 

Wing and Canonbury Naval Hospital, Sydney.

 

 

CHIEF STOKER [[?]] DSM., [[MD?]] of Kingsford. N.S.W.

Whilst serving in [[?]] [[?]] was awarded the D.S.M.

for his part in an action which resulted in saving a Dutch

troopship damaged by torpedo attacks off the island of Layte.

Received [[?]] whilst working in H.M.A.S. Vampire in the

Mediterranean when an enemy bomber was shot down.

The second [[?]] was awarded in the same ship when it

attacked and sunk by Japanese bombers in the Bay of Bengal.

CHIEF [[?]] [[?]] [[[A MORRISON?]] of Melbourne, Victoria.

The DSM was awarded for his part taken in Repair and Damage

Control when the cruiser H.M.A.S. [[rella?]] was hit and badly

damaged by Japanese suicide aircraft at Lingayen Gulf.

[[MID?]] was awarded on H.M.A.S. Hobart during the evacuation of

British Someliland.

LEADING SEAMAN B.A.SMITH, DSM, MID., of Melbourne, Victoria.

DSM was awarded for survey operations in the Philippines

whilst serving on H.M.A.S. Gascoyne. This work carried out in

small craft off the beachheads some days prior to Allied landings.

MID was gained in the same ship for distinguished services

in successful survey work under dangerous conditions off the

New Guinea coast.

CHIEF STOKER B.R.HOLDSWORTH. DSM., MID., of Melbourne, Victoria.

DSM - served in H.M.A.S. Australia during the landing on

Lingayen. Chief Stoker Holdsworth was in charge of 'A' boiler

room when the ship was hit by suicide planes and saved the boilers

from serious damage..

MID - received for part taken in damage and control work

when the destroyer H.M.A.S. Hector was sunk by Germain aircraft on

convoy duties in the Mediterranean.

CHIEF PETTY OFFICER A.W.F COOPER, D.S.M. GREEK. MC.,of Freemantle, 
Western Australia

Awarded DSM whilst serving in the fire control room of
H.M.A.S Shropshire in the battle of the Surigeo Straits and Leyte Gulf
operations, Citation reads 'For skill, determination and courage
whilst serving in H.M.A.S. Shropshire in Leyte Gulf operations
October, 1944.
Greek MC was awarded for services as Gunner's Mate in
H.M.A.S Voyager during the Greek campaign.
PETTY OFFICER N.R. ANDERSON, D.SM,, LLOYD'S WAR MEDAL, of Collingwood,
Victoria

D.S.M. - acted as D.E.M.S. gunner on M.V. Dorset when that ship
was attacked continuously for four days in a Malta convoy. 'Petty
Officer Anderson's courage acted as an inspiration to the crew'
The Lloyd's war medal was awarded for the same action by the
Directors of Lloyds.
 

[[? The next 2 paragraphs I can't decipher....too much of the wording is missing?]]

 

 

PETTY OFFICER R.J.ANDERSON, DSM., of Subiaco, Western Australia.

Whilst serving on the destroyer H.M.A.S.Nestor on escort

duties in the Mediterranean. Petty Officer Anderson assisted in

the rescue of a torpedoed troopship, by going over the side and

cutting loose two life boats which were hampering operations.

This work was carried out under the threat of air attack.

 

 

 

 

CHIEF STOKER [[?]] DSM., [[?]] of Kingsford. N.S.W.

Whilst serving in [[?]] [[?]] was awarded the D.S.M.

for his part in an action which resulted in saving a Dutch

troopship damaged by torpedo attacks off the island of Layte.

Received [[?]] whilst working in H.M.A.S. Vampire in the

Mediterranean when an enemy bomber was shot down.

The second [[?]] was awarded in the same ship when it

attacked and sunk by Japanese bombers in the Bay of Bengal.

CHIEF [[?]] [[?]] [[?]] of Melbourne, Victoria.

The DSM was awarded for his part taken in Repair and Damage

Control when the cruiser H.M.A.S. [[?Cinderella?]] was hit and badly

damaged by Japanese suicide aircraft at Lingayen Gulf.

[[MD?]] was awarded on H.M.A.S. Hobart during the evacuation of

British Someliland.

LEADING SEAMAN B.A.SMITH, DSM, MID., of Melbourne, Victoria.

DSM was awarded for survey operations in the Philippines

whilst serving on H.M.A.S. Gascoyne. This work carried out in

small craft off the beachheads some days prior to Allied landings.

MID was gained in the same ship for distinguished services

in successful survey work under dangerous conditions off the

New Guinea coast.

CHIEF STOKER B.R.HOLDSWORTH. DSM., MID., of Melbourne, Victoria.

DSM - served in H.M.A.S. Australia during the landing on

Lingayen. Chief Stoker Holdsworth was in charge of 'A' boiler

room when the ship was hit by suicide planes and saved the boilers

from serious damage..

MID - received for part taken in damage and control work

when the destroyer H.M.A.S. Hector was sunk by Germain aircraft on

convoy duties in the Mediterranean.

CHIEF PETTY OFFICER A.W.F COOPER, D.S.M. GREEK. MC.,of Freemantle, 
Western Australia

Awarded DSM whilst serving in the fire control room of
H.M.A.S Shropshire in the battle of the Surigeo Straits and Leyte Gulf
operations, Citation reads 'For skill, determination and courage
whilst serving in H.M.A.S. Shropshire in Leyte Gulf operations
October, 1944.
Greek MC was awarded for services as Gunner's Mate in
H.M.A.S Voyager during the Greek campaign.
PETTY OFFICER N.R. ANDERSON, D.SM,, LLOYD'S WAR MEDAL, of Collingwood,
Victoria

D.S.M. - acted as D.E.M.S. gunner on M.V. Dorset when that ship
was attacked continuously for four days in a Malta convoy. 'Petty
Officer Anderson's courage acted as an inspiration to the crew'
The Lloyd's war medal was awarded for the same action by the
Directors of Lloyds.
 

[[? The next 2 paragraphs I can't decipher....too much of the wording is missing?]]

 

 

PETTY OFFICER R.J.ANDERSON, DSM., of Subiaco, Western Australia.

Whilst serving on the destroyer H.M.A.S.Nestor on escort

duties in the Mediterranean. Petty Officer Anderson assisted in

the rescue of a torpedoed troopship, by going over the side and

cutting loose two life boats which were hampering operations.

This work was carried out under the threat of air attack.

 

PETTY OFFICER [[?ILLEGIBLE PARAGRAPH?]] 

 

PETTY OFFICER [[?ILLEGIBLE LINE?]] 

Received the DSM whilst [[?]] in H.M.A.S. [[?]] in the

Mediterranean for  his part in [[?]] and charting [[?]]  [[?]]

minefield. During this operation a submarine was located and

successfully attacked.