Orders, Decorations and Medals

A D.S.M. group of four to Chief Engineman E.C.P. Clinton for gallantry when his ship was attacked by a Stuka dive-bomber

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL, G.VI.R. (K.56636 Ch. Mech. 2., H.M.T. Syringa); 1939-45 STAR; ATLANTIC STAR; WAR MEDAL, nearly extremely fine (4)

D.S.M., London Gazette, 4th October, 1940: 'For courage, determination and resource during attacks by enemy aircraft.'

The following details were taken from 'Her Majesty's Minesweepers':

‘On another occasion two trawlers, the Syringa (Skipper W.T. Ritchie, R.N.R.) and the Reboundo (Skipper H.A. Catchpole, R.N.R.), were sweeping in company in the Channel, when they sighted an aircraft, which appeared to be a Junkers 87, approaching from the southeastward and flying at about 300 feet. The Reboundo challenged, was answered by a burst of machine-gun fire, and then opened with her 12-pounder and Lewis gun. The aircraft crossed the trawler's quarter and dropped a salvo of five bombs on either side. It then attacked the Syringa, whose armament also went into action, spraying the bridge and deck with machine-gun bullets, and dropped two more salvoes, one missing to starboard, the other to port. Turning away to starboard it again bombed the Reboundo without damaging her, but a machine-gun bullet wounded Skipper Catchpole in the thigh. Then came the Syringa's turn again. Seaman-Gunner Colyer, at the Lewis gun, was killed by a burst from the German rear-gunner as the aircraft passed over the trawler, and a bomb pierced the engine-room casing. It landed on the platform on the fore side of the engine, but failed to explode. The aircraft then returned for a third attack, this time on the Syringa only. As it approached, it appeared to be losing height until eventually it came within range of the Syringa's low-angle gun, which opened fire. After the second round the German crashed into the sea a mile from the ship. Skipper Ritchie then went down to the engine-room, where Stoker Petty Officer C.H. Wood, R.N., had remained at his post throughout the engagement. With the assistance of Chief Engineman E.C. Clinton’, wrote the Skipper in his official report, ‘I carried the bomb on deck and threw it overboard. The Navy is accustomed to understatement, and Skipper Ritchie's succinct account of how he disposed of the unexploded bomb as though it had been a dead rat did not blind the Board of Admiralty to his courage, or to the Stoker Petty Officer's calm bravery in remaining at his post with the bomb lying at his feet. Skipper Ritchie was awarded the D.S.C., Clinton and Wood the D.S.M.’