The Ron Penhall Collection

The Second World War “V.C. action” D.S.M. group of four awarded to Able Seaman A. Spendlove, Royal Navy, one of a handful of men to survive the extremely gallant action fought by H.M.S. Li Wo - against impossible odds - off Sumatra in February 1942

Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (A.B. A. Spendlove, C/JX. 131500); 1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45, together with Far East P.O.W. Association lapel badge, good very fine and better (5) £4000-5000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Ron Penhall Collection.

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D.S.M. London Gazette 17 December 1946:

‘A member of the 4-inch gun crew, who fought with courage and effect in the last action of H.M.S. Li Wo.’

Albert Spendlove was one of two crew members to receive the D.S.M. for this extraordinary action. His captain, Temporary Lieutenant Thomas Wilkinson, R.N.R., was awarded a posthumous V.C., while Temporary Sub. Lieutenant R. G. G. Stanton, R.N.R., received the D.S.O., Acting Petty Officer A. W. Thompson the C.G.M., and six others “mentions” - three of them posthumously.

No better summary of the action may be quoted than the citation for the V.C. to Wilkinson, which headed the awards to the crew of the Li Wo announced in the London Gazette of 17 December 1946:

‘On 14 February 1942, H.M.S. Li Wo, a patrol vessel of 1,000 tons, formerly a passenger steamer on the Upper Yangtse River, was on passage from Singapore to Batavia. Her ship’s company consisted of eighty-four officers and men, including one civilian; they were mainly survivors from His Majesty’s Ships which had been sunk, and a few from units of the Army and Royal Air Force. Her armament was one 4-inch gun, for which she had only thirteen practise shells, and two machine-guns.

Since leaving Singapore the previous day, the ship had beaten off four air attacks, in one of which fifty-two machines took part, and had suffered considerable damage. Late in the afternoon, she sighted two enemy convoys, the larger of which was escorted by Japanese naval units, including a heavy cruiser and some destroyers. The Commanding Officer, Lieutenant T. Wilkinson, R.N.R., gathered his scratch ship’s company together and told them that, rather than try to escape, he had decided to fight to the last, in the hope that he might inflict damage upon the enemy. In making this decision, which drew resolute support from the whole ship’s company, Lieutenant Wilkinson knew that his ship faced certain destruction, and that his own chances of survival were small.

H.M.S. Li Wo hoisted her battle ensign and made straight for the enemy. In the action which followed, the machine-guns were used with effect upon the crews of all ships in range, and a volunteer gun’s crew manned the 4-inch gun, which they fought with such purpose that a Japanese transport was badly hit and set on fire.
After a little over an hour, H.M.S. Li Wo had been critically damaged and was sinking. Lieutenant Wilkinson then decided to ram his principal target, the large transport, which had been abandoned by her crew. It is known that this ship burnt fiercely throughout the night following the action, and was probably sunk.

H.M.S. Li Wo’s gallant fight ended when, her shells spent, and under heavy fire from the enemy cruiser, Lieutenant Wilkinson finally ordered abandon ship. He himself remained on board, and went down with her. There were only about ten survivors, who were later made prisoners of war.

Lieutenant Wilkinson’s valour was equalled only by the skill with which he fought his ship. The Victoria Cross is bestowed upon him posthumously in recognition both of his own heroism and self-sacrifice, and of all who fought and died with him.’

A closer picture of the activities of the 4-inch gun crew - in which Spendlove served - may be found in an account of the action by Acting Petty Officer A. W. Thompson, who, as related above, was awarded the C.G.M.:

‘During the afternoon of Saturday 14 February, we sighted a Japanese convoy on the horizon, escorted by cruisers. The captain decided to attack. He sent for me, and explained the situation, which was serious. I volunteered to take charge of the 4-inch gun and as the cruisers were out of range I opened fire on the leading ship in the convoy. There were approximately 15 ships in the convoy, of various tonnages, the ship in the lead being about 2,500 tons. I scored a hit on this ship with my second shot. The merchant ships retaliated, causing a great many casualties. Meanwhile, the cruisers were manoeuvering for position to open fire. By this time the merchant ships were in the line of fire of their warships. I scored a second hit just above the waterline and flames poured out. We were now closing the leading ship rapidly, and I scored a direct hit on the Bridge superstructure, blowing most of it away. This caused great panic among the Japanese on board and many of them started to abandon ship. By this time the merchant ship was well on fire, and we went full speed astern to get clear. Unfortunately as we did so another salvo from a warship hit us, setting the cordite round the gun on fire. The captain gave the orders to abandon ship ... ’

Worse was to follow in the water. Thompson continues:

‘The Japanese destroyers circled at high speed through the wreckage, machine-guns and rifles firing at any survivor they could see. They threw hand grenades and even lumps of coal in their rage at seeing one of their transports sunk with such impudence. There were only eight of us, all wounded, left alive by the time they left the area, and we found a swamped lifeboat to hang onto. Some hours later two of these died ... ’

These gallant few eventually reached Banka Island, where they were captured: ‘We didn’t know it then, but that was the beginning of three and a half years of abject slavery, starvation and brutality far beyond the ken of the ordinary western civilised mind.’

Sold with a fine quality model of the Li Wo, in glazed display case, and a modern oil painting depicting her final action.