Lot Essay
B.E.M. London Gazette 13.12.1940.
Lloyd's Medal for Bravery at Sea [Joint citation with the Second Engineer] 'When an enemy aircraft attacked this Officer's ship, ten of the crew were killed and three injured. The Master was seriously wounded on the Bridge and the ship was ablaze from stem to stern. Second Engineer Bell took command and broached the ship to, hoping to quench the fire. He zig-zagged to avoid the bombs, but the attack was too close and sustained for him to escape and the ship began to sink. Bell cut the rafts adrift, lowered the worthy lifeboats and, although the vessel was settling fast, got the Master and the Second Mate aboard, a dangerous duty bravely done. A violent explosion then threw everyone into the water and blew the boats to pieces. Helped by Able Seaman Kiely, the Second Engineer took a raft and rescued everyone whom he could see, including the Master and Second Mate. Both of these Officers died of their injuries later. After two hours the survivors were picked up and landed'.
Able Seaman Nicholas Kiely, B.E.M., was serving aboard the Steamship S.S. Thorold at the time of the above incident on 22.8.1940 - she was bound from Cardiff to London with a cargo of coal when attacked by enemy aircraft two and a half miles south of the Smalls.
Lloyd's Medal for Bravery at Sea [Joint citation with the Second Engineer] 'When an enemy aircraft attacked this Officer's ship, ten of the crew were killed and three injured. The Master was seriously wounded on the Bridge and the ship was ablaze from stem to stern. Second Engineer Bell took command and broached the ship to, hoping to quench the fire. He zig-zagged to avoid the bombs, but the attack was too close and sustained for him to escape and the ship began to sink. Bell cut the rafts adrift, lowered the worthy lifeboats and, although the vessel was settling fast, got the Master and the Second Mate aboard, a dangerous duty bravely done. A violent explosion then threw everyone into the water and blew the boats to pieces. Helped by Able Seaman Kiely, the Second Engineer took a raft and rescued everyone whom he could see, including the Master and Second Mate. Both of these Officers died of their injuries later. After two hours the survivors were picked up and landed'.
Able Seaman Nicholas Kiely, B.E.M., was serving aboard the Steamship S.S. Thorold at the time of the above incident on 22.8.1940 - she was bound from Cardiff to London with a cargo of coal when attacked by enemy aircraft two and a half miles south of the Smalls.