Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

‘The “Tynwald”, one of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company’s pleasure steamers, deserves special mention, because she held the record for the heaviest troop loads - bringing 7500 men out from Dunkirk in five trips. Her average of 1500 men a trip was far in excess of the average loads aboard other ships of her kind.’

A. J. Barker’s Dunkirk - The Great Escape, refers.



A Second World War “Operation Dynamo” D.S.C. group of six awarded to Radio Officer C. P. Mason, Merchant Navy, who was decorated for his services aboard the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company’s Tynwald

Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse privately inscribed, ‘Charles Powell Mason, Dunkirk’, and officially dated ‘1940’, hallmarks for London 1940; British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals (Charles P. Mason); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45, good very fine and better (6) £1600-1800

D.S.C. London Gazette 16 August 1940.

Charles Powell Mason was decorated for his services as Radio Officer aboard the Tynwald, which distinction he received at a Buckingham Palace investiture held in February 1941.

Along with the Fenalla, another vessel of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, Tynwald was requisitioned as a personnel vessel in the first week of the War. Her log was largely uneventful until with the German onslaught during the spring of 1940, the plight of the B.E.F. became all too apparent, and she was despatched to assist with the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk.

During the course of “Operation Dynamo”, Tynwald, initially under the command of Captain J. H. Whiteway, and then under Captain W. A. Qualtrough, had the distinction of embarking more troops than any other personnel vessel.

She made her first mission to the shattered port on 28 May, and was one of ten personnel ships that lifted a total of 14,760 troops from the East Pier the following day. The same day, her sister Fenella was lost.

In the late evening of 30 May, she was one of four personnel vessels back at the pier and withdrew 1,153 troops. It was at this stage that her Master asked to be relieved on account of exhaustion, having only had four hours of rest in several days. Captain W. A. Qualtrough having then taken command, and the likes of Mason having elected to remain on duty, the Tynwald made her third trip on 2 June and embarked 1,200 troops, returning to Dover in the early morning of 3 June.

The last day of the operation was 4 June; shortly after 1400 hours, the Admiralty announced that “Dynamo” was over. By then Tynwald had already left the East Pier after her fourth trip. She was the last ship to leave, and landed 3,000 French troops in England later that day. Some sources give her credit for actually having picked up 8,953 troops.