Robert Peverell Hichens
Encyclopedia
Robert Peverell Hichens DSO
& Bar
, DSC
& Two Bars
(2 March 1909 – 13 April 1943) was the most highly decorated officer of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (RNVR), being awarded two Distinguished Service Order
s, three Distinguished Service Crosses
and three Mentions in Despatches. He was also recommended for a Victoria Cross
after being killed in action in April 1943.
Before the Second World War, Hichens was a keen sportsman who rowed for Magdalen College, Oxford
and competed in the Double scull
s at the Henley Regatta. He also competed in International Fourteen sailing events and three times participated in the Fastnet race
. On land he raced in hill climbing
events in Somerset
and also entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans
race three times. During the Second World War, he rose in rank to become a lieutenant commander
and commanded the 6th Motor Gun Boat
Flotilla and later the 8th Motor Gun Boat Flotilla.
, until the start of the Great War when his father—an officer in a Territorial Army unit of the Royal Army Medical Corps
—was sent to France, and the rest of the family moved to St Mawes
in Cornwall
. It was when living in Cornwall that Hichens and his sister Loveday were taught how to sail, eventually sailing their dinghy
Arethusa on Carrick Roads
.
nearby until 1921, when he was enrolled in Marlborough College
. In 1922, Hichens' father, by now a consulting physician at Northampton General hospital, retired and the family moved to Guernsey
in the Channel Islands
, purchasing Havelet House just outside Saint Peter Port.
Hichens entered Magdalen College, Oxford
to read law in 1927. A keen sportsman, he started rowing and within six months was in the Magdalan second eight; by the following year he made the first eight as stroke oarsman. In the Eights Week
races (the annual summer Head of the River
race at Oxford), when Hichens was at Magdalen, they came third in 1928, sixth in 1929 and eighth in 1930, which was the college's lowest position in the race since 1876. While at university he also joined the Officers Training Corps
, receiving a commission as second lieutenant
in the infantry on 2 June 1929. In 1929, the Hichens family had purchased Bodrennick House at Flushing, Cornwall
, which they moved into in 1930, after the death of Hichens' father.
, in 1928; they were married at St Gluvias church, Penryn, Cornwall
in April 1931. The following year he joined a firm of solicitors, Reginald Rodgers and son of Falmouth, Cornwall
, as an articled clerk
to be instructed as a solicitor
. Hichens also trained in London with Mackrell's of Bedford Square
; it was when working in London that he competed at the Henley Regatta in the Double scull
s. In June 1933, after his mother's death, Hichens inherited half of his father's estate and Bodrennick House, and at the same time completed his articles. He became a junior partner with Reginald Rodgers on 1 January 1934.
Robert and Catherine had two sons: Robert, born in 1932, and Anthony, born in 1936.
Regatta and the Prince of Wales Cup, coming fifth on the River Clyde
in 1936. He also entered the competition at Lowestoft
in 1937 and at Falmouth in 1938. Hichens had also taken up offshore yacht racing
and was a member of the Royal Ocean Racing Club
, competed three times in the Fastnet race
, and crewed in the Channel race in June 1939.
touring car
and a Riley which he used to compete in hill climbs
at Beggers Roost in Somerset
. Then in 1936, he purchased a 2 litre Aston Martin Speed Model—one of six built for the Ulster TT and 24 Hours of Le Mans
race that year. With assistance from Aston Martin he entered the car for the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans
, with Mortimer Morris-Goodall as his co-driver. They finished eleventh place overall but did win the Rudge Whitworth Cup. They competed again in the 1938 24 Hours of Le Mans
but did not finish. They returned for the 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans
where they finished twelfth.
on 27 October 1939, and after passing an interview and medical was promoted to sub lieutenant RNVR, completing his training in six weeks instead of the normal three months.
