Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Lloyd’s War Medal for Bravery at Sea, silver (Radio Officer P. G. Winsor, S.S. “Sultan Star” 14th. February 1940.) in fitted case of issue, surname officially corrected (presumably having originally been spelt ‘Windsor’), extremely fine £400-£500

Lloyd’s War Medal for Bravery at Sea, Lloyd’s List 18 March 1941: Philip George Windsor [sic], Radio Officer, Sultan Star
‘The ship was torpedoed without warning, and at once began to settle by the stern. The radio officer sent out an SOS Signal, and the master, who was on the bridge, telegraphed ‘Finished with Engines,' the signal for those below to go to boat stations. The master, seeing his ship was fast sinking, ordered all boats to get well clear except one which was to stand by to pick up the radio officer and himself.
The radio officer continued to broadcast the SOS and the master tried to drag him from his instrument, seeing that the water was over the after end of the boat deck and there was danger of the boilers bursting at any moment. Mr. Windsor would not leave until he was sure his signals had been received. As the ship was going down the master dived overboard, as he could do no more. On being hauled into the lifeboat he looked back and saw the radio officer dive to the side of the vessel, which was standing on her stern, and slide down a rope just as the ship sank.
The deck cargo of heavy barrels broke loose, and as no boat could have lived in the whirlpool the master waited for it to go down before picking the officer up from the wreckage more dead than alive. The radio officer’s gallant efforts brought to the scene three destroyers, which rescued all the crew and destroyed the submarine.’

Lloyd’s Medals by Jim Gawler gives the following account which contains some additional details:
‘The S.S. Sultan Star was about 200 miles south of Ireland, on 14 February 1940, when she was torpedoed and at once began to settle. One member of the crew was killed but the remainder assembled at the boat stations. The Master saw that his vessel was sinking by the stern so he gave the order to abandon ship. All the boats were instructed to stand well clear, except one which was to pick up the Master and the Radio Officer, Philip George Windsor [sic], who was sending out an S.O.S.

As the ship sank lower the stern went under and the water came over the after end of the boat-deck, but the Radio Officer refused to leave as he was not certain that his signal had been picked up. Under the circumstances the Master dived into the sea and swam to the waiting life-boat. The Sultan Star stood on her stern with her bows in the air and, as the sea started pouring down the funnel, the Radio Officer left the wireless office and made a dash for the side.

The ship carried a deck cargo stowed in barrels and these broke loose, causing injuries to the Radio Officer who had managed to cling to some wreckage. When the sea settled he was picked up by one of the life-boats. Within a short time three Destroyers arrived on the scene and the survivors were taken aboard. The Radio Officer was given immediate medical treatment and subsequently recovered.’