Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The exceptional Second War ‘Home Front’ G.M. and Post-War ‘Yangtze Incident’ D.S.M. group of nine awarded to Chief Petty Officer H. W. Robinson, Royal Navy, who received his D.S.M. for bravery during H.M.S. Consort’s valiant attempt to rescue the stricken H.M.S. Amethyst on the River Yangtze in April 1949, following which daring and hard fought action in which Consort sustained several direct hits and managed to destroy six of the eight communist field guns emplaced opposite Rose Island, Robinson topped the list of ratings recommended for awards, the report stating that he was ‘outstanding in setting an example of offensive spirit to the gun’s crews... displaying qualities of leadership, gallantry and unselfishness even to the point of hurling his false teeth at “those bloody communists”’ - One of just six D.S.M.s awarded to the Royal Navy for the Yangtze Incident, Robinson had previously been decorated with a George Medal for his gallant services aboard the S.S. Franconia at Gladstone Dock, Liverpool when a number of anti-aircraft rockets exploded causing casualties in September 1941

George Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue (P.O. Henry William Robinson D/JX 133428); Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R., 2nd issue (C.P.O. H. W. Robinson, D/JX.133428); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Yangtze 1949 (D/JX.133428 H. Robinson. P.O. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (JX.133428 H. W. Robinson. P.O. H.M.S. Drake) last with official correction to initial ‘H’, some contact wear and edge bruising, particularly to first, otherwise nearly very fine and better (9)
£18000-22000

G.M. London Gazette 14 April 1942.

The original recommendation states:

‘On 26 September 1941, there was a serious explosion among 2-inch U.P [Unrotated Projectile anti-aircraft rockets] on the troopship S.S. Franconia, in Gladstone dock, Liverpool. Robinson whose ship [H.M.S. Whitehall] was near the Franconia immediately proceeded on board with others and went to No. 2 deck where the explosion had occurred. Five unexploded 2-inch U.P. rounds of ammunition were lying on the deck and he carried them, one by one, to the ship’s side and threw them overboard, although two of them had damaged or missing vanes and were so hot that even with thick gloves he could only just hold them. He thereafter proceeded to flood the lockers containing the other 2-inch U.P. ammunition. He had recently been through a course and knew the danger he was facing. There were two people killed, a further four died in hospital and four or five others were seriously injured.’

D.S.M. London Gazette 1 November 1949. Six D.S.M’s were awarded to the Royal Navy for the Yangtze Incident, H.M.S. Amethyst (2), H.M.S. Consort (2) and H.M.S. London (2).

The original recommendation states:

‘For gallantry, dauntless courage, leadership and outstanding devotion to duty under fire. He showed an exceptionally offensive spirit, and set a splendid example to the gun’s crews and supply parties. With unfailing energy and dauntless courage, he went wherever trouble occurred, keeping the guns in action despite frequent damage and casualties to the armament and men.’

The confidential report submitted by the Commanding Officer of H.M.S. Consort, Commander Ian Robertson, DSC, places Robinson at the top of the list of seventeen officers and ratings specially recommended for gallantry following the Yangtze Incident, stating:

‘Of the ratings I should like in particular to mention the conduct of the Gunnery Instructor, Petty Officer Henry William Robinson, who was quite outstanding in setting an example of the offensive spirit to the gun’s crews and supply parties, speeding up the latter considerably. Also for his technical skill in dealing with breakdowns at the bofors. In general he displayed the highest qualities of leadership and gallantry (and unselfishness) even to the extent of hurling his false teeth at “those bloody communists!” He has been recommended separately for advancement to Chief Petty Officer for which he is due on 1 May 1949.’

The following is extracted from an article published in the Royal United Service Institution Journal, May 1950.

H.M.S. Consort’s Part in The Amethyst Incident

‘At Nanking, the weather through April had been almost consistently fine and on the morning of April 20th it had warmed up sufficiently for the local inhabitants to remove the top half-dozen layers of clothing which they normally assume every autumn. The scene was perfectly peaceful which the final dawn shooting party collected the last snipe from the outskirts of Nanking. The last wild ducks were crossing the Yangtse in the opposite direction to the last refugees, apparently undaunted by gunfire which had been gradually drawing closer for the last ten days. At just before 1000 the illusion of peace was rudely shattered by a signal from Amethyst ‘Am aground under heavy fire in approximate position lat. 32 N., 120 long. E.,’ then silence.