and appointed to HMS Halcycon
, part of the 5th Minesweeping Flotilla and later the 4th Minesweeping Flotilla. He moved ship to HMS Niger
in April 1940, during the Phoney war period both flotilla
s were kept busy minesweeping in the North Sea
and the only action seen was on 15 May 1940, when HMS Hussar was holed by a German bomber. On 29 May 1940, Hichens was informed that the British Expeditionary Force
were being evacuated from Dunkirk in Operation Dynamo
and that Niger would be leaving to assist. Arriving off Dunkirk on 31 May, Hichens organised the small boats and yachts used to evacuate the army from the Dunkirk jetty. When Niger was ordered home with a full complement of soldiers, Hichens asked to be left behind to continue with the evacuation. He was given permission but also informed he would have to find his own way home. Arriving back in Dover
on the yacht Chico he rejoined Niger on 1 June. HMS Niger returned to Dunkirk another three times, Hichens once more went ashore to arrange the evacuation before the end of the operation. For his work on the beaches in the withdrawal of the Allied armies from Dunkirk, Hichens was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
(DSC).
Hichens was sent to HMS Osprey at Portland
for training on Motor Anti-Submarine Boats
(MASB). He was appointed to his first command, MASB 16, on 4 November 1940, which he held until 18 November 1940, when he was appointed commander of MASB 18. His final MASB command was MASB 14, which he took up 23 December 1940.
These boats were lightly armed with two twin Vickers .50 machine gun
s and depth charges and had a top speed of 40 knots.
In January 1941, Hichens was given a new command, Motor Gun Boat
64, becoming the first RNVR officer to command a MGB, and the only RNVR crewed boat in the 6th MGB Flotilla. It was when in command of MGB 64 that Hichens got his nickname Hitch. As each boat needed to select a radio call sign, Hichens could not think of anything suitable and Lieutenant Arty Shaw suggested Hitch, which stuck and remained with him for the rest of his time with the coastal forces.
The 6th MGB Flotilla was based at HMS Beehive in Felixstowe
from April 1941, where they were tasked to engage German E boats raiding east coast convoys. At this stage in the war MGBs were armed with a mixture of weapons, which could be Lewis machine guns, Vickers machine gun
s, Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
or four barrelled Boulton Paul gun turrets. The armament was soon standardized with two twin Vickers .50 machine guns each side of the bridge, an Oerlikon 20 mm cannon mounted aft, and depth charges. The boats had a crew of 18, consisting of two officers, two petty officer
s and 14 rating
s.
.
As flotilla commander his first successful action took place the night of 19/20 November 1941, when his flotilla was ordered to patrol 10 miles (16.1 km) off the Hook of Holland to engage E boats returning to base. The flotilla engaged five E boats, causing damage to all five boats, damaging two severely and forcing them to disperse. One E boat was later found abandoned by the crew and boarded. This was the first E boat captured and Hichens' crew obtained valuable information and equipment before the boat sank. For this action Hichens was awarded a bar to the DSC, for "...[c]oolness skill and readiness when in action against enemy E boats sinking one and damaging others".
Other members of the flotilla were awarded one Distinguished Service Medal
(DSM) and five others were Mentioned in Dispatches
(MID) for the action.
The flotilla's second success was the night of 19/20 December 1941, again in the North Sea off the Dutch coast, when two boats engaged two R boats and one E boat. They passed twice at high speed before losing contact, but twice during the night they located them and eventually carried out depth charge attacks. Hichens received a MID for this action, the commander of the other boat was also MID.
The third major action Hichens was involved in during this period was the action during the night of 21/22 April 1942, off Ostend
, when they engaged six E boats, forcing the superior force to scatter and run for port after severely damaging one boat and causing slight damage to the others. After this action the E boats were moved to a safer harbour to operate from. Hichens was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) following this action.
in July 1942. The first action they were involved in was during the night of 14/15 July. Ordered to engage E Boats using Cherbourg as a base they found a convoy
of naval trawler
s escorting a small tanker
. The flotilla engaged the two rear escort trawlers and carried out a depth charge attack. The tanker was last seen to be on fire as the flotilla reformed off Alderney
. After this action Hichens was awarded a bar to the DSO. Both the DSO and the bar were presented during the same investiture at Buckingham Palace
on 22 September 1942, while other members of the flotilla were awarded a Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
and four MID's for the action.
The flotilla was next in action during the night 29/30 July again off Ostend, when the flotilla in company with two Motor Torpedo Boat
s (MTB) engaged a convoy of three Flak trawlers and two merchant ships. One of the merchant ships was hit by torpedo
es from the MTBs while the MGBs engaged the other by dropping depth charges. With those ships destroyed they then engaged the Flak trawlers.
