91999 Maj. David Esmonde EVANS, GM, MiD, Royal Tank Regiment: SS Georgic, 1941, captured German tank

dbf · Mar 28, 2024

Personal Number: 91999
Rank: Major
Name: David Esmonde EVANS, GM, OBE, MiD*
Unit: Royal Tank Regiment

London Gazette : 18 November 1941
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35350/page/6633/data.pdf
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the George Medal, in recognition of conspicuous gallantry in carrying out hazardous work in a very brave manner, to :-
Lieutenant (Acting Captain) David Esmonde EVANS (91999), Royal Tank Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps (Wakefield).

London Gazette : 15 December 1942
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35821/supplement/5438/data.pdf
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve that the following be Mentioned in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East during the period November, 1941, to April, 1942: —
R.T.R.
Lt. (temp. Capt.) (acts. Maj.) D. E. Evans, G.M. (91999)

London Gazette : 13 January 1944
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36327/page/259/data.pdf
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve that the following be Mentioned in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East:—
R.T.R.
Capt. (temp. Maj.) D. E. Evans, G.M. (91999).

London Gazette : 10 June 1954
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/40188/supplement/3269/data.pdf
The QUEEN has been graciously pleased, on the occasion of the Celebration of Her Majesty's Birthday, to give orders for the following promotions in, and appointments to, the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire: —
To be Ordinary Officers of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order:—
David Esmonde EVANS, Esq., G.M., Principal Intelligence Officer, British Army of the Rhine.

dbf · Mar 28, 2024

Recommendation for Award for Evans, David Esmonde Rank: Lieutenant Service... | The National Archives
Reference: WO 373/67/79
Name Evans, David Esmonde
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: 91999
Regiment: Royal Tank Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps
Theatre of Combat or Operation: Non-Combatant Gallantry
Award: George Medal
Date of announcement in London Gazette: 18 November 1941

dbf · Mar 28, 2024

Also awarded the George Medal for same incident were 5 men from Royal Engineers:

79517 Godfrey RIGBY, RE, GM, OBE

Recommendation for Award for Rigby, Godfrey Rank: Major Service No: 79517 ... | The National Archives
Recommendation for Award for Rigby, Godfrey Rank: Captain Service No: ... | The National Archives
Recommendation for Award for Rigby, Godfrey Rank: Captain Service No: ... | The National Archives

108404 Charles Reginald CLARK, RE, GM

Recommendation for Award for Clark, Charles Reginald Rank: Major Service No:... | The National Archives

Recommendation for Award for Clark, Charles Reginald Rank: Captain Service... | The National Archives

108 - Sold by Order of a Direct Descendant 'My life is warming up her...

"Auction: 23002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals Lot: 108 Sold by Order of a Direct Descendant

'My life is warming up here. For warmth I can personally recommend a salvage job on a blazing liner in the tropical sun. Very exciting, and it WAS warm! We did a job which it was said to be impossible to do. So what?'
Major Clark quoted in The Recorder, 21 November 1941.

An impressive 1941 Tank Salvage G.M. group of seven awarded to Colonel C. R. Clark, Royal Engineers, late London Regiment and Royal Flying Corps

Clark enlisted underage in the Great War and saw service with No. 16 Squadron on the Western Front before returning to his civilian life with the Port of London Authority - upon the outbreak of the Second World War he was quickly commissioned and earned his G.M. for his exceptional bravery in boarding and the taking off of a captured German Tank from the stricken, blazing and listing Georgic at Port Tewfik in July 1941 - he added a brace of 'mentions' for good measure before War's end

George Medal, G.VI.R. (Major Charles Reginald Clark. R.E.), on its original pin and with card box of issue; British War and Victory Medals (43581. 2.A.M. C. R. Clark. R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaves, these last four with their Army Council forwarding slip confirming '5' and named card box of issue, this addressed to 'Lt. Col. C. R. Clark. G.M., 'Vimy', Curtis Road, Hornchurch, Essex.', good very fine (7)

G.M. London Gazette 18 December 1941. Details of the action are perhaps best summarised in his own Report sent to the Commanding Officer of No. 3 Docks Group, Royal Engineers at Port Tewfik, 15 July 1941, the day of his G.M.-winning action:

'Following the bombing and consequential setting on fire of the MV Georgic on the 14th instant, it was decided to attempt to salvage the German Tank which was urgently required in the UK and had been loaded on board the ship on the morning of the 13th, before it was either lost overboard owing to the ship listing or rendered useless by fire.