Preparations for sailing Consort and preparing for action were consequently accelerated and reported to Flag Officer Second in Command. While awaiting his reply it was confirmed from H.B.M. Embassy that no declaration of war had in fact been received. All doubts about what to do were resolved by a signal from the Flag Officer Second in Command to proceed to the assistance of H.M.S. Amethyst.

On receipt of this signal Consort advanced her time of sailing and got away at 1130 instead of noon. Since early morning a number of hands had been employed carefully embarking 700 cases of empties. These represented the floating capital of the ship's welfare fund, but they all had to be jettisoned as the ship got under way. It should be added here that their Lordships were pleased to reimburse in due course the Canteen Fund the sum of £180. She proceeded through Nanking Cut off (1/2 mile wide) at 20 knots, increasing to 28 knots when in the main channel.

She hoisted seven ensigns and displayed two Union Jacks painted on her side so there could be no doubt of her nationality. At 1300 she went to action stations. She was travelling down the Yangtze faster than any ship had ever done before and her wash would have been very destructive to the numerous craft that ply the river in normal times. In point of fact there was an ominous calm over the entire river. This was broken by some automatic machine gun fire coming from the North bank as she passed Icheng.

Although Consort's guns appeared to be peacefully fore and aft, she was keeping a very close watch on the North bank, and after she had been hit by several bullets one salvo was fired which scored a direct hit on a machine gun emplacement. And that put a stop to that.

Consort was in touch with F.O. 2 (Vice-Admiral Madden) at Hong Kong and Shanghai by wireless, giving them a S.I.T.R.E.P. every fifteen minutes, and at 1345 she was able to report that Amethyst was in sight. This was earlier than expected as her position proved to be further up than reported and we had apparently made a good 28 1/2 knots. As the two ships drew closer H.M.S. Amethyst signalled ‘If you are fired on I advise turning back’. H.M.S. Consort replied asking whether she was ready to be towed and was approaching her at 15 knots, when suddenly a shell landed 100 yards on our starboard quarter followed rapidly by another one a little closer. The battery which had damaged the Amethyst, was obviously coming into action.

That invitation was enough for Consort, who opened fire with rapid salvoes at a range of about one mile, she increased speed and swept on past the Amethyst and round the Rose Island bend. She knocked out three guns by direct hits but missed others because of the spread at that very short range. In any case the enemy was confused by the heavy fire and speed of his target for H.M.S. Consort escaped any serious damage or casualties. She therefore stopped, turned round and moved slowly back deliberately destroying the guns which could be seen to be still in action on the bank. Amethyst did not look too badly aground and Consort signalled that she would send medical assistance and was ready to take her in tow.

For a time all seemed to be going well, but when we again got within 1/2 mile of Amethyst, this time down stream, Consort started getting hit rather too frequently. This fire was coming from mobile anti-tank guns concealed in hedges and ditches. The wheelhouse was wrecked, killing the coxswain and putting the forward steering position out of action. However, the torpedo tubes crew was manning the tiller flat, instead of the tubes, so it was easy to telephone the wheel orders direct to them from the bridge, and so the ship remained under control.

The navigator was sent to the wheelhouse to see what the situation was there, and as he returned on the bridge his tin hat was abruptly removed from his head. When he picked it up there was a hole straight through the front made by a ·5 mm bullet. He reported that the wheelhouse was wrecked, the coxswain killed and other occupants wounded. At this time the bridge was hit twice by 37 mm shells, wounding the captain slightly and the first Chinese Pilot badly. The second pilot had to be dragged up from down below, and pinned in position 'by the navigator's dividers'. About the same time 'A' and 'B' guns were knocked out, the trainer in each case later dying of wounds whilst many others were also wounded.

It soon became clear that at the present rate of progress the ship would be out of action before the opposition could be silenced. Despite the casualties they had only too plainly received, the enemy still seemed able and willing to produce more automatic guns and bring them into action from positions which were not betrayed by their own fire. At about 3 o'clock the decision to withdraw was reluctantly taken. We could do nothing more. Even if we had had a seaworthy boat, it was unlikely to survive in that concentration of fire for more than a quarter of a mile. However, all boats had been perforated by enemy gunfire.

