HIGH HONOUR HELD

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 35, 4 November 1933, Page 6

HIGH HONOUR HELD

Commander of Laburnum AN ALBERT MEDAL WON Dominion Special Service. Auckland, November 3. An exceptionally high honour is held by Commander Maxwell Hyslop, who recently took over the command of the Imperial sloop Laburnum. In 1929 he was awarded the Albert Medal for gallantry in saving life at sea. The medal, which was designed by Prince Albert and established by Queen Victoria in 1866, is awarded only for deeds of great bravery. The award in Commander Maxwell Hyslop’s case was made in recognition of his bravery in rescuing men after an explosion in a gun turret ou H.M.S. Devonshire. The incident occurred on July 26,1929, when the Devonshire was carrying out full calibre gunnery practice iu the Eastern Mediterranean. Lieutenant-Commander Maxwell Hyslop, as he was then, was cruiser’s gunnery officer. WJiile tiring was being carried out a sudden heavy explosion blew off the roof of one of the Bin. gun turrets. Commander Maxwell Hyslop was directing the shoot from the fore control, but when the explosion occurred he stopped the exercise and immediately went to the turret and climbed inside. He was accompanied by Marine A. E. Streams, who was the only man in the gun house not killed instantly or fatally injured by the explosion. Together they managed to evacuate the wounded, and then Marine Streams collapsed and had to be carried to safety by an officer. Commander Maxwell Hyslop made a general examination of the turret and descended the gun well through most dangerous conditions of fumes and smoke, necessitating the use of a lifeline. He remained in the turret. until the emergency was over, directing arrangements for the safety of the magazine, and supervising the evacuation of the wounded. When the two men entered tlie turret the fire caused by the explosion was still burning, and it was impos-sible to estimate the real state of affairs owing to tiie heavy smoke. They carried out their rescue work in the knowledge that there were other cordite charges in adjoining compartments which might ignite at any moment, in which case their lives could not have been saved. Twelve lives were lost as the result of the explosion. Commander Maxwell Hyslop and Marine Streams were both awarded the Albert Medal by the King on November 20, 1929.