During the night 1/2 August, under orders to patrol north west of Guernsey
, the flotilla again located enemy shipping. Following them towards the port of Cherbourg they silently passed a German torpedo boat
lying at anchor, and located four E boats waiting to enter harbour. Having caught them by surprise they opened fire on the stationary boats and after a short engagement withdrew leaving two of the enemy boats on fire. For this action Hichens received a second MID, other members of the flotilla were awarded one DSC, two DSMs and four MIDs.
The flotilla was ordered back to Felixstowe in Autumn 1942. Their first contact with the enemy was on the night 14/15 September when they engaged a small convoy off the Hook of Holland. They followed a convoy that was escorted by four Flak trawlers almost into harbour before inflicting considerable damage to it. For this, Hichens was awarded a second bar to the DSC. Other members of the flotilla were awarded one DSC, two DSMs and one MID.
Hichens, now the recipient of two DSOs, three DSCs and two MIDs, was offered promotion to commander
in command of HMS Bee
at Weymouth, Dorset and a training post ashore. Feeling unsuited for such a role, he declined and remained commander of the 8th MGB flotilla.
The winter months of 1942–43 were uneventful, and Hichens started to write his unfinished account of the war. We fought them in Gunboats was published posthumously in 1944.
The flotilla, accompanied by four MTBs and escorting mine laying Motor Launch
es (ML), were next in action over the night of 27/28 February 1943. The mixed flotilla engaged a convoy escorted by two trawlers and a minesweeper, and lost MGB 79 to enemy fire. Hichens closed with the stricken boat, which was on fire, to remove the crew. They managed to rescue seven of the crew before being forced to withdraw under fire. Hichens' own boat, MGB 77, was also set on fire during the rescue.
On the night of 12/13 April 1943, the flotilla was ordered to escort mine laying MLs off the Dutch coast. Detecting two trawlers they engaged them leaving one on fire, but as they withdrew MGB 77 was hit, killing Hichens outright and wounding three others on the bridge. Hichens received a posthumous MID for these actions.
for his actions during the night of 27/28 February. When informed by his commanding officer
, Commander Kerr, of the intention to recommend him, Hichens requested that the recommendation be dropped as he now felt he had endangered two of the boats in the flotilla trying to rescue his friends. Kerr, respecting his views, dropped the recommendation, only for it to be resubmitted six weeks later after his death. The recommendation was endorsed by Commander Kerr, Admiral
Lyon (the Commander-in-chief
at Nore
) and Rear Admiral
Rogers (the Flag officer
in charge at Harwich
). The recommendation was rejected by the Admiralty, citing the same reasons Hichens had himself given.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
, DSC
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
& Two Bars
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
(2 March 1909 – 13 April 1943) was the most highly decorated officer of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (RNVR), being awarded two Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
s, three Distinguished Service Crosses
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
and three Mentions in Despatches. He was also recommended for a 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....
after being killed in action in April 1943.
Before the Second World War, Hichens was a keen sportsman who rowed for Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
and competed in the Double scull
Double scull
A double scull is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for two persons who propel the boat by sculling with two oars, one in each hand....
s at the Henley Regatta. He also competed in International Fourteen sailing events and three times participated in the Fastnet race
Fastnet race
The Fastnet Race is a famous offshore yachting race. It is considered one of the classic offshore races. It takes place every two years over a course of . The race starts off Cowes on the Isle of Wight in England, rounds the Fastnet Rock off the southwest coast of Ireland and then finishes at...
. On land he raced in hill climbing
Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
events in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
and also entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
race three times. During the Second World War, he rose in rank to become a lieutenant commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
and commanded the 6th Motor Gun Boat
Motor Gun Boat
Motor Gun Boat was a Royal Navy term for a small military vessel of the Second World War. They were physically similar to the Motor Torpedo Boats but equipped with a mix of guns instead of torpedoes. Their small size and high speed made them difficult targets for E-boats or torpedo bombers, but...
Flotilla and later the 8th Motor Gun Boat Flotilla.
