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MV
Melbourne Star
Blue
Star Line |
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The Survivors |
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London
Gazette
Tuesday
15th August 1944
Awarded
the British Empire Medal
Civil
Division
William
Best, Greaser
William
Joseph Burns, Greaser
Ronald
Nunn, Ordinary Seaman
Leonard
White, Able Seaman |
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The
Citation Reads
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"In
the early part of 1943 the Melbourne
Star, sailing alone, was attacked in
darkness.
Two
torpedoes hit the ship and she sank almost immediately. There was no
time to launch the boats but a number of rafts floated clear. Although
efforts were made by the survivors on one raft to rescue others, only
four of the crew were eventually rescued, after being adrift on a raft
for 38 days.
Able
Seaman White, Greaser Burns, Greaser Best and Ordinary Seaman Nunn
all
displayed outstanding qualities of courage, fortitude and endurance
which enabled them to survive the hardship and perils of the long and
hazardous ordeal on the raft". |
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The
Medal
of the Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service is usually
referred to as the British Empire Medal. Together with the Empire
Gallantry Medal it was instituted in December 1922 replacing the
earlier Medal of the Order of the British Empire. The medal is awarded
for meritorious service to both civil and military personnel. The medal
is struck in silver and is issued named in engraved capitals around the
edge. |
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When
the Melbourne Star was
sunk, the seaman’s pay stopped on the day of the
sinking. They did not receive any more pay until they joined another
ship. The seaman were given 30 days survivor’s leave, dated from the
day their ship was sunk. This
leave was unpaid. It only meant that they didn’t have to report
back to the pool for 30 days. The
38 days spent on the life raft, hopelessly and desperately adrift in
the Atlantic, was counted as the survivor’s
leave. |
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Able
Seaman Leonard Henry White BEM |
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During
the Second World War 1939 - 1945 Leonard White served as an Able Seaman
in the Merchant Navy Fleet. Sailing from his home port of Liverpool,
his ships journeyed in the hazardous shipping lanes of the Atlantic and
the Pacific Oceans moving vital supplies in support of the war effort.
It was at this time two of his ships were torpedoed and sunk by enemy
action, the Norman Prince
-
'Prince Line'
in 1942 and the Melbourne
Star - 'Blue Star Line' in 1943. |
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Ordinary
Seaman Ronald Nunn BEM |
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Ordinary
Seaman
Ronald Nunn did not survive to receive his award. Aged 19, he lost
his
life by enemy action whilst serving in SS Dungrange when the vessel was
torpedoed and sunk by an E-boat off St Catherine’s Point, Isle of
Wight, on the 10th June 1944.
Tower
Hill Memorial Panel 36.
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Greaser, William Best BEM
&
Greaser, William Joseph
Burns
BEM
No
Further Information |
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Next
'The Memorial' |
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