Robert Peverell Hichens
Robert Peverell Hichens | |
---|---|
Second World War
| |
Awards | Mentioned in Despatches (3) |
Before the
Early life
Robert Peverell Hichens was born 2 March 1909, the son of Doctor Peverell Smythe Hichens and Constance Sawbridge Hichens.
Education
In 1919, following the Great War, the family returned to the Northampton area, and Hichens was sent to a
Married life
Robert Hichens met his future wife, Catherine Gilbert Enys of
Competitive sailing
During this time Hichens had continued to sail; he joined the
Motor racing
In 1935, he purchased a 1.4-litre
Second World War
Robert Hichens applied to transfer from the
Phoney war and Dunkirk
Having completed training in December 1939, he was promoted to
Coastal forces
Having asked for a transfer to Coastal Forces Hichens was sent to HMS Osprey at Portland for training on Motor Anti-Submarine Boats (MASB).[30] 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.[31] These boats were lightly armed with two twin
In January 1941, Hichens was given a new command,
The 6th MGB Flotilla was based at
Flotilla commander
When Robert Hichens was appointed senior officer in command of the 6th MGB Flotilla from September 1941,[37] he became the first RNVR officer to command a flotilla in the Second World War.[38] Along with the new command came a promotion to lieutenant commander.[39]
As flotilla commander his first successful action took place the night of 19/20 November 1941,
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
The third major action Hichens was involved in during this period was the action during the night of 21/22 April 1942, off
8th MGB Flotilla
Hichens was next appointed commander of the 8th MGB Flotilla.
The flotilla was next in action during the night 29/30 July again off Ostend, when the flotilla in company with two
During the night 1/2 August, under orders to patrol north west of
The flotilla was ordered back to Felixstowe in Autumn[when?] 1942.[64] 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.[65] For this, Hichens was awarded a second Bar to his DSC.[66] Other members of the flotilla were awarded a DSC, two DSMs and a MID.[67]
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.[68]
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.[69] 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.[70]
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.[59]
The flotilla, accompanied by four MTBs and escorting mine laying Motor Launches (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.[71]
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.
Victoria Cross recommendation
Hichens was recommended for the
Notes
- Footnotes
- ^ After the war it was discovered that two E boats had been lost that night, S41 and S53. S41 was the boat that was boarded.[44]
- King George VI is supposed to have joked "What you again".[59]
- ^ This vessel of about 600 tons was the same size as a small destroyer but they were unable to engage having nothing that would cause it any damage.[61]
- ^ After having decided that they were not going to award a Victoria Cross, under the British honours system at the time the only other option left to the authorities was a posthumous MID.[75]
- Citations
- ^ Gore, p. 54.
- ^ a b "Wartime heroics remembered in Felixstowe". Evening Star. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
- ^ Hichens, p. 2.
- ^ a b "Telegraph announcements". Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 9 August 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
- ^ a b Hichens, p. 3.
- ^ a b c Hichens, p. 4.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 5–9.
- ^ Hichens, p. 9.
- ^ "No. 33565". The London Gazette. 31 December 1929. p. 8505.
- ^ Hichens, p. 16.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 15–18.
- ^ a b Hichens, p. 19.
- ^ Hichens, p. 24.
- ^ a b Cook, p. 43.
- ^ "Prince of Wales Cup". The Times. 27 July 1936. Archived from the original on 4 December 2010. Retrieved 28 November 2009.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 20–21.
- ^ a b Hichens, p. 21.
- ^ Hichens, p. 22.
- ^ "Le Mans results 1937". Experience Le Mans in French. Archived from the original on 19 September 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
- ^ "Le Mans results 1938". Experience Le Mans in French. Archived from the original on 23 September 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
- ^ "Le Mans results 1939". Experience Le Mans in French. Archived from the original on 19 September 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
- ^ Hichens, p. 28.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 30–31.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 33–38.
- ^ Hichens, p. 53.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 65–67.
- ^ Hichens, p. 69.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 71–85.
- ^ "No. 34925". The London Gazette. 16 August 1940. p. 5064.
- ^ a b c Lambert & Ross, p. 29.
- ^ Hichens, p. 110.
- ^ Cook, p. 46.
- ^ Hichens, p. 126.
- ^ Hichens, p. 134.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 141–145.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 153–156.
- ^ Reynolds, p. 46.
- ^ Reynolds, p. 97.
- ^ Hichens, p. 167.
- ^ Scott, p. 35.
- ^ Hichens, p. 181.
- ^ Cook, p. 48.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 191–199.
- ^ Hichens, p. 200.
- ^ "No. 35449". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 February 1942. p. 653.
- ^ Hichens, p. 201.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 202–203.
- ^ "No. 35474". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 March 1942. p. 1009.
- ^ Hichens, p. 203.
- ^ Reynolds, p. 49.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 212–223.
- ^ "No. 35780". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 November 1942. p. 4883.
- ^ Lambert & Ross, p. 202.
- ^ Lambert & Ross, p. 81.
- ^ Scott, p. 77.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 257–259.
- ^ "No. 35695". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 September 1942. p. 3917.
- ^ Hichens, p. 262.
- ^ a b Hichens, p. 310.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 242–244.
- ^ Hichens, p. 271.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 267–273.
- ^ Hichens, p. 274.
- ^ Scott, p. 115.
- ^ Reynolds, p. 69.
- ^ "No. 35780". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 November 1942. p. 4883.
- ^ Hichens, p. 288.
- ^ Hichens, p. 289.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 294–295.
- ^ Hichens, p. 303.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 315–320.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 327–328.
- ^ "No. 36062". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 June 1943. p. 2819.
- ^ Hichens, pp. 322–334.
- ^ Army Quarterly and Defence Journal (1994), p. 23.
- General
- The Army Quarterly and Defence Journal, Volume 124. West of England Press. 1994. Digitized 23 August 2008.
- Cook, Graeme (1977). Small Boat Raiders. Hart-Davis MacGibbon. ISBN 0-246-10807-X.
- Gore, David (1997). A Cornish Inheritance: the Harveys of Chacewater. Lower Basildon: David Gore. ISBN 0-9530912-0-1.
- Hichens, Antony (2008). Gunboat Commander: the biography of Lieutenant Commander Robert Hichens DSO* DSC** RNVR. Pen & Sword Military. ISBN 978-1-84415-656-6.
- Lambert, John; Ross, Al (1990). Allied Coastal Forces of World War II: Fairmile Designs and US Submarine Chasers. Conway. ISBN 0-85177-519-5.
- Reynolds, Leonard C (2000). Home Waters MTBs & MGBs at War, 1939–1945. Sutton in association with The ISBN 0-7509-2518-3.
- Scott, Peter (2009). Battle of the Narrow Seas: the history of the Light Coastal Forces in the Channel & North Sea, 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-041-2.
Further reading
- Donald, William (1956). Stand by for Action: the Memoirs of a Small Ship Commander. London UK: William Kimber & Co. ltd. ISBN 978-1-84832-016-1.
- Hichens, Robert Peverell (1946). We Fought Them in Gunboats. British Publishers Guild.