Three: Apprentice P. K. Green, Merchant Navy, who was killed in action when the cargo ship S.S. Testbank, while under air attack from German Ju88 bombers as it discharged its cargo in Bari Harbour, Italy, was engulfed and sunk by the explosion of the John Harvey, a Liberty Ship carrying a top-secret cargo of Mustard Gas, 2 December 1943

1939-45 Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Minister of Transport enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mr. D. K. Green, 84 Leam Terrace, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire’, extremely fine (3) £80-120

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Second World War Casualties.

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Peter Kenyon Green served during the Second World War in the Merchant Navy, and was killed in action when the Glasgow cargo ship the S.S. Testbank was sunk in Bari Harbour, Italy, on 2 December 1943. On this date Testbank was alongside the Mole at the port of Bari, off loading war materials with some other 30 ships after the Anzio landings. The offloading was covered by the port search lights and so was very visible. The port was attacked by a bomber force of 100 Ju88’s who caused significant damage to the dock and sank a considerable amount of shipping. Testbank was docked alongside the John Harvey, a large U.S. Liberty ship. When the John Harvey was hit she began to burn fiercely and subsequently blew up with tremendous force taking the Testbank with her. The John Harvey was carrying a top-secret cargo of Mustard Gas bombs which caused significant loss of life and was covered up by the Allies, with the full extent of her cargo not revealed until 1975.
70 members of Testbank’s crew were killed in the explosion, including Green, aged just 16. He is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London.