VICTORIA CROSS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 May 1942, Page 4

VICTORIA CROSS

THREE NAVAL AWARDS FOR ST. NAZAIRE OPERATIONS. TWO OFFICERS AND SEAMAN GUNNER. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12.17 p.m.) RUGBY, May 2. The award of three Victoria Crosses is announced for daring and valour in the recent combined operations at St Nazaire. The recipients are Lieutenant-Comman-der Beattie, Commander Ryder and Able Seaman Savage. Lieut.-Commander Beatty was in command of H.M.S. Campbeltown, which rammed the lock gate and blew it up. The official citation says: “Under intense fire directed at the bridge from point-blank range, and in face of the blinding glare of many searchlights, Lieut-Commander Beattie steamed his ship into the lock gates, beached and scuttled her in the coirecc position. The Victoria Cross awarded to Lieut.-Commander Beattie is in recognition not only of his own valour, but also that of the officers and men of a very gallant ship’s company, many of whom have not returned. Lieut.Commander Beattie is now a prisoner of war. Commander Ryder was commander of the small force of unprotected ships which took part in the attack and led the Campbeltown in, under intense fire. Though the main object, of the expedition had been accomplished in the beaching of the Campbeltown, he remained on the spot conducting operations, evacuating men from the Campbeltown and dealing with strong points, while exposed to heavy fire, for an hour and 16 minutes. He did not withdraw until it was certain his ship could be of no use in rescuing any of the commando troops who were still ashore. That his motor gunboat, now full of dead and wounded, should have survived, is almost a miradle. Able Seaman Savage was awarded the V.C. for great gallantry, skill and devotion as a gunlayer of a pom-pom in a gunboat. Completely exposed .and under heavy fire, he engaged positions ashore with a cool, steady and accurate fire. On the way out of the harbour he kept up the same vigorous and accurate fire against attacking ships until he was killed at his gun. This V.C. was awarded in recognition, not only of Able Seaman Savage’s gallantry, but also of the valour shown by many others, unnamed, in motor launches, gunboats and motor torpedoboats, who carried out their duty in entirely exposed positions against the enemy at very close range. Fourteen awards of the D.S.C. and other awards are also made to men who participated in the raid.