Orders of the Day — War Decorations and Medals

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at on 22 March 1944.

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Photo of Sir A.P. Herbert Sir A.P. Herbert , Oxford University

I intervene in this Debate with some embarrassment and reluctance, for the reasons expressed by my hon. Friend the Member for Winchester (Mr. Palmer). I intervene on behalf of a very small body of men—the minesweeping and patrol services, and especially the minesweepers, who serve in the River Thames, the Port of London, from Southend to Teddington—to put it bluntly, the minesweepers which, among others, not forgetting the gallant staff of the Port of London Authority, kept open the Port of London in 1940–41. When I read the White Paper it seemed to me that the people there were well covered by the words six months' service afloat in areas of active operations. I am sorry to say that the Admiralty seem to have whittled down the White Paper. At any rate, these men, who have served three years, or indeed in some cases nearly four years, are not to receive this decoration. I think that I understand why that is. It is because there is great ignorance about the River Thames. Many people believe that it is bounded on the west by Maidenhead and on the east by Blackfriars Bridge, and I do not know many Admirals who have been past Black-friars Bridge yet. The Admiralty describe this mighty river, the river Thames, sixty miles of which come under the Flag Officer in Charge, London, five miles wide at the other end, as "sheltered waters."

I had rather an unseemly but delightful argument with an Admiral outside just now. I asked the Admiral from what were those vessels "sheltered"? They are not sheltered against bombs above, or against mines below, and during the material times, these vessels were patrolling at night ready to repel invasion by land, by air, and indeed, by water. So that what they were sheltered against we do not know. I have been specially desired by the officers and men of these forces to inform their Lordships, and to inform all sea-going Admirals and civil servants at the Admiralty, that the explosion of a bomb or mine off Gravesend is likely to cause as much discomfort as the explosion of a bomb or mine off Dover. Furthermore, that death by drowning off Southend is as disagreeable to the individual and disquieting to his relatives as death by drowning at Scapa Flow, and even if in that case death is caused by suicide from boredom or through falling off a battleship revolving gracefully round a buoy. Though these men are in "sheltered waters," all time served in the river counts as sea time for promotion; and yet, for this decoration, it is not sea time, but "sheltered water" or "harbour" service. I am proud indeed to wear the King's uniform, and that is enough for me; but I must say I was a little surprised to be told, after serving five winters on these waters, night and day, that all that time I have never been technically "afloat." I suggest that we have been, as the Civil Service might say, substantially afloat. That is the first point.

The second point I have to establish is that this service has been of an "operational" character, and I do not think that that is very difficult. The operation in which these services took part was not the Battle of Britain, which lasted for two months, but the Battle of the Thames, which lasted for 12 months. I remember that four days before the war an eminent statesman, who has risen to a position of even greater eminence since then, said to me in the precincts of this House, "Of course we shall have to abandon the Thames." And that was the view held on many occasions by many stout-hearted men at later periods. Well, we did not abandon the Thames. Why? Because the Navy, led by the gallant Admiral Boyle, and later Admiral Dunbar-Nasmith and all his officers and men, kept the port open. That was the operation which, I think, entitled these men to the decoration.

The enemy started dropping mines into the river and lower reaches, three months before they ever attacked London, and they continued for many months afterwards. What happened? The port would be closed. The ships tied up, and the tugs and civilian craft—yes, in these "sheltered waters"—because it was too dangerous to move. Out came the minesweepers, and by one means or another destroyed the mines, and so the traffic of the river continued. That, I suggest, is an operation. To show how anomalous is the situation, I could take hon. Members of this House in To minutes to a minesweeper which, in the early days, was operating in the lower reaches and blew up, or destroyed, three mines. The commander, a petty officer, was given a distinguished service medal, and therefore automatically receives the 1939–43 Star. But members of his crew, who were with him all the time, are now told that they are not operational but only doing "harbour service" in "sheltered waters." It is ridiculous. I hate to say these things, as I have never raised a public word against the Admiralty since I have been serving. I put this in through Service channels and had a word with an Admiral, without any success, this morning, and I am therefore reduced to this unwelcome method of approach.

May I further add that these vessels have been provided by the Admiralty with lethal weapons. I do not know why, because, whenever they are used, there is violent protest from the naval authorities. Only a few days ago I was ticked off for ordering my gunner to fire at some flares; and I might entertain the House by an account of what I call the Battle of Lambeth Bridge, where a certain vessel on 10th September, 1940, thought fit to fire some hundreds of rounds at enemy planes which were flying rather low. That caused the most violent protest too. However unprovoked and untimely that assault upon the enemy may have been, I must say that the gunners did think at the time that their behaviour was of a vaguely operational nature, however unwelcome it was to the naval authorities.

That is all I have to say. These men have seen their Headquarter ship sunk by bombs, they have seen some of their companions killed and wounded, they have used their weapons against the enemy, they have steamed thousands of miles through dangerous waters, they have destroyed enemy mines and, in short, they did keep the Port of London open when even that great man, to whom I have referred, did not expect it to be done. They do not ask for much, these men. They are not receiving civilian pay, they do not get time and a half on Saturdays, or double time on Sundays. All they now ask is that they should be able to show something to their women-folk, and their children, to suggest that their service in the great war was not without merit, and not without recognition from their country.