The position was surveyed by Major Rigby and myself during the night of the 14th and it was decided owing to the fierceness of the fire and the darkness not to make an attempt before daylight the following morning. On the night of the 14th the ship appeared to have a list of something more than 15 degrees and was on fire throughout its whole length whilst explosions were frequently taking place aft where there was a large quantity of ammunition.

Volunteers to do the necessary slinging on board the ship were called for and the necessary arrangements made during the night, for bunkering the 30 Ton Floating Crane and provision of tugs, lighters and gear for the following morning.

On arriving at the ship this morning it was found the fire was nearly out aft and it was possible to board although forwards and amidships below, it was not yet under control but it was decided to make the attempt to lift the Tank by the 30 Ton crane as early as possible as it was feared the chocks placed there on loading might not continue indefinitely to prevent the tank from going over the side of the ship which by now listed considerably, or alternatively falling through the deck into the hold beneath which was still on fire. The lift was successfully accomplished and the Tank placed in a lighter by 1100hrs.'

M.I.D. London Gazette 30 December 1941 & 18 January 1944.

Charles Reginald Clark - or Nobby to his friends and comrades - was born at Ilford, Essex on 6 May 1898 and was educated at Ilford County School and Palmers School, Grays, where he served as a Sergeant in the School Cadet Corps from 30 September 1911-2 July 1914. He thence went to the City of London School and whilst underage, enlisted in the 5th (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade) on 8 November 1915 (No. 3035). He was discharged 10 days later when his age was discovered.

By 1916 he was working as a Clerk with the Port of London Authority and he enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps on 14 August 1916, becoming a Wireless Operator with No. 16 Squadron in France from 13 February 1917-23 January 1919, besides being admitted to the Canadian General Hospital, Etaples in December 1918. His Pair was issued in September 1921.

By the outbreak of the Second World War, he had worked for the Port of London Authority for some 24 years' and was a Discharging Officer in the Port Traffic Department. It can be no surprise he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on 1 December 1939 and served with the British Expeditionary Force in France from 13 January-18 June 1940, being made Acting Major in July 1940. Posted to No. 1002 Docks Operating Company, he was embarked with his unit at Liverpool for Egypt in January 1941 and was posted to HQ 3 Docks Group at Port Tewfik in July 1941.

G.M. action

The Georgic was the last White Star Liner build before its merger with the Cunard Line. She was laid down in Belfast in 1931 and at the outbreak of the war was taken on as a troop ship by the Admiralty. Her first forays into action saw her taking troops off from Narvik, Brest and Saint-Nazaire, in the same event which the Lancastria was lost. Canadian troops were then ferried across the Atlantic before her tasks saw her sent to Egypt. By July 1941 she had dropped troops of the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division at Port Tewfik and was waiting offshore to take on some 600 Italian Prisoners of War. Besides her human cargo, she was set to carry a German tank, freshly captured in the Western Desert, a vital opportunity to discover recent enemy weapons advancements. She was rounded on by German bombers flying off Crete, who were sweeping the area for targets, and they spotted the unprotected Georgic. An easy target, the proceeded to make their attack. At first there were several misses, but then she was hit by two bombs, the first bomb glanced off her side and exploded in the water, causing huge damage to the ship’s hull right next to No. 4 hold, resulting in heavy flooding. Then the second bomb hit the aft section of boat deck and it penetrated some five decks down, and it exploded in a lift shaft, causing massive damage to No. 5 hold. It was there a fire started that soon ignited fuel from ruptured fuel tanks; the fire spread rapidly and next it ignited ammunition that was stored in the aft holds causing an explosion, which engulfed the entire aft of the ship in a massive fire.

So it was that Clark and his gallant comrades entered the scene in order to save the Tank from loss, a vital piece of work which they took to '...under most unpleasant circumstances due to the heat and smoke from the fire.'

