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Auction: 22001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 519

'Although she was armed with only a 4.7 in gun against the six or eight 5.9 in guns of the raider, the Turakina, it was stated, had fought the raider for nearly three hours, and went down with colours flying'

The Superb posthumous Lloyds Medal for Bravery at Sea group of four awarded to Chief Radio Officer S. K. Jones, Merchant Navy, for his astonishing devotion to duty during the sinking of the S.S. Turakina, 20 August 1940, the first battle ever fought on the Tasmanian Sea, when he remained at his post under heavy fire for almost three hours, even after the order to abandon ship had been given

Lloyds Medal for Bravery at Sea, circular Silver Medal (Chief Radio Officer S.K. Jones, S.S. "Turakina", 20th August. 1940.), with fitted case of issue; King's Commendation for Brave Conduct, in card box of issue; War Medal 1939-45, with M.I.D. Oak Leaf, good very fine (4)

King’s Commendation for Brave Conduct London Gazette 5 February 1946:

‘Chief Radio Officer Jones (deceased) displayed outstanding devotion to duty, by sending out distress messages until he was blown from his post’

Sydney Kenneth Jones was born at Pontypridd on 26 June 1912, the son of Miriam and Sydney Jones. Joining the Merchant Navy in 1930 as a Radio Telegraph Operator he was Chief Radio Operator by 1939, working aboard the merchant ship S.S. Turakina. This vessel was en-route from Sydney, Australia to Wellington, New Zealand on 20 August 1940 when she sent out a distress signal stating that she was being shelled by an enemy raider.

The Ship’s Master, James B. Laird was quoted upon leaving Sydney as saying that “if attacked his ship would fight to the end” (Evening Post 6 October 1945). The raider, the S.S. Orion, called upon the merchantman to stop and cease all broadcasts - but true to her Captain’s order the Turakina opened fire on her attacker. The Orion returned fire, her much heavier armament swiftly taking a toll as shells struck the fore-topmast and lookout, wrecked the Bridge, range-finder and started a fire amidships in the Engineers quarters. All the while, Jones continued to broadcast an S.O.S.; even when the German ship took aim at the radio equipment specifically, he remained on-station. Despite the brave fight put up by the Turakina, she was reduced to little more than a blazing hulk and the Orion moved in for the kill: possibly persuaded by the continued S.O.S. broadcasting, she decided to torpedo the merchantman. Approaching to within one mile, she loosed off a torpedo into the stricken vessel. When it struck, it was clear to Captain Laird that the Turakina was done for and the battle was over and he ordered the crew to abandon the sinking ship. Despite this. Jones remained at the radio and still continued to broadcast the S.O.S.

The radio had been a target for the Orion from the opening of the engagement and the decision to broadcast the S.O.S. was one of the main causes of the battle to begin with. One of the final shots of the engagement finally found its mark and Jones was blown from his desk and through the wooden wall of the radio room. Third Officer Mallet and Second Radio Officer Penny carried his unconscious body to the lifeboats - two of which had already been destroyed and one launched, leaving only one available. Jones was carefully placed aboard and the boat was launched, but the heavy swell pushed it away from the ship and had to be re-positioned before more men could be taken aboard. It was at this point that a second torpedo hit the Turakina; the resulting blast killed Captain Laird and a number of those aboard the lifeboat bobbing alongside including Jones. Only the fourteen men in the lifeboat already launched, and seven of the crew still on the Turakina, survived the battle, with the merchantman sinking within two minutes of the second hit. These men were picked up by the Orion; the Captain of the German vessel had been impressed enough by the fight that Laird and his crew put up that he even took a trophy from the battle:

‘After the fight between the Turakina and my armed merchant raider Orion on 20th August, 1940, in the Tasman Sea, we were able to save the surviving part of the brave crew. At the same time we did fish this only life-buoy. My crew handed over to me this life-buoy to remember a brave opponent, the brave master and his brilliant crew.
Capt Laird was the underdog with his ship but did conduct the Turakina up to the shipwreck in such a way that we were all filled with admiration and appreciation. He died for his country while doing his work.
My crew and myself as former commanding officer of the Orion would like to express our respect to the survivors and the dead sailors in handing over this last life-buoy of the honourably sank cargo to your shipping company’

Despite the disparity in armament and design the Turakina managed to land at least one good hit on Orion, killing and wounding crew which prevented her from being able to operate for some weeks afterwards. Indeed they only escaped Allied search parties - brought down upon them by Jones’ persistence with the radio - thanks to low-lying fog. Jones’ body was never recovered and he is remembered upon the Tower Hill Memorial; sold together with an archive of copied research including London Gazette entries, newspaper extracts relating to the battle, census data as well as information on the Turakina and original newspaper extracts and records of commendations.

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Sold for
£1,900

Starting price
£1200