Lieutenant Richard B Stannard VC DSO RD RNR World Naval Ships Forums Archive

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Lieutenant Richard B Stannard VC DSO RD RNR World Naval Ships Forums Archive

Lieutenant Richard B Stannard VC DSO RD RNR

Posts 1 to 7

[B][B]Richard Been Stannard VC DSO RD (21 August 1902 – 22 July 1977) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.[/B][/B] [B][B]He was 37 years old, and a lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.[/B][/B] [B][B]From 28 April to 2 May 1940 at Namsos, Norway, HMT Arab survived 31 bombing attacks in five days.[/B][/B] On one occasion during this period Lieutenant Stannard and two of his crew tackled for two hours a fire on the jetty caused by a bomb igniting ammunition. Part of the jetty was saved, which proved invaluable at the subsequent evacuation. [B][B]Later feats included the destruction of an enemy bomber whose pilot, thinking that he had HMT Arab at his mercy, ordered that she be steered into captivity.[/B][/B] [B][B]VC Citation[/B][/B] [B][B][B]Admiralty, Whitehall, 16th August, 1940. The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the grant of the Victoria Cross to Lieutenant Richard Been Stannard, R.N.R., H.M.S. Arab, for outstanding valour and signal devotion to duty at Namsos. When enemy bombing attacks had set on fire many tons of hand grenades on Namsos wharf, with no shore water supply available, Lieutenant Stannard ran Arab's bows against the wharf and held her there. Sending all but two of his crew aft, he then endeavoured for two hours to extinguish the fire with hoses from the forecastle. He persisted in this work till he had to give up the attempt as hopeless. After helping other ships against air attacks, he placed his own damaged vessel under shelter of a cliff, landed his crew and those of two other trawlers, and established an armed camp. Here those off duty could rest while he attacked enemy aircraft which approached by day, and kept anti-submarine watch during the night. When another trawler near-by was hit and set on fire by a bomb, he, with two others, boarded Arab and moved her 100 yards before the other vessel blew up. Finally, when leaving the fjord, he was attacked by a German bomber which ordered him to steer East or be sunk. He held on his course, reserved his fire till the enemy was within 800 yards, and then brought the aircraft down. Throughout a period of five days Arab was subjected to 31 bombing attacks and the camp and Lewis gun positions ashore were repeatedly machine-gunned and bombed; yet the defensive position was so well planned that only one man was wounded. Lieutenant Stannard ultimately brought his damaged ship back to an English port. His continuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy was magnificent, and his enterprise and resource not only caused losses to the Germans but saved his ship and many lives. — The London Gazette, 16 August 1940[/B][/B][/B] jainso31 [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Been_Stannard[/url]

A brave and resourceful man. He died in 1977 and was cremated at Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney, Australia. Here is a pic of his Memorial Plaque there, and a pic of ARAB. Its not very good, but its the only one I have. Steve
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Thank you for the details and photos Steve [B][B]HMS Arab (FY 202)[/B][/B] ASW Trawler Navy The Royal Navy Type ASW Trawler Class [No specific class] Pennant FY 202 Built by Smiths Dock Co., Ltd. (South Bank-on-Tees, U.K.) Ordered Laid down Launched 19 Jun 1936 Commissioned Oct 1939 End service History Completed in August 1936. Taken over by the Admiralty on 12 September 1939. Displacement: 531 tons. [B][B][B]During the Norwegian Campaign HMS Arab survived 31 bombing attacks in five days while serving in the Namsos area. On one occasion during this period her CO Lt. Stannard and two of his crew tackled for two hours a fire on the jetty caused by a bomb igniting ammunition. Part of the jetty was saved, which proved invaluable at the subsequent evacuation. Later feats included the destruction of a Nazi bomber whose pilot, thinking that he had HMS Arab at his mercy, ordered that she be steered into captivity.[/B][/B][/B] Returned to her owner in November 1945. Renamed Loch Seaforth in 1947. Scrapped at Ghent, Belgium in 1963. Commands listed for HMS Arab (FY 202) Commander From To 1 Skr. Joseph Henry Darley Dansie, RNR 23 Oct 1939 5 Feb 1940 [B][B][B]2 Lt. Richard Been Stannard, RNR 5 Feb 1940 Oct 1940[/B][/B][/B] 3 T/Lt. Clement Archibalt Shillan, RNVR Oct 1940 Jan 1942 4 T/Lt. Frederick Molyneux Procter, RCNVR 29 Mar 1942 18 Dec 1942 5 T/Lt. John Sydney Hamilton Lloyd, RNVR 18 Dec 1942 late 1944 6 T/Lt. Francis Henry Fryer, RNVR late 1944 jainso31 [url]http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/6297.html[/url]

A little education here, lads -- I am quite familiar with VC and DSO, but what is "RD"? In fact, while we're at it, is there a comprehensive list anywhere that shows the definitions of all the alphabet soup attached to those names of individuals of distinction in the Commonwealth? I know most of them, but some still elude me! :)

[QUOTE=Don Boyer;10066673]A little education here, lads -- I am quite familiar with VC and DSO, but what is "[B]RD[/B]"? In fact, while we're at it, is there a comprehensive list anywhere that shows the definitions of all the alphabet soup attached to those names of individuals of distinction in the Commonwealth? I know most of them, but some still elude me! :)[/QUOTE] Don: It's the acronym for the "[B]Royal Naval and Royal Marine Forces Reserve[/B] [B]Decoration[/B]." List of Commonwealth Medals/Decorations at this link: [url]http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/misc/medals.htm[/url]

Thanks, Tim, now a file on my hard drive! :)

The only Stannard's photo I have
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