Early life
Robert Peverell Hichens was born 2 March 1909, the son of Doctor Peverell Smythe Hichens and Constance Sawbridge Hichens. He spent his early life in NorthamptonNorthampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, until the start of the Great War when his father—an officer in a Territorial Army unit of the Royal Army Medical Corps
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
—was sent to France, and the rest of the family moved to St Mawes
St Mawes
St Mawes is a small town opposite Falmouth, on the Roseland Peninsula on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It lies on the east bank of the Carrick Roads, a large waterway created after the Ice Age from an ancient valley which flooded as the melt waters caused the sea level to...
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. It was when living in Cornwall that Hichens and his sister Loveday were taught how to sail, eventually sailing their dinghy
Dinghy
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed for use as a ship's boat by a larger vessel. It is a loanword from either Bengali or Urdu. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor,...
Arethusa on Carrick Roads
Carrick Roads
Carrick Roads is located on the southern Cornish coast in the UK, near Falmouth. It is a large waterway created after the Ice age from an ancient valley which flooded as the melt waters caused the sea level to rise dramatically , creating a large natural harbour which is navigable from Falmouth to...
.
Education
In 1919, following the Great War, the family returned to the Northampton area, and Hichens was sent to a prep schoolPreparatory school (UK)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
nearby until 1921, when he was enrolled in Marlborough College
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
. In 1922, Hichens' father, by now a consulting physician at Northampton General hospital, retired and the family moved to Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
in the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
, purchasing Havelet House just outside Saint Peter Port.
Hichens entered Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
to read law in 1927. A keen sportsman, he started rowing and within six months was in the Magdalan second eight; by the following year he made the first eight as stroke oarsman. In the Eights Week
Eights Week
Eights Week, also known as Summer Eights, is a four-day regatta of bumps races which constitutes the University of Oxford's main intercollegiate rowing event of the year. The regatta takes place in May of each year, from the Wednesday to the Saturday of the fifth week of Trinity term...
races (the annual summer Head of the River
Head of the River
A Head of the River race is a rowing race, held as a procession race against the clock, with the winning crew receiving the title of "Head of the River"...
race at Oxford), when Hichens was at Magdalen, they came third in 1928, sixth in 1929 and eighth in 1930, which was the college's lowest position in the race since 1876. While at university he also joined the Officers Training Corps
Officers Training Corps
The Officer Training Corps is a part of the British Army which provides military leadership training to students at UK universities...
, receiving a commission as second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the infantry on 2 June 1929. In 1929, the Hichens family had purchased Bodrennick House at Flushing, Cornwall
Flushing, Cornwall
Flushing is a coastal village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated three miles south of Penryn and eleven miles south-east of Truro. It faces Falmouth across the Penryn river, an arm of the Carrick Roads...
, which they moved into in 1930, after the death of Hichens' father.
Married life
Robert Hichens met his future wife, Catherine Gilbert Enys of Flushing, CornwallFlushing, Cornwall
Flushing is a coastal village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated three miles south of Penryn and eleven miles south-east of Truro. It faces Falmouth across the Penryn river, an arm of the Carrick Roads...
, in 1928; they were married at St Gluvias church, Penryn, Cornwall
Penryn, Cornwall
Penryn is a civil parish and town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the Penryn River about one mile northwest of Falmouth...
in April 1931. The following year he joined a firm of solicitors, Reginald Rodgers and son of Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
, as an articled clerk
Articled clerk
An articled clerk, also known as an articling student, is an apprentice in a professional firm in Commonwealth countries. Generally the term arises in the accountancy profession and in the legal profession. The articled clerk signs a contract, known as "articles of clerkship", committing to a...
to be instructed as a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
. Hichens also trained in London with Mackrell's of Bedford Square
Bedford Square
Bedford Square is a square in the Bloomsbury district of the Borough of Camden in London, England.Built between 1775 and 1783 as an upper middle class residential area, the sqare has had many distinguished residents, including Lord Eldon, one of Britain's longest serving and most celebrated Lord...
; it was when working in London that he competed at the Henley Regatta in the Double scull
Double scull
A double scull is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for two persons who propel the boat by sculling with two oars, one in each hand....
s. In June 1933, after his mother's death, Hichens inherited half of his father's estate and Bodrennick House, and at the same time completed his articles. He became a junior partner with Reginald Rodgers on 1 January 1934.
