b. ? d. ?
DATE OF EM ACTION: 09/11/1939 Brest, France.
EGM
Little is known about one of the four honorary recipients of the Empire Gallantry Medals who didnt qualify to become automatic recipients of the George Cross on its creation in 1940.
EGM CITATION: (not gazetted)
On 9 November 1939 a petrol tanker, SS Pacific Coast, exploded on arrival in the port of Brest, France, and, in a few seconds, was ablaze from stern to stern. Ignoring the risk of a second explosion Capitaine Laurent Loussot, master of the tug L’Abeille, which was standing by, placed the stern of his vessel within a few feet of the burning ship and, having secured the anchor chain with his wire rope, was towing the tanker away within ten minutes of the explosion. Never more than a few yards ahead of the fire he beached the ship outside the harbour after a tow lasting more than half an hour. The ship continued to burn for four days.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.