WW1 & WW2 ROYAL NAVY SUBMARINERS & MERCHANT NAVY OFFICERS, GALLANTRY M.B.E GROUP

GVIR 2nd type Civil M.B.E, 1914-15 Trio, 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, Africa Star with North Africa 1942-43 Clasp, Italy Star & 1939-45 War Medal
To- M.12432.T.MOODIE.E.R.A.4 / E.R.A.3.RN (Trio)
Thomas Moodie was born in Largs, Ayrshire 15-4-91 & enlisted in to the Royal Navy 9-3-1915. After his initial training at HMS Pembroke he spent two years onboards HMS Abercrombie & then in 1917 went on to train as a submariner at HMS Dolphin before serving on E27 for 18 months. He was discharged in April 1919 and on the outbreak of WW2 he was serving as a third officer in the Merchant Navy. He was awarded the civil M.B.E in the London gazette 1-9-1942 with the following citation.
Thomas Moodie Esq, Third officer.
The ship was torpedoed and at once settled by the head. The Master stopped the engines and ordered the officers to get the boats away & stand by to pick up the rafts. There were four big rafts and some twenty five small buoyant floats. About twelve men climbed on each raft & others sat on the small floats. The Master and the Chief officer stayed onboard to try to save a man who had been wounded by the explosion. Before they could do anything a second torpedo hit the ship and she sank a minute later. As she sank those left onboard got away on a Carley Float, and were picked up by the second officers boat. The Chief officer was put into his own boat and the master went to his. As there were so many rafts & the boats were overcrowded, the master decided to keep together and had the rafts lashed to another. About every four hours he changed the men over from raft to boat so that all could have a spell in the boats. They were picked up after two days having suffered much from excessive heat by day & great cold at night. It was largely due to the masters powers of command and organization that the only lives lost were of those killed by the explosion. He was ably seconded by the Chief, Second & Third officers.
NEF & Complete with copy service papers, London gazette details, medal rolls & other basic research details.

Code: 58621