Robert and Catherine had two sons: Robert, born in 1932, and Anthony, born in 1936.
Competitive sailing
During this time Hichens had continued to sail; he joined the Royal Cornish Yacht Club and started to race in International Fourteen events in his own dinghies called Venture and Venture II. He competed in the FoweyFowey
Fowey is a small town, civil parish and cargo port at the mouth of the River Fowey in south Cornwall, United Kingdom. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,273.-Early history:...
Regatta and the Prince of Wales Cup, coming fifth on the River Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
in 1936. He also entered the competition at Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
in 1937 and at Falmouth in 1938. Hichens had also taken up offshore yacht racing
Yacht racing
Yacht racing is the sport of competitive yachting.While sailing groups organize the most active and popular competitive yachting, other boating events are also held world-wide: speed motorboat racing; competitive canoeing, kayaking, and rowing; model yachting; and navigational contests Yacht racing...
and was a member of the Royal Ocean Racing Club
Royal Ocean Racing Club
The Royal Ocean Racing Club also called RORC was established in 1925 as a result of a race to the Fastnet rock from Cowes and finishing in Plymouth. The RORC is the principal organiser of offshore yacht races in the UK, including the Fastnet race, the Admirals Cup and the Commodore's Cup...
, competed three times in the Fastnet race
Fastnet race
The Fastnet Race is a famous offshore yachting race. It is considered one of the classic offshore races. It takes place every two years over a course of . The race starts off Cowes on the Isle of Wight in England, rounds the Fastnet Rock off the southwest coast of Ireland and then finishes at...
, and crewed in the Channel race in June 1939.
Motor racing
In 1935, he purchased a 1.4 litre Aston MartinAston Martin
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire...
touring car
Touring car
A touring car, or tourer, is an open car seating five or more. Touring cars may have two or four doors. Often, the belt line is lowered in the front doors to give the car a more sportive character. They were often fitted with a folding roof and side curtains. Engines on early models were either in...
and a Riley which he used to compete in hill climbs
Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
at Beggers Roost in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. Then in 1936, he purchased a 2 litre Aston Martin Speed Model—one of six built for the Ulster TT and 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
race that year. With assistance from Aston Martin he entered the car for the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans
1937 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 14th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 19 and 20 June 1937.This race saw the death of two drivers in a single accident...
, with Mortimer Morris-Goodall as his co-driver. They finished eleventh place overall but did win the Rudge Whitworth Cup. They competed again in the 1938 24 Hours of Le Mans
1938 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1938 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 15th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 17 and 18 1938.-Official results:-Did Not Finish:-Statistics:* Fastest Lap - #19 Raymond Sommer - 5:13.8* Distance - 3180.94 km...
but did not finish. They returned for the 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans
1939 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 16th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 17 and 18 1939.The following year's 24 Hours of Le Mans was originally planned for June 1940, but due to the invasion of France in May the race was called off...
where they finished twelfth.
Second World War
Robert Hichens applied to transfer from the Territorial Army to the RNVR in the summer of 1930, and eventually transferred to the Royal Naval Volunteer Supplementary Reserve in 1936, which was formed from yachtsmen sufficiently knowledgeable about the sea to be considered suitable for a commission. After the declaration of war he was ordered to join HMS King AlfredHMS King Alfred
One ship and two shore establishments of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS King Alfred, after Alfred the Great:Ships was a Drake-class armoured cruiser launched in 1901 and sold in 1920....
on 27 October 1939, and after passing an interview and medical was promoted to sub lieutenant RNVR, completing his training in six weeks instead of the normal three months.
Phoney war and Dunkirk
Having completed training in December 1939, he was promoted to lieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and appointed to HMS Halcycon
HMS Halcyon (J42)
HMS Halcyon was a built for the Royal Navy in 1933. She was the lead vessel in the class. Her pennant number was J42.Halcyon was built by John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Ltd., at Clydebank, in Scotland. She was laid down on 27 March 1933 and launched on 20 December of the same year...