On board Consort the dressing station (Wardroom) was full of wounded, and whilst the Medical Officer (Surgeon-Lieutenant Bentley) ably continued his grisly work, the wardroom was hit three times putting the lights out, re-wounding casualties and sweeping away the surgical instruments. Luckily the doctor was untouched and he was energetically assisted by the one Sick Birth Attendant, whilst the radar ratings were of great value as stretcher bearers. The survivors of 'A' and 'B' guns went aft to man 'Y' gun; 'X' gun had a stoppage and for a brief and unhealthy few minutes only one 4.5in. gun was in action. However, the Bofors were still firing, though short of ammunition once the ready use supply had been exhausted.

When 'X' gun jammed the gunner's mate got so excited that in his exhortations to the supply party to keep the Bofors in action his upper plate fell out. He promptly flung it at the supply parties and when the next belt of ammunition ran out, he said that one half was no good without the other and hurled that plate at those ‘bloody communists'.

The supply parties were mostly made up of Chinese cooks, stewards, mess boys and the dhoby firm. As the crisis drew on they were discovered to be sending up any projectile they could lay hands on, even starshell. The stokers of the fire and repair parties, when not putting out fires of which there were several, hurled themselves into the shell rooms magazine in order to send up more ammunition.

Not counting the unexploded shell which was discovered many days later on top of one of the boilers, the engine and boiler rooms had only one hit, which was very lucky. The engine room had a big part to play. On no less than three occasions that afternoon they received the order ‘Emergency full astern together', when that wasn’t on, the order most in force that day was 'full ahead together'.

In turning at the narrow part of Rose Island bend, Consort was less than 1/2 mile from Amethyst and only a quarter mile from the north bank. Opposite her was a scene of desolation but somewhere a little further inland, anti-tank guns were still keeping up their rapid fire. As soon as she had turned, she increased speed again to minimise the chances of being hit. Before she lost sight of Amethyst, she tried to signal ‘We'll be back in the morning' in order to cheer them up.

As all the signal projectors had been put out of action and two leading signalmen wounded, the signal was made by W./T. and actually received by Amethyst on her emergency set, although she was unable to acknowledge it. Meanwhile H.M.S. Consort was soon under fire again from the battery on Low Island (see map). This battery consisted of seven or eight 75 mm guns which had already fired a few desultory rounds at Amethyst but they were now obviously on their mettle. At least one of their guns did some very accurate shooting, and Consort was hit six times in rapid succession. The first shot hit the gyro and had the effect of swinging the ship in towards the nearby bank, but she was soon conned back by telephone order from the bridge, although not before the engines had been ordered full astern together.

Two other hits killed two and wounded three of the forward repair party, wrecked the W./T. office, and mortally wounded the operator in the middle of an emergency message. The other occupants were either killed or wounded except a young acting leading telegraphist, Miller, who disentangled himself from the mess, and immediately went aft to get the emergency set going.

Another shell wrecked the T.S. killing the whole crew of three. The Electrical Officer, who had been in the T.S. at the time, went up to report to the bridge looking like a negro covered with the debris of the explosion. Although alongside the crew he himself was untouched.

The first shell to hit started a fire amongst the oerlikon supply line forward, but this was soon dealt with by the remainder of the forward fire party ably led by the Leading Stoker Mechanic.

Consort was of course replying with all available guns. Of the main armament, the after group of two guns was being controlled by the Gunnery Officer in quarters firing. At least one of the enemy guns sustained a direct hit. At a speed of 28 knots the battle was soon over, but there was another drama to come. Owing to a misunderstood order the wheel in the tiller flat was put the wrong way and the ship turned directly towards the south bank which was only 200 yards off. For a moment it seemed impossible that she could fail to end up as a permanent feature of the landscape. However, for the third and last occasion that day, the engines were ordered Emergency Full Astern. This was immediately obeyed and by the time she hit the banks bows on, all 40,000 horse power was drawing the ship astern. She came off the mud at once, was turned round and once more headed down stream. Only the Captain knew that she had actually been aground in soft mud.

By 1630 hours she was approaching Kiangyin where several Chinese nationalist sloops and gunboats were anchored under the protection of a fort on the South Bank. After anchoring, one of them signalled 'Have you been caught in the Communist gunfire?' to which Consort replied 'Yes, but we gave them rather more than we got'. Although the ship's company had been severely tested the men were far from down hearted. As some wag remarked 'Might have been worse, it could have been raining'. It had been a perfectly glorious sunny day, almost too warm for the sort of work they had had that afternoon.’

Sold with copied research, including recommendations for both awards and a full copy of Commander I. G. Robertson’s ‘confidential’ report following the Yangtze Incident.