Description

1939 – 45 Star, Atlantic Star, Africa Star, Pacific Star with clasp BURMA, War Medal, Australian Service Medal 1939 – 45 all named (except Africa Star – later post war issued) 20372 B.A. ALSON. Court mounted for display they come with copies of service record.

Basil Alexander Alson was born in Hyde Park, South Australia in 1915, his father serving with the AIF during the Great War.

He enlisted into the Royal Australian Navy on 10/9/1934 as an Able Seaman, serving on HMAS Stuart and Canberra, when he purchased his discharge on 17/2/1937.

On the outbreak of WW2 he re-enlisted on 23/9/1939 and served on a variety of HMAS ships and shore bases including: HMAS Arawa (armed merchant cruiser) 13/10/1939 – 24/7/1941.

8/1/1941 while on passage from the Clyde to Sierra Leone West of the Canary Islands saw gunfire and heard a distress call from the tanker British Union. She cleared for action and approached at full speed. Thinking the attacker might be the Admiral Scheer she jettisoned her depth charges omitting to set them at safe. On arrival in the area, she found oil wreckage and 7 survivor’s which she took to Freetown. The raider later turned out to be the Kormoran. Unfortunately, the survivors were lost on their way home when their ship was sunk by the German cruiser Admiral Hipper.

London Depot 25/7/1941 – 12/10/1941

HMAS Dubbo (corvette) 1/8/1942 – 9/12/1942. HMAS Adelaide light cruiser) 21/12/1942 – 7/2/1943. He was discharged10/9/1945.