Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War B.E.M. group of four awarded to Chief Engineer Officer W. Pybus, Merchant Navy, who was awarded Lloyd’s War Medal for Bravery at Sea on the same occasion - namely the torpedoing and sinking of the M.V. Kingfisher by an enemy E-Boat in June 1940

British Empire Medal, (Civil) G.VI.R., 1st issue (William Pybus); 1939-45 Star; War Medal 1939-45; Lloyd’s War Medal for Bravery at Sea (Second Engineer William Pybus, M.V. “Kingfisher”, 24th June 1940), in its fitted case of issue, extremely fine (4) £1200-1500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to Merchant Seamen and D.E.M.S. Gunners.

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B.E.M. London Gazette 23 August 1940:

‘’Kingfisher was torpedoed and began to sink, well down by the head and listing to port. The Master mustered the men and had the port lifeboat lowered. It was then found that two of the crew were missing. One was known to have been killed, but the other was not accounted for. Pybus volunteered to go and search for him. He took a torch from a lifeboat, forced his way to the forepart of the bridge deck and found the man unconscious in his bunk. He was badly cut about the head, but Pybus got him away safely. The man owed his life entirely to this brave act. When Pybus made his search of Kingfisher’s decks were awash and the two men went straight from the rail into the boat. Kingfisher sank just as the boat pulled away.’

Lloyd’s War Medal for Bravery at Sea Lloyd’s List and Shipping Gazette 18 March 1941:

‘The ship was torpedoed during the night, and listed to port, settling down by the head. The Master mustered his crew, and ordered the port lifeboat to be lowered. It was known that one man had been killed by the explosion but another member of the crew was not accounted for. Although the ship’s decks were awash, the Second Engineer, taking a torch from the lifeboat, volunteered to search for him. Forcing his way to the forepart of the bridge deck, he found the man badly cut about the head and unconscious in his bunk. He got him out safely, the two men going straight from the rail to the lifeboat. The ship sank as they pulled away. The rescued man owed his life to the gallant act of the Second Engineer.’

William Markham Pybus, who was born in Leeds in May 1916, joined the M.V. Kingfisher as Second Engineer at Milford Haven on 22 June 1940, shortly before her encounter with a German E-Boat off Beachy Head on the 24th - having been diverted from Nantes to Milford Haven, she was bound for London.

Just over six weeks later, Pybus was back at sea, having been appointed to the tanker Inverilen, in which ship he made several voyages to Trinidad. Having then also served in the Bank Line tramp ship Nairnbank, he joined the Cunard-White Star liner Britannic, which had been converted for use as a troopship, and he remained similarly employed until the War’s end.

Now well established as a Second Engineer with the Cunard-White Star Line, Pybus moved from ship to ship, gaining advancement to Chief Engineer in 1950. His final appointment, however, ended in tragedy, the ship’s log of the Mauretania recording him as ‘missing, presumed drowned’ on 11 December 1960 - on which date the liner was bound for New York and some 100 miles north-east of Ushant; sold with a file of research.