Auction Catalogue
Create new list‘She [Cossack] was hit and the forward magazine blew up with an awesome explosion ... the whole forecastle and superstructure before the bridge vanished and the ship was on fire. Most of the personnel on the bridge, including Captain Berthon, Captain (D.), were killed. Legion, with the aid of a corvette, extinguished the fire and rescued survivors, a score of officers and men being injured, some seriously. Our wardroom was converted to a sick bay where they were tended by our doctors from some 10 days ... Eventually the wounded passengers were landed back in Gibraltar.’
Commander Jessel, R.N., C.O. of H.M.S. Legion, recalls the loss of the Cossack.
A rare Korean War M.B.E. group of nine awarded to Commander B. C. Moth, Royal Navy, who was among H.M.S. Cossack’s survivors on the occasion of her torpedoing in the Mediterranean in April 1941: subsequently mentioned in despatches for his services as Assistant Gunnery Officer in the Duke of York in the Far East, he was recommended for his M.B.E. in respect of his services in the evacuation of the island of Yangdo in September 1953
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) Member’s 2nd type breast badge; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Pacific Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf; Korea 1950-53 (Lt. Cdr. B. C. Moth, R.N.); U.N. Korea 1950-54, generally good very fine (9) £700-900
M.B.E. London Gazette 23 February 1954:
‘For distinguished service in operations in Korean waters.’
Brian Coventon Moth entered Britannia as a Cadet in January 1934 and was serving as a Midshipman in cruiser H.M.S. Ajax on the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939; owing to the fact he attended a course at Excellent in January 1940, the question of whether he was present in Ajax during her celebrated part in the battle of the River Plate remains a matter for conjecture.
Advanced to Sub. Lieutenant on departing Excellent in May 1940, Moth joined Neptune in the Mediterranean in the same month, from whence, in the summer of 1941 - as a recently promoted Lieutenant - he removed to the Cossack. As cited above, Cossack was torpedoed with heavy loss of life on 27 October 1941, during the course of escorting a Gibraltar convoy, but Moth was lucky to be among the survivors: 155 officers and men lost their lives.
Between August 1942 and January 1944, Moth served at various Combined Operations training bases, undertaking landing craft evaluations and serving as a Chief Instructor. Having then attended an extended course at Excellent, he joined the Duke of York as an Assistant Gunnery Officer in the Far East in January 1945. He was present at the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay and was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 11 June 1946).
Post-war, Moth served as Gunnery Officer in the Devonshire, after which, in the temporary rank of Commander, he served in the Naval Mission to Greece. In March 1952 he joined H.M.S. Cossack as Staff Gunnery Officer to the Captain (D.), and it was in this capacity that he was awarded the M.B.E., most notably for his part in assisting in the evacuation of the island of Yangdo in September 1953 - an operation involving ‘considerable initiative and tact, a major fire on the island having occurred a few days before the evacuation’ (the original recommendation, refers).
Advanced to the substantive rank of Commander in July 1954, Moth next served in Washington D.C., prior to taking command of St. Bride’s Bay in August 1957. His final appointment was in the Joint Naval Intelligence Department and he was placed on the Retired List in July 1959; sold with copied research.
Share This Page