Orders, Decorations and Medals

The Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Civil) 2nd type, in case of issue; together with, bestowal document; Buckingham Palace letter; and a presentation certificate ‘Creetown and Carsluith Voluntary Services Committee Welcome Home Fund’, these all named to ‘Leslie Vernon’extremely fine £80-100

Chief Officer Leslie Vernon was awarded the M.B.E. London Gazette 2 March 1943 ‘The ship (M.V. Empire Star), sailing alone, was torpedoed. Abandonment was ordered and all the crew, except four who had been killed by the explosion, got away in three boats or on rafts. No sooner had they got clear of the ship than she sank rapidly. The men on the rafts were transferred to one of the boats, an operation rendered difficult by reason of the heavy seas running.
The Chief Officer was in charge of a boat containing 34 persons. All through the night this boat lay to a sea anchor and it was due to Mr Vernon’s courage, resource and skill that the boat survived the heavy weather. Two days later they were picked up.’