“COLD-BLOODED BRAVERY”

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 13330, 17 December 1943, Page 7

“COLD-BLOODED BRAVERY”

NINETEEN DAYS WITH DEATH This is the story of five men who lived side by side with death'for 19 days. They knew that death might come at any second throughout those 19 days and nights when they toiled with cold-blooded bravery below the decks of an ammunition ship, which was liable to explode and blow them all to pieces at the slightest jar, states the Daily Mail. London Gazette —chronicle of so many brave and gallant actions —has never told a story of more cool and calculated courage than when it recorded, in a series of citations, this history of 19 days. The story opened on May 24 last, when a ship had been sent to sea to dump unserviceable ammunition overboard.

Suddenly there was an explosion which killed one soldier and seriously injured five others, “and left a number of rounds so damaged as to be in a highly sensitive condition, liable to explode with the slightest jar.”

The ship came back into port. Down in her hold lay 50,000 rounds. Any one of these exploding would probably detonate the lot. Immediately she came into port Captain Thomas William Downing, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, of Exmouth, Devon, without awaiting orders, went straight into the hold. To minimise the risk of explosions he collected all the broken, dangerous, and blood-stained rounds he could find.

The dumping was suspended while a party of Royal Army Ordnance Corps men, all of whom volunteered for the duty, were carefully instructed and drilled in the work of handling the ammunition and hoisting it from the ship’s hold to the deck for dropping overboard. The instructions lasted several days. Special gear was installed. Major Eric Maxwell Kentley, senior ammunition officer in Northern Ireland, of Collingham, near Leeds, heard what had happened. He, was on sick leave recovering from pneumonia. He specially requested that he might be allowed to take charge of the operation. Of him the London Gazette said: “Apart irom being Officer Commanding tne party he aid not hesitate to assist in carrying out one oi tne most ucuigtruus joes in tne ship—acruauy uaudang or mure crusii-. ed, uaiuageu, ana dangerous rounds. "ixis power ot command was outstanding. 'mere is no douot that the v-eiy rigid discipline insisted upon was carried out aosoluteiy to tne letter, and his courage aim devotion to duty were maimy responsible for the tact that the operation was entirely successful even though it involved tour nerve-racking days.” . Staff Quartermaster-Sergeant John Coles, or Cheltenham, was tne nrst to volunteer to dump ammunition oy hand. He took the hardest and most dangerous jobs himself. Sergeant George Hendrie, of Galashiels, was not among the men selected for the task. When he heard that he had not been chosen he entreated his superior officers to let him go with the ship.

By virtue of his training, says the Gazette ,he was more fully alive to the danger involved than others of his rank. He took full control of his men and his discipline was of the highest order. Lieut.-Colonel Frank Mitchelson Day, whose home is at Rosendeneavenue, Streatham, S.W., personally supervised the four-days task ot dumping the ammunition. He displayed courage, coolness, and skill in a high degree worthy of special commendation. He gets the 0.8. E.

Major Ketley is also awarded the 0.8. E., Captain Downing is awarded the George Medal, Staff Quarter-master-Sergeant Coles and Sergeant Hendrie are awarded the British Empire Medal. Let the London Gazette say the final word about their gallantry. Referring to Captain Downing, the citation says:—

“This officer, in the fullest knowledge of the attendant risks, showed complete disregard for danger and by personal cold-blooded courage, coolness and steadiness, greatly contributed to the successful completion of the operation.”

Colonel Day, who is 45. set off to clear the ship, leaving his wife in hospital.

She was too ill to be told the nature of the job. Before he left he called to see her. “I am going to be ‘away for four or five days, he said. “Don’t worry.” That was all. But to his 21-years-old daughter, Margaret, he admitted: “It may turn out to be dangerous. I didn’t want to worry Mummy.” Father and daughter kept the secret until his return, Mrs Day has now recovered.