AWARD FOR GALLANTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22101, 3 November 1933, Page 11

AWARD FOR GALLANTRY

HOLDER OF ALBERT MEDAL EXPLOSION IN GUN TURRET RECALLED. (Special to Daily Times.) AUCKLAND, November 2. An exceptionally high honour is.held by Commander Maxwell-Hyslop, who recently took over 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 on H.M.S. Devonshire. The incident occurred on July 26, 1929, when the Devonshire was carrying out full calibre gunnery practice in the Eastern Mediterranean. Lieutenant-com-mander Maxwell-Hyslop, as he was then, was the cruiser’s gunnery officer. While firing was being carried out a sudden heavy explosion blew off the roof of one of the eight-inch 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. To-. gether they managed to evacuate the wounded, and then Marine Streams collapsed and had to be carried to safety by the officer. Lieutenant-commander Maxwell-Hyslop made a general examination of the turret and descended the gun well through the 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 the turret the fire caused by the explosion was still burning, and it was impossible to estimate the real state of affairs owing to the heavy smoke. They* carried out their rescue work in the knowledge that there were other cordite charges in the adjoining compartments which might ignite at any moment, in which case their lives could not have been saved. Twelve lives were lost as a result of the explosion. Commander Maxwell-Hyslop and Marine Streams were both awarded the Albert Medal by the King on November 20, 1929.