An inter-war George Cross (exchange E.G.M.) group of eight awarded to Stoker Petty Officer...

An inter-war George Cross (exchange E.G.M.) group of eight awarded to Stoker Petty Officer H. J. Mahoney, Royal Navy, who was killed in action in H.M.S. Basilisk off Le Panne during the evacuation of Dunkirk in June 1940 George Cross (Stoker P.O. Herbert John Mahoney, O.N. K. 8540, R.N., H.M.S. “Taurus”, 23rd December 1927) with its Royal Mint case of issue; 1914-15 Star (K. 8540. H. J. Mahoney, Act. L. Sto., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (K. 8540 H. J. Mahoney. S.P.O. R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, fixed suspension (K. 8540 H. J. Mahoney. S.P.O., H.M.S. Concord) with card box of issue for the Second War awards from the Director of Naval Accounts (Wills), addressed to his wife, Mrs. E. B. Mahoney, the earlier awards nearly very fine, the remainder extremely fine (8) £16,000-£20,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- E.G.M. London Gazette 23 December 1927: ‘In July 1927 H.M.S. Taurus was steaming at high speed when the supports of the Starboard Fore Turbo Fan fractured from the bulkhead, causing the fan to drop; this in turn severed the main auxiliary exhaust steam pipes and several exhaust pipes. Stoker Petty Officer Mahoney ordered the boiler room to be cleared at once but remained behind himself at great personal danger, to close stop-valves and take other necessary action. The boiler room was enveloped in steam, and large pieces of metal were being hurled about by the Turbo Fan which was still running. By his promptitude and resolute behaviour Stoker Petty Officer Mahoney, at grave risk to himself, averted what might have been a serious disaster.’ Herbert John Mahoney was born in Plymouth, Devon on 4 June 1896, and entered the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class in August 1910, aged 14; his service record erroneously states his year of birth as 1892. During the Great War he served in H.M. Ships Arab (August 1914-December 1916) and Carysfort (May 1917-January 1918), gaining advancement to Stoker Petty Officer in the latter period. Having then been awarded the L.S. & G.C. Medal in January 1926, he joined the destroyer Taurus in June of the same year, and it was during that appointment that he was awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal (E.G.M.) for the above cited deeds in July 1927; his E.G.M. was subsequently exchanged for the newly introduced George Cross (G.C.), which decoration was presented to his widow, Emily, at Buckingham Palace in March 1942. Pensioned ashore in August 1932, Mahoney was recalled on the renewal of hostilities and joined the destroyer Basilisk, and he was likewise employed at the time of her part in the Norwegian campaign in April-May 1940. The ship was then recalled from Western Approaches Command to assist in the evacuation of Dunkirk and made two trips to the beaches on the last day of May, bringing back a total of 695 men. The following day, Basilisk returned to the beaches, off La Panne, where she was attacked by enemy aircraft and sunk. A bomb dropped in the first wave of the enemy attack detonated inside No. 3 boiler room, killing all her boiler and engine room staff, Mahoney among them. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.