The Patrol Service trawler HMT Arab was among the vessels rushed to Norway in 1940. Under heavy air attack, Lieutenant Richard Been Stannard used Arab’s single 4-inch gun and a captured 12-pounder to defend the harbour at Namsos, even while fires threatened nearby ammunition stores. Over five days he led rescue work, towed burning ships clear, and fought off repeated dive-bomber attacks.
For his “great courage, coolness and skill” Stannard received the Victoria Cross—the only one awarded to a member of the RN Patrol Service. The museum display includes photographs, copies of the London Gazette citation, and artefacts from Arab’s service.
Key moments from Arab’s deployment and the evacuation from Namsos.
April 1940
Arrival at Namsos
Arab escorts convoys into the fjord and immediately engages enemy aircraft.
Night action
Towing burning ships clear
Stannard maneuvers Arab close to blazing vessels to save the harbour from further explosions.
Evacuation
Holding the line
Arab shields Allied troops embarking for evacuation despite continuous air raids.
Post-war
Legacy preserved
Stannard remained a symbol of RNPS bravery and later served with distinction in the merchant service.