, part of the 5th Minesweeping Flotilla and later the 4th Minesweeping Flotilla. He moved ship to HMS Niger
HMS Niger (J73)
HMS Niger was a of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1936 and was sunk during the Second World War by a mine near Iceland in 1942. Five merchants she was escorting also sank top mines at the same spot.-External links:* *...
in April 1940, during the Phoney war period both flotilla
Flotilla
A flotilla , or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet. A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same class of warship, such as frigates, destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, gunboats, or minesweepers...
s were kept busy minesweeping in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
and the only action seen was on 15 May 1940, when HMS Hussar was holed by a German bomber. On 29 May 1940, Hichens was informed that the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
were being evacuated from Dunkirk in Operation Dynamo
Operation Dynamo
The Dunkirk evacuation, commonly known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, code-named Operation Dynamo by the British, was the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, France, between 26 May and the early hours of 3 June 1940, because the British, French and Belgian troops were...
and that Niger would be leaving to assist. Arriving off Dunkirk on 31 May, Hichens organised the small boats and yachts used to evacuate the army from the Dunkirk jetty. When Niger was ordered home with a full complement of soldiers, Hichens asked to be left behind to continue with the evacuation. He was given permission but also informed he would have to find his own way home. Arriving back in Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
on the yacht Chico he rejoined Niger on 1 June. HMS Niger returned to Dunkirk another three times, Hichens once more went ashore to arrange the evacuation before the end of the operation. For his work on the beaches in the withdrawal of the Allied armies from Dunkirk, Hichens was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
(DSC).
Coastal forces
Having asked for a transfer to Coastal ForcesCoastal Forces of the Royal Navy
Coastal Forces was a division of the Royal Navy established duringWorld War II under the command of Rear Admiral Coastal Forces. -History:The Royal Navy had previously operated flotillas of small torpedo- and depth-charge-armed craft during the First World WarThe first Headquarters was set up at ...
Hichens was sent to HMS Osprey at Portland
Weymouth and Portland
Weymouth and Portland is a local government district and borough in Dorset, England. It consists of the resort of Weymouth and the Isle of Portland, and includes the areas of Wyke Regis, Preston, Melcombe Regis, Upwey, Broadwey, Southill, Chiswell, Castletown, Fortuneswell, Radipole, Nottington,...
for training on Motor Anti-Submarine Boats
British Power Boat Company
The British Power Boat Company was a British manufacturer of motor boats, particularly racing boats and later military patrol boats.It was formed on 30 September 1927 when Hubert Scott-Paine bought and renamed the Hythe Shipyard with the intention of transforming it into one of the most modern mass...
(MASB). He was appointed to his first command, MASB 16, on 4 November 1940, which he held until 18 November 1940, when he was appointed commander of MASB 18. His final MASB command was MASB 14, which he took up 23 December 1940.
These boats were lightly armed with two twin Vickers .50 machine gun
Vickers .50 machine gun
The Vickers .50 machine gun, also known as the 'Vickers .50' was basically the same as the Vickers machine gun but scaled up to use a larger calibre round.-Mark II, IV and V:...
s and depth charges and had a top speed of 40 knots.
In January 1941, Hichens was given a new command, Motor Gun Boat
Motor Gun Boat
Motor Gun Boat was a Royal Navy term for a small military vessel of the Second World War. They were physically similar to the Motor Torpedo Boats but equipped with a mix of guns instead of torpedoes. Their small size and high speed made them difficult targets for E-boats or torpedo bombers, but...
64, becoming the first RNVR officer to command a MGB, and the only RNVR crewed boat in the 6th MGB Flotilla. It was when in command of MGB 64 that Hichens got his nickname Hitch. As each boat needed to select a radio call sign, Hichens could not think of anything suitable and Lieutenant Arty Shaw suggested Hitch, which stuck and remained with him for the rest of his time with the coastal forces.