The Georgic slowly settled by the stern onto a shallow reef and was left to burn out over the next two days, and by that time she was half submerged, the engine room had partially flooded, and the superstructure was gutted by the fire. As the flames swept forward through the decks, the accommodations and finally the fire reached the bridge. Thus an order was given to abandon ship, and all on board managed to escape using the ships lifeboats. After allowing several weeks for the wreck to cool, she was boarded and remarkably refloated on 27 October. Having been tugged and towed to Karachi for extensive repairs, the Georgic made her first journey to Liverpool, arriving with some 5,000 tonnes of iron on 1 March 1943. Quite some journey.

Having been duly rewarded with a 'mention' and his G.M., Clark was made Acting Lieutenant-Colonel on 19 September 1942. He was latterly posted to No. 4 Docks Group and rose to its command by War's end and added a further 'mention' and a C-i-C's Commendation Certificate for his work in the Middle East to his laurels. Clark served with the British Army of the Rhine in Germany post-War and retired as Lieutenant-Colonel on 18 November 1948, having served as an Acting Colonel."
Click to expand...

2190148 John William BRADSHAW, RE, GM

Recommendation for Award for Bradshaw, John William Rank: Company Serjeant Major... | The National Archives
Recommendation for Award for Bradshaw, John Rank: Serjeant, Acting Warrant... | The National Archives

3521816 Jerome Ely SCRIVENER, RE, GM

Recommendation for Award for Scrivener, Jerome Rank: Serjeant Service No: ... | The National Archives
Recommendation for Award for Scrivener, Jerome Ely Rank: Corporal Service... | The National Archives

2190287 Christopher Francis WILLIAMS RE, GM

Recommendation for Award for Williams, Christopher Francis Rank: Corporal ... | The National Archives
Recommendation for Award for Williams, Christopher Francis Rank: Corporal ... | The National Archives

dbf · Mar 28, 2024

London Gazette : 15 December 1942
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35821/supplement/5437/data.pdf

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35821/supplement/5438/data.pdf

dbf · Mar 28, 2024

London Gazette : 13 January 1944
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36327/page/258/data.pdf

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36327/page/259/data.pdf

dbf · Mar 28, 2024

See also:

MV "Georgic" - 1941 - WW2

"On 22nd May 1941 the Georgic left the Clyde under the command of Captain A.C. Greig, OBE, RNR, with the 50th Northumberland Division for Port Tewfik, Gulf of Suez. She was part of the convoy which had to be left almost unprotected during the hunt for the Bismarck.

She arrived safely on 7th July 1941, but a week later on 14th July she was bombed by German aircraft operating from Crete while at anchor off Port Tewfik, with 800 Italian internees on board. Her fuel oil caught fire and the ammunition exploded in the stern area. The Georgic was gutted and the engine room flooded, but her crew managed to slip the anchor cable and beach the ship on 16th July, half submerged and burnt out.

On the after deck at No5 hatch was a new German tank to be taken to England to be tested, It had been captured in the desert. A barge came alongside and several members of the Norfolk Regiment climbed on board and although they were surrounded by flames and explosians from the ammunition exploding in No.5 Hold they got slings and the derrick and lifted the tank over the side and onto the barge. a few medals were won that day.

The flames swept forard through the decks and acommodation and when the fire reached the bridge they had to slide down ropes on the fore part onto the fore deck where they waited for rescue, a young lady, who was being evacuated from Cairo to England with her baby, as the flames advanced to the fore deck she tied her baby to her back and jumped over the bow, when she surfaced her baby was dead. It took a couple of weeks for the ship to cool down sufficiently for anyone to board her. she was a burnt and blackened hulk, Eighteen feet of water in her engine room. Thus started one of the biggest salvage operations ever attempted.

On 14th September 1941 it was decided to salvage the vessel and the hulk was raised on 27th October. "

Andreas · Mar 29, 2024

'The Norfolk Regiment'?

Amazing story nevertheless.

All the best

Andreas

Richelieu · Mar 29, 2024

Captain H.L. Howden RAN, HMAS Hobart Report of Proceedings, 20 June-17 July, 1941.
Note Howden’s indictment of the media reporting.
AWM78 141/1 - September 1939 - November 1947

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91999 Maj. David Esmonde EVANS, GM, MiD, Royal Tank Regiment: SS Georgic, 1941, captured German tank

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91999 Maj. David Esmonde EVANS, GM, MiD, Royal Tank Regiment: SS Georgic, 1941, captured German tank

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