Gazette Information: GAZETTE ISSUE 30194, VICTORIA CROSS,: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issues/30194/supplement/7424. The KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned for services in action with enemy submarines:- Lieutenant Ronald Neil Stuart, D.S.O., Royal Naval Reserve. Lieutenant Stuart was selected by the officers of one of HM Ships to receive the Victoria Cross under Rule 13 of the Royal Warrant dated the 29th January 1856. GAZETTE ISSUE 31021, VICTORIA CROSS,: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issues/31021/supplement/13694. Admiralty, 20th November 1918. With reference to announcements of the award of the Victoria Cross to naval officers and men for services in action with enemy submarines, the following are the accounts of the actions for which these awards were made:- Action of HMS “Pargust” on the 7th June 1917. On the 7th June 1917 while disguised as a British merchant vessel with a dummy gun mounted aft, HMS “Pargust” was torpedoed at very close range. Her boiler-room, engine-room, and No.5 hold were immediately flooded, and the starboard lifeboat was blown to pieces. The weather was misty at the time, fresh breeze and a choppy sea. The “panic party,” under the command of Lieutenant F R Hereford, D.S.C., Royal Naval Reserve, abandoned ship, and as the last boat was shoving off, the periscope of the submarine was observed close before the port beam about 400 yards distant. The enemy then submerged, and periscope reappeared directly astern, passing to the starboard quarter, and then round to the port beam, when it turned again towards the ship, breaking surface about 50 yards away. The lifeboat, acting as a lure, commenced to pull round the stern; submarine followed closely and Lieutenant Hereford, with complete disregard of the danger incurred from fire of either ship or submarine (who had trained a maxim on the lifeboat), continued to decoy her to within 50 yards of the ship. The “Pargust” then opened fire with all guns, and the submarine, with oil squirting from her side and the crew pouring out of the conning tower, steamed slowly across the bows with a heavy list. The enemy crew held up their hands in token of surrender, whereupon fire immediately ceased. The submarine then began to move away at a gradually increasing speed, apparently endeavouring to escape in the mist. Fire was reopened until she sank, one man clinging to the bow as she went down. The boats, after a severe pull to windward, succeeded in saving one officer and one man. American Destroyers and a British sloop arrived shortly afterwards, and the “Pargust” was towed back to port. As on the previous occasions, officers and men displayed the utmost courage and confidence in their captain, and the action serves as an example of what perfect discipline, when coupled with such confidence, can achieve. (The award of the Victoria Cross to Lieutenant Ronald Neil Stuart, D.S.O., Royal Naval Reserve, was announced in London Gazette No. 30194, dated the 20th July 1917.) DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER,: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issues/29997/supplement/2951. GAZETTE ISSUE 29997, DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER, The KING has been graciously pleased to give orders for the appointment of the Officer to be Companion of the Distinguished Service Order. ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE OFFICERS' DECORATION (RD),: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issues/33555/pages/7659. MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES,: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issues/31248/supplement/3860. NAVY CROSS,: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issues/31553/supplement/11583.
Fold3_Team · 31 Oct 2023
Gazette Information: GAZETTE ISSUE 30194, VICTORIA CROSS,: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issues/30194/supplement/7424. The KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned for services in action with enemy submarines:- Lieutenant Ronald Neil Stuart, D.S.O., Royal Naval Reserve. Lieutenant Stuart was selected by the officers of one of HM Ships to receive the Victoria Cross under Rule 13 of the Royal Warrant dated the 29th January 1856. GAZETTE ISSUE 31021, VICTORIA CROSS,: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issues/31021/supplement/13694. Admiralty, 20th November 1918. With reference to announcements of the award of the Victoria Cross to naval officers and men for services in action with enemy submarines, the following are the accounts of the actions for which these awards were made:- Action of HMS “Pargust” on the 7th June 1917. On the 7th June 1917 while disguised as a British merchant vessel with a dummy gun mounted aft, HMS “Pargust” was torpedoed at very close range. Her boiler-room, engine-room, and No.5 hold were immediately flooded, and the starboard lifeboat was blown to pieces. The weather was misty at the time, fresh breeze and a choppy sea. The “panic party,” under the command of Lieutenant F R Hereford, D.S.C., Royal Naval Reserve, abandoned ship, and as the last boat was shoving off, the periscope of the submarine was observed close before the port beam about 400 yards distant. The enemy then submerged, and periscope reappeared directly astern, passing to the starboard quarter, and then round to the port beam, when it turned again towards the ship, breaking surface about 50 yards away. The lifeboat, acting as a lure, commenced to pull round the stern; submarine followed closely and Lieutenant Hereford, with complete disregard of the danger incurred from fire of either ship or submarine (who had trained a maxim on the lifeboat), continued to decoy her to within 50 yards of the ship. The “Pargust” then opened fire with all guns, and the submarine, with oil squirting from her side and the crew pouring out of the conning tower, steamed slowly across the bows with a heavy list. The enemy crew held up their hands in token of surrender, whereupon fire immediately ceased. The submarine then began to move away at a gradually increasing speed, apparently endeavouring to escape in the mist. Fire was reopened until she sank, one man clinging to the bow as she went down. The boats, after a severe pull to windward, succeeded in saving one officer and one man. American Destroyers and a British sloop arrived shortly afterwards, and the “Pargust” was towed back to port. As on the previous occasions, officers and men displayed the utmost courage and confidence in their captain, and the action serves as an example of what perfect discipline, when coupled with such confidence, can achieve. (The award of the Victoria Cross to Lieutenant Ronald Neil Stuart, D.S.O., Royal Naval Reserve, was announced in London Gazette No. 30194, dated the 20th July 1917.) DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER,: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issues/29997/supplement/2951. GAZETTE ISSUE 29997, DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER, The KING has been graciously pleased to give orders for the appointment of the Officer to be Companion of the Distinguished Service Order. ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE OFFICERS' DECORATION (RD),: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issues/33555/pages/7659. MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES,: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issues/31248/supplement/3860. NAVY CROSS,: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issues/31553/supplement/11583.