About the product

Naval General Service Medal

Naval General Service Medal, GVI, bar Yangtze 1949, P/KX 597184 P. Howie, Stoker Mechanical, Royal Navy, aboard HMS Consort during the Yangtze Incident. Officially impressed: “P/KX. 597184 P…

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SKU: J5888 Category:
Origin: United Kingdom
Nearly Extremely Fine

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Naval General Service Medal, GVI, bar Yangtze 1949, P/KX 597184 P. Howie, Stoker Mechanical, Royal Navy, aboard HMS Consort during the Yangtze Incident.

 

Officially impressed: “P/KX. 597184 P. Howie. Sto. Mech. R.N.”

 

Peter Howie was born during 1926 in Newcastle upon Tyne,Northumberland, his mother’s maiden name was Featonby. He was only 17 when he joined the Royal Navy during WW2.

 

Obituary in the Navy News February 2015:

 

“Peter Howie, Stoker 1st Class. Served 1943-9, HMS Indomitable, Speaker, Onyx, Consort (Yangtze Incident), Vengeance & Victory.
Noted on board for his harmonica playing, performed two concerts with his shipmates at the British Embassy at Nanking. HMS Consort and the 8th Destroyer Association. 8th November 2014, Aged 88.”

 

He is mentioned in the Book “Loyal and Steadfast: The story of HMS Consort as told by the men who served in her” By Paul Morrison.

 

He performed with his “Magic mouth organ” during “The Nanking Follies”.

 

The story of his adventures ashore with the army is also told:

 

‘Stoker Peter Howie was yet another who served ashore.
“Apart from the fact that I was unfortunate enough to be selected for one of those notorious jungle adventure jaunts with our Army comrades, all my memories of Malaya are pleasant ones.”
“Compensation came in the form of the visits we made to the rubber plantations when, though dressed and armed for battle, we were still well received by the owners and their families. After the mandatory tour of the plantation and rubber processing sheds we were then welcomed into the family residence where we were treated to vast quantities of ice cold Tiger beer and tables groaning under the weight of the sumptuous food. How well we could have defended ourselves had we been attacked as we returned to the ship in the dark hours does not bear thinking about.”

 

“I recall one occasion when, following a particularly hard day, the skipper, Commander Robertson decided that we would drop anchor at an isolated cove. The boats were then lowered to ferry most of the ship’s company to the nearest beach. We were armed with various firearms and three members of the duty watch were detailed to take up positions along the edge of the jungle to act as lookouts.”

 

“Though we were very conscious of the possible risk of unwelcome guests, we organised a beach cricket competition which I would like to believe was won by we stokers. It proved to be a fantastic morale booster for everyone except our three lookouts who no doubt questioned the probability of there being many Communist Guerillas on an island two miles long by a mile wide.”