Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War ‘Liverpool Blitz’ M.B.E. group of eight awarded to Chief Radio Officer B. J. Smith, Mercantile Marine, late Army Service Corps, for his gallantry on the occasion that the ammunition ship S.S. Malakand was bombed and exploded in Huskisson Dock, Liverpool, during the May Blitz, 4 May 1941

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Civil) Member’s 2nd type breast badge, silver; 1914-15 Star (S4-143301 Pte. B. J. Smith. A.S.C.); British War and Victory Medals (S4-143301 Pte. B. J. Smith. A.S.C.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Burma Star; War Medal 1939-45; together with the recipient’s Brocklebank Medal, 32mm, silver and enamel, the obverse featuring the blue and white enamelled company flag, the reverse inscribed in raised letters, ‘Thos. & Jno. Brocklebank Ltd., Liverpool, S.S. “Malakand” 4th May 1941, Sunk by Enemy Action’, unmounted, generally very fine and better (8) £600-£800

M.B.E. London Gazette 9 January 1946.

The original Recommendation, dated 24 February 1943, states: ‘For long and meritorious sea service in dangerous waters from September 1939 (still serving at sea). From 1914 to 1918 this officer served in the Army overseas and joined Brocklebanks’ Wireless Transmission Service in 1925 (This Company owns all the wireless gear on its ships and the Wireless Officers are direct employees of the company).
Mr. Smith was the Chief Wireless Officer in our S.S. Makalla when she was bombed, set on fire, and sunk at sea in 1940, and was serving in a similar capacity in our S.S. Malakand, which was set upon fire and blew up in dock during the Liverpool blitz of 1941.
From the nature of their service in the wireless room Radio Officers are either the objective of any first attack or are among the last to leave their ship when torpedoed &c. It is not surprising, therefore, to have to record that seven of our Radio Officers have already lost their lives at sea, and one has been badly wounded by shell fire. I have selected Mr. Smith as typical of the men of this particular rank serving in our fleet.
When a ship has to be abandoned it is the special duty of one of the radio officers to ensure that the portable transmitting set goes into a boat and that he gets in with it. It is the proud boast of these men that so far they have never failed to do this.’

A further Recommendation, dated 30 July 1945, additionally states: ‘During this War this officer has served continuously in dangerous waters in the North and South Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and has at all times set a high example of Leadership and Devotion to Duty.’

Bernard John Smith was born in York in 1897 and served with the Army Service Corps during the Great War in the Balkan theatre of War from 18 November 1915. Discharged Class ‘Z’ Reserve on 8 September 1919, he joined the Brocklebank Shipping Line, Liverpool, as a wireless operator in 1925, and served with them continuously for the next 25 years. His first ship was the S.S. Matheran, and he then served in the S.S. Mahratta, and the S.S. Maidan. Following the outbreak of the Second World War he served in the S.S. Makalla- whilst in convoy this vessel came under attack for German He.115 bombers off the Pentland Firth, and was set on fire, eventually sinking, with the crew being successfully evacuated.

Smith’s next appointment was to the S.S. Malakand. On 3 May 1941, whilst berthed in the Huskisson Dock, Liverpool, and carrying 1,500 tons of high explosives, the city and docks suffered a heavy German air raid, party of the city’s ‘May Blitz’. Flares and incendiaries showered the ship, causing a huge fire which ignited the ammunition. The fire services could not contain the fire and on 4 May 1941, a few hours after the raid had ended, Malakand exploded, destroying the entire Huskisson No. 2 dock and killing four people. It took seventy-four hours for the fire to burn out. For his gallantry that night Smith was recommended for the M.B.E., which, having been re-recommended on a further three occasions, he eventually received in 1946.

For the rest of the Second World War Smith served in the S.S. Fort Churchill. He retired in the 1950s, and died in York on 7 June 1960.

During the Second World War, Brocklebanks lost 18 ships and a further 5 were damaged. A total of 255 officers and crew lost their lives. The company produced a silver medal to the crew of those 18 ships lost by enemy action, and a bronze medal to the crew of those 5 ships damaged by enemy action but brought to port. Approximately 1,750 medals were produced. Indian crew members frequently wore these medals on a cord around their necks, and when some Lascars did so at a Liverpool dock parade they attracted the King’s attention, and received his compliments.

Sold with copied research including a photographic image of the recipient.