Pair: Able Seaman M. A. Chick, Royal Navy and Mercantile Marine, who served aboard H.M.S. Newfoundland when she sank the Egyptian frigate Domiat by gunfire in 1956 - the last occasion that a warship was destroyed by conventional gun action

Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Near East (P/SSX.871490 M. A. Chick. A.B. R.N.); South Atlantic 1982, with rosette (M. A. Chick) officially named in the style associated with the Mercantile Marine, mounted as worn, nearly extremely fine (2) £500-£700

Michael Arthur Chick was born in Salisbury on 4 September 1933, the son of chief clerk and special constable Hector A. Chick. Educated locally, he joined the Royal Navy and was aboard the light cruiser Newfoundland in the autumn of 1956; liaising with the British destroyer Diana, the sloops Crane and Modeste, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Wave Sovereign and the French frigates La Perouse, Gazelle and Jasmin, Newfoundland headed an Anglo-French flotilla detailed to the protection of shipping in the Gulf of Suez as part of Operation Toreador.

On the night of 31 October 1956, Newfoundland encountered a ‘darkened ship’ cruising to the south of the Canal. Ordered to heave-to, the Egyptian Navy Frigate Domiat refused and opened fire on Newfoundland with her 4-inch armament. An early salvo shattered Newfoundland’s pay office which was situated directly below “B” turret, leaving a hole in the side of the British warship. Enraged, Newfoundland, supported by Diana, retaliated by illuminating her aggressor with a 20-inch Signal Projector and then proceeded to sink Domiat with nine broadsides from her main armament. The Wreck of the Domiat describes the carnage:

‘Our next broadside smashed into Domiat’s bows and ignited her paintshop so that her bows glowed cherry red in the dark night. Diana, astern, had seen Domiat turn and got in seventeen rounds of 4.5” from her A’s and B’s. As we closed the range, the 4” and bofors joined in and the Captain of one of the port bofors later received a DSM for his good work in hosing Domiat’s decks down with 40mm.’

Despite Egyptian hopes to ram Newfoundland, it soon became clear that Domiat was sinking and the fight was over; seeing shadows in the water, the British and French sailors transferred their attentions to rescuing 69 Egyptian survivors from the shark-infested waters. These men were later landed at Djibouti and enjoyed a spell in French custody. British casualties amounted to one man killed in action aboard Newfoundland and 6 wounded.

Transferred to the Merchant Navy, Chick served aboard the former roll-on roll-off car transporter Europic Ferry during the Falklands War. Requisitioned by the Admiralty as a stores transport vessel, she was modified at Southampton and fitted with pintle-mounted Bren light machine guns; a rudimentary but invaluable defensive measure against low-level air attack. Loaded with ammunition, stores, fuel and vehicles, including much of the support equipment for the 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment, and 4 Westland Scout helicopters lashed to her deck, the Europic Ferry sailed on 25 April 1982 and liaised with Norland at Ascension Island on 8 May.

Assembled to the east of the Falkland Islands in the build up to Operation Sutton, Europic Ferry joined the third wave of landings in San Carlos Water. Unloading her stores under clear skies, she proved a sitting duck to Argentine air attack and suffered a near miss. According to Amphibious Assault Falkland: The Battle of San Carlos Water, it was similar close-calls that convinced Commodore Michael Clapp to order all merchant ships out of the bay by midnight. Later camouflaged with mottled grey paint, Europic Ferry ended her campaign as a floating platform and workshop for Chinook helicopters. Chick later returned home to Salisbury where he died on 1 June 1994, a short while after selling his medals to the Castle Galleries. Probate recorded at Winchester later confirms his final address as 69 Belle Vue Road, Salisbury.

Sold with a compliments slip from the Castle Galleries, Salisbury, dated 19 May 1994, hand annotated by recipient and confirming service.