Cyril Hambly - St Marwenne - Marhamchurch, Cornwall
Posted by: SMacB
N 50° 48.328 W 004° 31.397
30U E 392668 N 5629298
A brass memorial plaque to Leading Seaman Cyril Hambly, awarded the Albert Medal (posthumously) for great bravery and devotion to duty in saving life when HMS Kandahar was sunk by enemy action in Dec. 1941.
Waymark Code: WMZB8Y
Location: South West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 10/13/2018
Views: 1
A brass memorial plaque to Leading Seaman Cyril Hambly, awarded the Albert Medal (posthumously) for great bravery and devotion to duty in saving life when HMS Kandahar was sunk by enemy action in Dec. 1941.
The memorial consists of a brass plaque mounted on a wooden frame, with a single plain line engraved around border of plaque.
Inscription -
Erected by his friends in proud and loving memory of
Leading Seaman Cyril Hambly
Awarded the Albert Medal (posthumously) for great
Bravery and devotion to duty in saving life when
HMS Kandahar was sunk by enemy action in Dec. 1941
He gave his life to save his shipmates
"Greater Love Hath No Man Than This
That Man Lay Down His Life For His Friends
St. John XV V 13.He is listed on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 46, Column 2 Ref - (
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From the "London Gazette a citation for George Patrick McDowell, acting yeoman of signals, and Leading Seaman Cyril Hambly, both of HMS Kandahar, a destroyer that hit a mine and was scuttled as it was sailing to Tripoli to intercept an Italian convoy. McDowell and Hambly swam across to a destroyer that came to the rescue. Unfortunately the rough seas prevented it closing right up next to Kandahar, Hambly and McDowell could have been rescued but chose to stay in the water to help others who were either drowning or in danger of it. According to their citation, they ‘saved many men, until they lost all their strength and were drowned’. Hambly and McDowell received posthumous Albert Medals, a rarer but less acclaimed decoration than either the VC or the GC."
SOURCE - Victoria's Cross: The Untold Story of Britain's Highest Award for Bravery, By Gary Mead (ISBN-10: 1843542692)
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