Chiu Yiu Nam - George Medal, RFA Sir Galahad World Naval Ships Forums Archive

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Chiu Yiu Nam - George Medal, RFA Sir Galahad World Naval Ships Forums Archive

Chiu Yiu Nam - George Medal, RFA Sir Galahad

Posts 1 to 7

Chiu Yiu Nam, who has died aged 62, was a modest and unsung hero of the Falklands conflict. On the afternoon of June 8 1982, Chiu Yiu Nam was serving as a seaman in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Sir Galahad, one of five Landing Ships Logistics (LSL) which ferried troops and stores around the islands, and were manned by British Merchant Navy officers and Hong Kong Chinese crewmen. Chiu, as one of the helicopter flight deck party, was also trained in firefighting. In an attempt to outflank Argentine positions, Sir Galahad and her sister ship Sir Tristram had been sent to Port Pleasant, on the south coast of East Falkland, and elements of the Welsh Guards were waiting to disembark when the ships were attacked by five Skyhawk jets of the Argentine air force. Three aircraft dropped bombs on Sir Galahad, one of which penetrated an open hatch, its explosion generating a fireball which swept through the tank deck, where many troops were and where ammunition and petrol were stowed. A second bomb exploded near the galley area, killing Chiu’s friend, the ship’s butcher, Sung Yuk Fai, and injuring many others. As the stores on the tank deck began to ignite and explode, causing intense local fires, the master of Sir Galahad, Captain Philip Roberts, was reluctantly considering whether to give the order to abandon ship. Chiu, meanwhile, realised that there were soldiers trapped inside. Wearing a protective asbestos suit, he fought his way through the smoke and flames into the bowels of the ship, where he was confronted by scenes of confusion and devastation. After leading out one man, he went back for another. He continued to return, bringing men to safety until he realised that there was no one left alive. Only then did he obey the order to abandon ship. In all, 48 seamen and soldiers were killed and many more badly burned. Of those who survived, at least 10 owed their survival to Chiu. Chiu was remarkably modest about what he had done: on the journey home in the tanker British Test, Capt Roberts quizzed his crew about their role during the bombing of Sir Galahad without discovering Chiu’s heroism. It was only later that the Commanding Officer 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, Lt-Col Johnny Rickett (who had disembarked the night before the air attack), interviewed his guardsmen and heard about an unknown rescuer whose identity had been hidden behind a protective hood. Further inquiries revealed that this had been Chiu. He remained reluctant to be recognised officially for his bravery. In 1983, however, he agreed to fly from Hong Kong to London, where the Queen invested him with the George Medal . Chiu Yiu Nam was born in 1949 in Guangdong province, mainland China, and little is known of his background. He represented one of the last generations of locally-recruited sailors (others were from places such as Goa and Malta) who had helped man the Royal Navy’s ships for hundreds of years. He retired from the RFA in 1989 for health reasons, and lived quietly with his mother and younger brother in Hong Kong. He declined an invitation to fly to London for the 25th anniversary of the Falklands conflict, but was flattered to receive a handwritten letter from Margaret Thatcher at a reception organised by the local branch of the Royal British Legion. He also met the Duke of York, who visited Hong Kong in 2010, and last year the Earl of Wessex, speaking to both princes through an interpreter. Locally-entered seamen like Chiu do not receive pensions, and when he died he was dependent on monthly financial assistance from the Hong Kong government. His cremation on February 24 was paid for by the Hong Kong and China branch of the Royal British Legion. He was unmarried. Chiu Yiu Nam, born 1949, died February 14 2012
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I spent most of the Falklands War with my head down doing exams, but that's no excuse for my not having heard of this gentleman. I'm ashamed of myself!

To be honest, I found [URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/9129584/Chiu-Yiu-Nam.html"]Chiu Yiu Nam's story[/URL] whilst looking for another person. On reading it, I felt much the same as you. However with far, far less excuse to offer, since I was a young mum at the time of the Falklands War. A very brave, modest man who deserves to be remembered.

[URL="http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12355"]Déjá vu[/URL] No need to feel ashamed because you hadn't heard of him, Seajane. But once aware of the bravery and selflessness of such a man, then as Sheppey Miss says, we should remember him and his bravery as he deserves. Peter

Hi SheppeyMiss, Do you mind if I copy your post over to another website. I'll say it came from the World Naval Ships Forums. Nobby_N

Please feel free to copy my post, Nobby and reference WNSF. However since I didn't write it myself but copied it from the Telegraph, may I suggest also including the web link to the original version: [URL]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/9129584/Chiu-Yiu-Nam.html[/URL] Missy

Thanks a lot :)

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