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Lot Essay
D.S.M. London Gazette 11.9.1945 'For courage and skill in H.M. S.G.B. No. 7 in a daring attack on a heavily screened enemy merchant vessel carried out on the night of 18-19 June 1942, in company with H.M.S. Albrighton and H.M. S.G.B. No. 8 [a.k.a. Grey Wolf]'.
Recommendation states 'Acting Leading Stoker Muir was in charge of the Boiler Room during the action, replied calmly to all my questions when I went down to see the extent of the damage and carried out his duties until the end. He never mentioned the fact that he had from the beginning of the action a severe wound in his stomach, a fact I only learnt later when I was told he had been sent to a German hospital, where he stayed for many weeks'.
Acting Leading Stoker Robert Watt Muir, D.S.M., was one of three crew members from H.M. Steam Gun Boat No. 7 to receive the D.S.M. for this action in the Baie De La Seine, his C.O., Lieutenant R.L. Barnet, being Mentioned in Despatches - as a French national his award was never gazetted. In his official post-War report describing the loss of S.G.B. No. 7, Barnet describes how he carried out a successful torpedo strike on an enemy Merchantman, 'which sank the following morning', prior to making course for Portsmouth:
'On the way back S.G.B. No. 7 met two German Escort Vessels with whom a hot engagement took place at very close range. In the course of this engagement one of the Escort Vessels was hit repeatedly by S.G.B. No. 7's after gun and left in a sinking condition. The second German Escort Vessel was seen to be damaged but escaped and unfortunately managed to damage so heavily S.G.B. No. 7's boiler that further steaming was then impossible [S.G.Bs were later given armoured protection to limit such damage]. When dawn broke and no further hope of being rescued by our own forces could be entertained, I ordered the ship to be scuttled as German ships were approaching to make an attempt at boarding. By that time none of our weapons were in working condition. The crew was ordered to abandon ship and was shortly after rescued and taken prisoner by German R-Boats' (P.R.O. ADM1/30420 refers).
Following hospital treatment, Muir was interned in Camp Marlag und Milag Nord at Westmertimke (Tarnstedt), but may have won entitlement to his 'France and Germany' clasp after being repatriated due to wounds. More likely, however, he had already completed the full qualification period for the 1939-45 and Atlantic Stars.
Built as an experiment to maximise fire-power in the violent encounters that became Coastal Forces' brief, Steam Gun Boats quickly won fame for pressing home the attack whatever the odds, Lieutenant Barnet's and Muir's encounter on the night of 18-19 June 1942 being a case in point. Just seven S.G.Bs were completed, between February and July 1942, further production being halted in favour of freeing up the slipways for Destroyers. Latterly armed to the teeth with one 3-inch gun, two 6-pounders, three twin 20mm. guns and two 21-inch torpedoes, and still capable of 30 knots, S.G.Bs fought numerous engagements with enemy Armed Trawlers, E-Boats and R-Boats, often returning to port with heavy casualties, further evidence of these bloody firefights being found in a high return of gallantry awards - Flotilla C.Os included Peter Scott, M.B.E., D.S.C., son of the famous explorer, who was instrumental in getting Admiralty approval for his Boats to be named rather than numbered (For further details, see Dog Boats at War, Leonard C. Reynolds, O.B.E., D.S.C., Sutton/I.W.M., 1998).
Recommendation states 'Acting Leading Stoker Muir was in charge of the Boiler Room during the action, replied calmly to all my questions when I went down to see the extent of the damage and carried out his duties until the end. He never mentioned the fact that he had from the beginning of the action a severe wound in his stomach, a fact I only learnt later when I was told he had been sent to a German hospital, where he stayed for many weeks'.
Acting Leading Stoker Robert Watt Muir, D.S.M., was one of three crew members from H.M. Steam Gun Boat No. 7 to receive the D.S.M. for this action in the Baie De La Seine, his C.O., Lieutenant R.L. Barnet, being Mentioned in Despatches - as a French national his award was never gazetted. In his official post-War report describing the loss of S.G.B. No. 7, Barnet describes how he carried out a successful torpedo strike on an enemy Merchantman, 'which sank the following morning', prior to making course for Portsmouth:
'On the way back S.G.B. No. 7 met two German Escort Vessels with whom a hot engagement took place at very close range. In the course of this engagement one of the Escort Vessels was hit repeatedly by S.G.B. No. 7's after gun and left in a sinking condition. The second German Escort Vessel was seen to be damaged but escaped and unfortunately managed to damage so heavily S.G.B. No. 7's boiler that further steaming was then impossible [S.G.Bs were later given armoured protection to limit such damage]. When dawn broke and no further hope of being rescued by our own forces could be entertained, I ordered the ship to be scuttled as German ships were approaching to make an attempt at boarding. By that time none of our weapons were in working condition. The crew was ordered to abandon ship and was shortly after rescued and taken prisoner by German R-Boats' (P.R.O. ADM1/30420 refers).
Following hospital treatment, Muir was interned in Camp Marlag und Milag Nord at Westmertimke (Tarnstedt), but may have won entitlement to his 'France and Germany' clasp after being repatriated due to wounds. More likely, however, he had already completed the full qualification period for the 1939-45 and Atlantic Stars.
Built as an experiment to maximise fire-power in the violent encounters that became Coastal Forces' brief, Steam Gun Boats quickly won fame for pressing home the attack whatever the odds, Lieutenant Barnet's and Muir's encounter on the night of 18-19 June 1942 being a case in point. Just seven S.G.Bs were completed, between February and July 1942, further production being halted in favour of freeing up the slipways for Destroyers. Latterly armed to the teeth with one 3-inch gun, two 6-pounders, three twin 20mm. guns and two 21-inch torpedoes, and still capable of 30 knots, S.G.Bs fought numerous engagements with enemy Armed Trawlers, E-Boats and R-Boats, often returning to port with heavy casualties, further evidence of these bloody firefights being found in a high return of gallantry awards - Flotilla C.Os included Peter Scott, M.B.E., D.S.C., son of the famous explorer, who was instrumental in getting Admiralty approval for his Boats to be named rather than numbered (For further details, see Dog Boats at War, Leonard C. Reynolds, O.B.E., D.S.C., Sutton/I.W.M., 1998).