A WW1 & WW2 Royal Navy Officer's O.B.E., 'Operation Pedestal Convoy WS 21S’ Medal Group awarded to Commander H.S. Pugh.

Hugh Smith Pugh was born on the 21st June, 1899, at Coventry, Warwickshire. He entered service with the Royal Navy on the 7th September, 1917 (no 1914/15 Star entitlement), joining the crew of H.M.S. Monarch on the 16th February, 1918, as a Mid Shipman, serving aboard her until the end of the War.

Post War, he served in a variety of ships and shore establishments that include, H.M.S. Sturdy, Viceroy, Teal, Widgeon, Scythe, Victory, Adamant, and then Pugh placed himself on the retirement list on the 23rd December 1930.

He was recalled for service on the 3rd October 1939, as a Commander, where he served aboard H.M.S. Hawkins, Rodney, Vulture and Warren.

During his service aboard H.M.S. Rodney, we would have been present during the following actions -

H.M.S. Rodney departed Scapa on 2 August with orders for convoy escort duties but was soon diverted to become part of the close escort for Convoy WS 21S, bound for Malta as part of Operation Pedestal. Vice-Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser, second-in-command of the Home Fleet, was aboard the ship to gain experience in integrating carrier and convoy operations and was not flying his flag. Rodney rendezvoused with the convoy two days later and was assigned to Force Z which would turn back before the convoy passed through the Sicilian Narrows Italian spies in Algeciras, Francoist Spain, spotted the convoy as it passed through the Strait of Gibraltar on 10 August and Italian reconnaissance aircraft located it the following morning the German U Boat U-73 opened what would be many Axis attacks on the convoy and its escorts, by sinking the carrier Eagle that afternoon. Later that evening, the battleship was attacked by two bombers that near missed with two bombs and a torpedo. The ship was able to comb the tracks between two torpedoes dropped by Italian aircraft at 07:45 on 12 August. Her gunners claimed an Italian bomber at 12:17.

Twenty minutes later, Rodney opened fire with her main guns on a wave of approaching Italian torpedo bombers, hoping to knock some of them down with shell splashes, which "frightened us, our escort and [the] Italians". The ship was near missed many times that afternoon and her steering gear began acting up around 14:00, but the engineers were able to keep it semi-operational. At 18:42, Rodney was attacked by Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka" dive bombers flown by the Regia Aeronauticas 102nd Dive Bomber Group. Although the ship shot down one of her attackers, one armour-piercing bomb bounced off the roof of 'X' turret, wounding four Royal Marines manning the Oerlikons there, and two others detonated nearby as the ship was trying to evade the bombs. The evasive manoeuvres worsened Rodney's steering problems and issues with her boilers began after Force Z turned back that evening which limited the ship to 18 knots. They arrived at Gibraltar on 14 August and temporary repairs were made. Rodney departed Gibraltar to rejoin the Home Fleet at Scapa two days later, but her problems worsened during the voyage as heavy weather further stressed the steering motors and exacerbated her many leaks. The ship was sent to Rosyth for repairs on 22 August.

Force H was to provide distant cover for the landings at Algiers and Oran, French Algeria in case either the Vichy French Navy or the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) attempted to intervene. If that did not happen, Rodney was to support the Centre Naval Task Force at Oran on 8 November. Other ships had dealt with the warships in Oran's port of Mels-el-Kerbir but the four 7.4 “coastal defence guns of Fort du Santon overlooking the harbour were still shooting at the British ships. Rodney fired 16 shells from her main guns before she was forced to disengage in response to a reported submarine, but the French chose not to return fire. The ship resumed firing later that afternoon, again without reply. The following morning the French guns opened fire as the battleship closed the range, nearly hitting her. Rodney moved further out to sea and resumed her bombardment with the aid of a land-based spotter. Her shelling thus far had not had much effect on the fort as its guns began bombarding approaching American troops. At their request, the battleship resumed firing at the fort despite the presence of nearby troops and the French capitulated shortly afterwards.

O.B.E – London Gazette, 1^st January, 1944

The medals are mounted as worn, sold with copied research, and are as follows -

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, gilt mostly worn off; British War and Victory Medals (Mid. H. S. Pugh. R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, 1 clasp, North Africa 1942-43; War Medal 1939-45

Condition, nearly very fine