The 6th MGB Flotilla was based at HMS Beehive in Felixstowe
Felixstowe
Felixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK...
from April 1941, where they were tasked to engage German E boats raiding east coast convoys. At this stage in the war MGBs were armed with a mixture of weapons, which could be Lewis machine guns, Vickers machine gun
Vickers machine gun
Not to be confused with the Vickers light machine gunThe Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 inch machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army...
s, Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
The Oerlikon 20 mm cannon is a series of autocannons, based on an original design by Reinhold Becker of Germany, very early in World War I, and widely produced by Oerlikon Contraves and others...
or four barrelled Boulton Paul gun turrets. The armament was soon standardized with two twin Vickers .50 machine guns each side of the bridge, an Oerlikon 20 mm cannon mounted aft, and depth charges. The boats had a crew of 18, consisting of two officers, two petty officer
Petty Officer
A petty officer is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotion OR-6. They are equal in rank to sergeant, British Army and Royal Air Force. A Petty Officer is superior in rank to Leading Rate and subordinate to Chief Petty Officer, in the case of the British Armed...
s and 14 rating
Naval rating
A Naval Rating is an enlisted member of a country's Navy, subordinate to Warrant Officers and Officers hence not conferred by commission or warrant...
s.
Flotilla commander
When Robert Hichens was appointed senior officer in command of the 6th MGB Flotilla from September 1941, he became the first RNVR officer to command a flotilla in the Second World War. Along with the new command came a promotion to lieutenant commanderLieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
.
As flotilla commander his first successful action took place the night of 19/20 November 1941, when his flotilla was ordered to patrol 10 miles (16.1 km) off the Hook of Holland to engage E boats returning to base. The flotilla engaged five E boats, causing damage to all five boats, damaging two severely and forcing them to disperse. One E boat was later found abandoned by the crew and boarded. This was the first E boat captured and Hichens' crew obtained valuable information and equipment before the boat sank. For this action Hichens was awarded a bar to the DSC, for "...[c]oolness skill and readiness when in action against enemy E boats sinking one and damaging others".
Other members of the flotilla were awarded one Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Royal Navy and members of the other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, up to and including the rank of Chief Petty Officer, for bravery and resourcefulness on active service...
(DSM) and five others were Mentioned in Dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
(MID) for the action.
The flotilla's second success was the night of 19/20 December 1941, again in the North Sea off the Dutch coast, when two boats engaged two R boats and one E boat. They passed twice at high speed before losing contact, but twice during the night they located them and eventually carried out depth charge attacks. Hichens received a MID for this action, the commander of the other boat was also MID.
The third major action Hichens was involved in during this period was the action during the night of 21/22 April 1942, off Ostend
Ostend
Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
, when they engaged six E boats, forcing the superior force to scatter and run for port after severely damaging one boat and causing slight damage to the others. After this action the E boats were moved to a safer harbour to operate from. Hichens was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) following this action.
8th MGB Flotilla
Hichens was next appointed commander of the 8th MGB Flotilla. These new boats were armed with a twin Oerlikon mount aft, a QF 2-pounder Mark XIV forward, twin Lewis or later twin Vickers machine guns either side of the bridge and depth charges. The flotilla was moved to Dartmouth, DevonDartmouth, Devon
Dartmouth is a town and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is a tourist destination set on the banks of the estuary of the River Dart, which is a long narrow tidal ria that runs inland as far as Totnes...
in July 1942. The first action they were involved in was during the night of 14/15 July. Ordered to engage E Boats using Cherbourg as a base they found a 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...
of naval trawler
Naval trawler
A naval trawler is a vessel built along the lines of a fishing trawler but fitted out for naval purposes. Naval trawlers were widely used during the First and Second world wars. Fishing trawlers were particularly suited for many naval requirements because they were robust boats designed to work...
s escorting a small tanker
Tank ship
A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas carrier.-Background:...
. The flotilla engaged the two rear escort trawlers and carried out a depth charge attack. The tanker was last seen to be on fire as the flotilla reformed off Alderney
Alderney
Alderney is the most northerly of the Channel Islands. It is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown dependency. It is long and wide. The area is , making it the third-largest island of the Channel Islands, and the second largest in the Bailiwick...
. After this action Hichens was awarded a bar to the DSO. Both the DSO and the bar were presented during the same investiture at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
on 22 September 1942, while other members of the flotilla were awarded a Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
The Conspicuous Gallantry Medal was, until 1993, a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Armed Forces and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for conspicuous gallantry in action against the enemy at sea...
and four MID's for the action.
