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Auction: 21003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 352

'As early as 1940, Winston Churchill's energetic mind turned to matters offensive and he perceived the need for a vessel able to put armour and vehicles ashore 'over beaches' and 'anywhere in the world'. Ultimately ships could be designed and built for this revolutionary purpose but, at the time only conversions were feasible to prove the concept … The ships identified for conversion were the [tankers] Bachaquero, Misoa and Tasajera.'

The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, by Chris Bishop, refers.

A Great War and Second World War campaign group of nine awarded to Leading Seaman P. H. Bell, Royal Navy, who served in the first Mk. 1 Landing Ship (Tank), namely the above cited converted tanker Bachaquero

Deemed by one source to be 'Churchill's favourite ship', the Bachaquero lent valuable service in the amphibious assault on Vichy-held Madagascar in May 1942, followed by like services in the North Africa landings in November 1942, on which latter occasion Bell was present and mentioned in despatches

He 'set a high example to other ratings' as a member of the Bachaquero's beach party on Z Beach, which came under fire from Fort Djebel

Bell was borne on the books of the Combined Operations establishments Quebec and Copra for the remainder of the war, and likely saw further action at the time of the Sicily and Salerno landings


British War and Victory Medals (J. 92806 P. H. Bell, Boy 2, R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Royal Fleet Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., coinage bust (92806 (Dev. B. 15294) P. H. Bell, A.B., R.F.R.), mounted as worn, the earlier awards with bruising and polished, thus generally good fine, the remainder good very fine (9)

Philip Henry Bell was born in Hendon, London on 8 April 1903 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in September 1918. For his subsequent services in H.M.S. Royal Sovereign during the Russian intervention, he was awarded the British War and Victory Medals.

Having then come ashore as an Able Seaman in April 1933, when he enrolled in the Royal Fleet Reserve, he was recalled on the renewal of hostilities and joined the destroyer Vidette.

Departing Vidette in early 1941, Bell served at the Royal Naval Air Station Kestrel in the period April-August 1942, but soon after that he joined the Churchillian-inspired L.S. (T.) Mk. 1 Bachaquero. In common with her sister ships, Misoa and Tasajera, she had been requisitioned by the Admiralty in December 1940, direct from her role as an oil tanker operating in Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela.

In terms of conversion for her new landing craft role, her oil tanks were removed to form a tank deck, and two large hatches and two 50-ton derrick cranes fitted to lift vehicles from the tank deck to the upper deck. Her bows were cut off square and a heavy steel door fitted, and a hinged extension, together with the door, provided a 100-foot ramp to unload vehicles.

And in terms of protection, steel armour plating was fitted to the bridge and wheelhouse, and the ship was armed with a single 40mm. gun, six 20mm. anti-aircraft guns, three Lewis machine-guns, and a smoke mortar. By the time of her commissioning in August 1941, she could accommodate around 200 troops, in addition to her crew of 98. And she could carry eighteen 30-ton tanks, or twenty-two 25-ton tanks, or 33 heavy trucks.

As stated, Bell was mentioned in despatches for his deeds as a Leading Seaman in the Bachaquero at the North Africa landings in November 1942 (London Gazette 4 May 1943, refers), the original recommendation stating:

'For zeal and energy with the Beach Party. He set a high example to other ratings.'

An example set, it should be added, under fire on Z Beach from Fort Djebel. In fact, official Admiralty sources for the Centre Task Force state the 'unloading of ships was seriously delayed by heavy surf and casualties to landing craft' (TNA ADM 1/14300, refers). It is also worth noting that the raid on nearby Oran harbour met with disaster, the same raid in which Captain Frederick Peters, D.S.O., D.S.C., R.N., won the V.C.

Post Operation "Torch", it seems likely that Bell saw further action in landing craft operations off Sicily and Salerno. Having been borne on the books of the Combined Operations training base Quebec, he was transferred to the books of Copra in September 1943. He was finally released as 'Class A' direct from the latter Combined Operations base in October 1945.


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Starting price
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