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Auction: 14001 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 65

A Good Second War 1941 North Atlantic 'Convoy Duties' B.E.M. to Able Seaman P.W. Needham, Royal Navy, For Brave Conduct In the S.S. San Florentino During A Five Hour Night-Time Battle With an Enemy U-Boat, 2.10.1941; For His Gallantry the Second Officer was Awarded the George Medal
British Empire Medal, Civil Division, G.VI.R. (Paul W. Needham), minor edge bruising, good very fine

B.E.M. London Gazette 3.3.1942 Paul William Needham, Able Seaman [in a joint citation with Stanley Miller, Esq., Chief Officer (awarded the O.B.E.); Leonard Victor Grinstead, Esq., Third Engineer (awarded the M.B.E.); George Taylor, Esq., Second Officer (awarded the G.M.); and Sidney Freeman, Gunner (awarded the B.E.M.)]
'The ship was attacked by a submarine and torpedoed. For over five hours the two vessels fought in very heavy seas. Later, a second U-boat joined in the attack.
The Chief Officer directed gun-fire from the monkey-island and, by his skilful conning of the ship and his fine defence control, succeeded in keeping the enemy at bay through the long hours of darkness.
The Third Engineer was on watch in the engine-room and, only with difficulty, was persuaded to leave his post when the ship at last had to be abandoned.
The Second Officer was in charge of the gun and stood to his post throughout the action, shooting magnificently.
Freeman and Needham loaded and fired under his orders. The three men fought until they had only three shells left.
Later, the Second Officer manned one of the falls to lower a boat and, when it was clear, jumped overboard, swam to it and took charge. By his courage and fortitude he kept up the spirits of the tired men until they at last came to safety. Freeman and Needham did good service in this boat.'

The Attack on the San Florentino
At 23:57 hours on 1st October, 1941, the San Florentino, a 12,842 ton steam tanker owned by the Eagle Oil and Shipping Co. Ltd, London, commanded by Master Robert William Davis, whilst on convoy duty with convoy ON-19, en-route from Glasgow to Halifax, was hit amidships by a torpedo fired from U-94 whilst in the North Atlantic approximately 1,000 miles west of Georgetown, British Guiana. The tanker had been spotted at 18:10 hours, and missed by a first torpedo fired at 23:36 hours. At 02:49 hours on the 2nd October, she was hit in the bow by a second torpedo, and then hit in the bow by a third torpedo at 04:26 hours. After evading another torpedo twenty five minutes later, she broke in two at 05:02. The bow remained afloat upright, whilst the stern slowly sank, and she was fired upon throughout from the gun-deck of the U-boat. The captain, 21 crew members, and one gunner were lost, and are commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial. 31 crew members and four gunners survived, to be picked up by H.M.C.S. Mayflower, and landed at St. John's.

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Estimate
£600 to £800