Gordon Bastian
Encyclopedia
Gordon Love Bastian GC
MBE (30 March 1902 – November 1987) was an engineering officer in the British Merchant Navy who was awarded the Albert Medal
for risking his own life to save other members of the crew of SS Empire Bowman
after it was torpedoed on 31 March 1943.
In 1971, living recipients of the Albert Medal and Edward Medal
were instructed to return their medal, and were instead issued with the George Cross
, the highest United Kingdom and Commonwealth of Nations
award for civilian gallantry (also awarded to members of the armed forces whose actions were not "in the face of the enemy").
on 30 March 1902. In 1927, he first travelled to Canada
. He joined the merchant navy and became an engineering officer. With the outbreak of the Second World War most British merchant shipping was organised into convoy
s, but German u-boat
s and surface raiders still inflicted considerable losses during the Battle of the Atlantic. Bastian was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire for his convoy service on 1 January 1942.
By 12 March 1942, Bastian was second engineer officer on SS Empire Bowman, which was departing Freetown, Sierra Leone as part of Convoy SL 126, due to arrive in Liverpool at the beginning of April. On 30 March 1942 (coincidentally Bastian's 41st birthday), she was torpedoed by in the Atlantic Ocean
some 425 nautical miles (787.1 km) north west of Cape Finisterre
. At great personal risk, Bastian rescued two stokers from the sinking ship, for which he was awarded the Albert Medal on 17 August 1943, the citation read:
In 1944, Bastian was also awarded the Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea
for his actions.
smoke he inhaled during the rescue. In 1947, he settled in Canada, living in Montreal
.
The high status of the Albert Medal was not generally understood by the public, and in 1971 Queen Elizabeth II
instructed all living recipients to exchange their original medal for the George Cross. This had been created by her father, King George VI
in 1940, in recognition of the hazards faced by the civilian population, and by merchant seamen such as Bastian. It was intended to have a similar status for civilian acts of gallantry, or for acts performed by members of the armed forces but which were not "in the face of the enemy", as the Victoria Cross
does for acts of gallantry in combat. On its creation, holders of the Empire Gallantry Medal
were immediately instructed to exchange their medal for the GC, but holders of the AM and Edward Medal were not, despite these being higher in the order of wear than the EGM.
Bastian received his GC in a presentation made by the Governor General of Canada
on 27 November 1973. He presented his AM and Lloyd's Medal to the National Museum Wales
. He died in Canada in November 1987, survived by his wife, Mary, and a son and a daughter. Soon after the award of the AM, Bastian's portrait was painted by war artist Bernard Hailstone
, this now forms part of the Government Art Collection
. In 1990, a new road in his home town of Barry was named "Bastian Close" in his honour51.415°N 3.252°W.
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
MBE (30 March 1902 – November 1987) was an engineering officer in the British Merchant Navy who was awarded the Albert Medal
Albert Medal (lifesaving)
The Albert Medal for Lifesaving was a British medal awarded to recognise the saving of life. It has since been replaced by the George Cross.The Albert Medal was first instituted by a Royal Warrant on 7 March 1866 and discontinued in 1971 with the last two awards promulgated in the London Gazette of...
for risking his own life to save other members of the crew of SS Empire Bowman
SS Empire Bowman
Empire Bowman was a 7,030 GRT cargo ship built in 1942 for the Ministry of War Transport . Completed in May 1942, she served until 30 March 1943 when she was torpedoed and sunk by . One of her crew was awarded an Albert Medal for his actions in the sinking.-Description:The ship was built by C...
after it was torpedoed on 31 March 1943.
In 1971, living recipients of the Albert Medal and Edward Medal
Edward Medal
The Edward Medal is a British civilian decoration which was instituted by Royal Warrant on 13 July 1907 to recognise acts of bravery of miners and quarrymen in endangering their lives to rescue their fellow workers...
were instructed to return their medal, and were instead issued with the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
, the highest United Kingdom and Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
award for civilian gallantry (also awarded to members of the armed forces whose actions were not "in the face of the enemy").
Early life and career
Bastian was born at Barry, Glamorgan in south WalesWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
on 30 March 1902. In 1927, he first travelled to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He joined the merchant navy and became an engineering officer. With the outbreak of the Second World War most British merchant shipping was organised into convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
s, but German u-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s and surface raiders still inflicted considerable losses during the Battle of the Atlantic. Bastian was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire for his convoy service on 1 January 1942.
By 12 March 1942, Bastian was second engineer officer on SS Empire Bowman, which was departing Freetown, Sierra Leone as part of Convoy SL 126, due to arrive in Liverpool at the beginning of April. On 30 March 1942 (coincidentally Bastian's 41st birthday), she was torpedoed by in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
some 425 nautical miles (787.1 km) north west of Cape Finisterre
Cape Finisterre
right|thumb|300px|Position of Cape Finisterre on the [[Iberian Peninsula]]Cape Finisterre is a rock-bound peninsula on the west coast of Galicia, Spain....
. At great personal risk, Bastian rescued two stokers from the sinking ship, for which he was awarded the Albert Medal on 17 August 1943, the citation read:
In 1944, Bastian was also awarded the Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea
Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea
The Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea is one of the four Lloyd's Medal types bestowed by Lloyd's of London. In 1939, with the coming of World War II, Lloyd's set up a committee to find means of honouring seafarers who performed acts of exceptional courage at sea, and this resulted in the...
for his actions.
Later life and legacy
Soon after receiving his AM, Bastian was invalided out of the merchant navy as a result of the damage caused to his lungs by the corditeCordite
Cordite is a family of smokeless propellants developed and produced in the United Kingdom from 1889 to replace gunpowder as a military propellant. Like gunpowder, cordite is classified as a low explosive because of its slow burning rates and consequently low brisance...
smoke he inhaled during the rescue. In 1947, he settled in Canada, living in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
The high status of the Albert Medal was not generally understood by the public, and in 1971 Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
instructed all living recipients to exchange their original medal for the George Cross. This had been created by her father, King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
in 1940, in recognition of the hazards faced by the civilian population, and by merchant seamen such as Bastian. It was intended to have a similar status for civilian acts of gallantry, or for acts performed by members of the armed forces but which were not "in the face of the enemy", as the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
does for acts of gallantry in combat. On its creation, holders of the Empire Gallantry Medal
Empire Gallantry Medal
The Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Gallantry, usually known as the Empire Gallantry Medal , was a British medal awarded for acts of the highest civilian gallantry . King George V introduced it on 29 December 1922...
were immediately instructed to exchange their medal for the GC, but holders of the AM and Edward Medal were not, despite these being higher in the order of wear than the EGM.
Bastian received his GC in a presentation made by the Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
on 27 November 1973. He presented his AM and Lloyd's Medal to the National Museum Wales
National Museum Wales
Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, formerly the National Museums and Galleries of Wales, comprises eight museums in Wales:* National Museum Cardiff* St Fagans: National History Museum, Cardiff* Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenavon...
. He died in Canada in November 1987, survived by his wife, Mary, and a son and a daughter. Soon after the award of the AM, Bastian's portrait was painted by war artist Bernard Hailstone
Bernard Hailstone
Bernard Hailstone was an English painter.-Career:Hailstone belongs to the group of early 20th-century artists whose best-known work was done during the Second World War...
, this now forms part of the Government Art Collection
Government Art Collection
The United Kingdom's Government Art Collection places works of art in major Government buildings in the UK and around the world to promote British art, culture and history....
. In 1990, a new road in his home town of Barry was named "Bastian Close" in his honour51.415°N 3.252°W.