The flotilla was next in action during the night 29/30 July again off Ostend, when the flotilla in company with two Motor Torpedo Boat
Motor Torpedo Boat
Motor Torpedo Boat was the name given to fast torpedo boats by the Royal Navy, and the Royal Canadian Navy.The capitalised term is generally used for the Royal Navy boats and abbreviated to "MTB"...
s (MTB) engaged a convoy of three Flak trawlers and two merchant ships. One of the merchant ships was hit by torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es from the MTBs while the MGBs engaged the other by dropping depth charges. With those ships destroyed they then engaged the Flak trawlers.
During the night 1/2 August, under orders to patrol north west of Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
, the flotilla again located enemy shipping. Following them towards the port of Cherbourg they silently passed a German torpedo boat
Torpedo boat type 35
The Type 35 and Type 37 Torpedo boats were small destroyers built for the German Kriegsmarine between 1939 and 1942. They were designed to exploit a clause in the Washington Naval Treaty, which stipulated that ships under 600 tons standard displacement did not count towards limited tonnages...
lying at anchor, and located four E boats waiting to enter harbour. Having caught them by surprise they opened fire on the stationary boats and after a short engagement withdrew leaving two of the enemy boats on fire. For this action Hichens received a second MID, other members of the flotilla were awarded one DSC, two DSMs and four MIDs.
The flotilla was ordered back to Felixstowe in Autumn 1942. Their first contact with the enemy was on the night 14/15 September when they engaged a small convoy off the Hook of Holland. They followed a convoy that was escorted by four Flak trawlers almost into harbour before inflicting considerable damage to it. For this, Hichens was awarded a second bar to the DSC. Other members of the flotilla were awarded one DSC, two DSMs and one MID.
Hichens, now the recipient of two DSOs, three DSCs and two MIDs, was offered promotion to commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
in command of HMS Bee
HMS Bee
Three vessels and two shore establishments of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Bee, after the insect, the Bee. A third ship was ordered but never completed:-Ships:...
at Weymouth, Dorset and a training post ashore. Feeling unsuited for such a role, he declined and remained commander of the 8th MGB flotilla.
Casualties
Hichens lost the first boat under his command during the night action 2/3 October 1942. Engaging four trawlers MGB 78 went in for a depth charge attack and was lost to enemy fire. Another boat, MGB 76, was lost during the night of 5/6 October 1942, when the flotilla was ambushed by two German torpedo boats and a number of E boats.The winter months of 1942–43 were uneventful, and Hichens started to write his unfinished account of the war. We fought them in Gunboats was published posthumously in 1944.
The flotilla, accompanied by four MTBs and escorting mine laying Motor Launch
Motor Launch
A Motor Launch is a small military vessel in British navy service. It was designed for harbour defence and submarine chasing or for armed high speed air-sea rescue....
es (ML), were next in action over the night of 27/28 February 1943. The mixed flotilla engaged a convoy escorted by two trawlers and a minesweeper, and lost MGB 79 to enemy fire. Hichens closed with the stricken boat, which was on fire, to remove the crew. They managed to rescue seven of the crew before being forced to withdraw under fire. Hichens' own boat, MGB 77, was also set on fire during the rescue.
On the night of 12/13 April 1943, the flotilla was ordered to escort mine laying MLs off the Dutch coast. Detecting two trawlers they engaged them leaving one on fire, but as they withdrew MGB 77 was hit, killing Hichens outright and wounding three others on the bridge. Hichens received a posthumous MID for these actions.
Victoria Cross recommendation
Hichens was recommended for the Victoria CrossVictoria 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....
for his actions during the night of 27/28 February. When informed by his commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
, Commander Kerr, of the intention to recommend him, Hichens requested that the recommendation be dropped as he now felt he had endangered two of the boats in the flotilla trying to rescue his friends. Kerr, respecting his views, dropped the recommendation, only for it to be resubmitted six weeks later after his death. The recommendation was endorsed by Commander Kerr, Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Lyon (the Commander-in-chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
at Nore
Nore
The Nore is a sandbank at the mouth of the Thames Estuary, England. It marks the point where the River Thames meets the North Sea, roughly halfway between Havengore Creek in Essex and Warden Point in Kent....
) and Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Rogers (the Flag officer
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
in charge at Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
). The recommendation was rejected by the Admiralty, citing the same reasons Hichens had himself given.