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Bravery commendations for HMS Starling crewmen
Two seamen from HMS Starling have been awarded the Queen's Commendation for Bravery for their actions on an anti-smuggling patrol on December 30, 1993.
Petty Officer Weapon Engineer Mechanic (Ordnance) Steve Rule and Radio Operator (Tactical) Brian Morris were members of the boarding team of a fast pursuit craft (FPC) from HMS Starling on anti-smuggling patrol in the Sai Kung area.
On receipt of reports of contraband loading activity in the area, both FPCs were deployed covertly from the ship at 7.15 pm.
Directed to enter Port Shelter, some two miles to the north, they established a fully darkened patrol poised to intercept the smuggling speedboats as they departed from their loading sites for China.
Shortly after reaching their patrol area, three "chung feis" smuggling boats approached from the north at speed and both FPCs gave chase.
Both craft closed on the rearmost "chung fei" which began to manoeuvre violently and at times dangerously close to the shore as it attempted to throw off its
pursuers.
The coxswain of the "chung fei" was unusually determined and skilful, capable of the most aggressive evasion techniques.
Eventually, after a 10-minute chase at speeds of over 60 knots involving a number of dangerously close encounters, one FPC succeeded in manoeuvring alongside the speedboat.
The crewman realised at that stage that arrest was imminent and jumped overboard.
Aware that they were still up against a particularly hostile and experienced smuggling coxswain - and regardless of the inherent dangers of high speed boarding operations - Petty Officer Rule and Radio Operator Morris leapt onto the laden "chung fei".
On seeing PO Rule enter his cockpit, the chung fei's coxswain fully opened both his engine throttles and turned sharply towards a large fish farm tethered between two nearby islands before he too abandoned his boat.
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