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[[Commander]] '''Bernard Peter de Neumann''' [[George Medal|GM]] [[Royal Navy|RN]] ([[18 September]] [[1917]] – [[16 September]] [[1972]]) was a [[England|British]] sailor and convicted [[pirate]].
[[Commander]] '''Bernard Peter de Neumann''' [[George Medal|GM]] [[Royal Navy|RN]] ([[18 September]] [[1917]] – [[16 September]] [[1972]]) was a [[England|British]] sailor and convicted [[pirate]].


Neumann's sailing career included being sunk twice in the space of one month, charged and convicted of [[piracy]] by the [[Vichy France|Vichy French]], and being known as [[Timbuktu|“The Man From Timbuctoo”]].{{fact}}
Neumann's sailing career included being sunk twice in the space of one month, charged and convicted of [[piracy]] by the [[Vichy France|Vichy French]], and being known as [[Timbuktu|“The Man From Timbuctoo”]]. <ref>Daily Express, London, 10 February 1943, London – Front Page "The Man From Timbuctoo" by Montague Lacey</ref> <ref>The Port, London, 30 Nov 1972 – "The Man From Timbuctoo"</ref> <ref>The Dog Watch, Australia, No 31, 1972 – "The Man From Timbuctoo"</ref> <ref>Sunday Express, London, 13 May 1975 – "Tribute to the Sailors of Timbuctoo"</ref> <ref>Edwards, Bernard ''Death in the Doldrums: U Cruisers Off West Africa'', 2005. ISBN 978-1844152612</ref> <ref>*[[Richard Woodman| Woodman, Richard]], ''The Real Cruel Sea'', John Murray, 2004 </ref>


His courage during the [[Second World War]] was recognised when he was awarded the [[George Medal]] and the [[Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea]] for removing a 250 kilogram bomb from deep in the engine-room of the ''Tewkesbury'' and dropping it over the side during a Luftwaffe air attack off Aberdeen, Scotland on March 1, 1941.{{fact}} ''Tewkesbury'' was torpedoed and sunk by gunfire by ''U-69'' on May 21, 1941. All of the crew survived, and were picked up by (US) ''Exhibitor'', and later he transferred to ''HMS Cilicia''. ''Cilicia'' arrived in Freetown on May 17, 1941, and Neumann volunteered as Second Officer aboard the RN prize vessel ''Criton'' (captured from the Vichy French). ''Criton'' sailed from Freetown for the UK on June 19, 1941, but was intercepted by two Vichy French warships on June 21, and sunk by gunfire. ''Criton'''s crew were escorted under armed guard to Conakry, where the executive officers were tried and found guilty of piracy by a Vichy French naval court martial and imprisoned in Timbuktu. They managed to escape, and walked 400 miles up the River Niger before they were recaptured and returned to Timbuktu. Neumann was eventually released at the end of December 1942, and arrived back in the UK aboard ''HMS Asturias'' in mid January 1943. He received his [[George Medal]] from King George VI in mid February 1943.
His courage during the [[Second World War]] was recognised when he was awarded the [[George Medal]] and the [[Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea]] for removing a 250 kilogram bomb from deep in the engine-room of the ''Tewkesbury'' and dropping it over the side during a Luftwaffe air attack off Aberdeen, Scotland on March 1, 1941.<ref>Masters, David, ''In Peril on the Sea'', Cresset Press, London, 1960”</ref> <ref>The Times, London, 22 Sep 1972 – ‘’Obituary’’</ref> ''Tewkesbury'' was torpedoed and sunk by gunfire by ''U-69'' on May 21, 1941. All of the crew survived, and were picked up by (US) ''Exhibitor'', and later he transferred to ''HMS Cilicia''. ''Cilicia'' arrived in Freetown on May 17, 1941, and Neumann volunteered as Second Officer aboard the RN prize vessel ''Criton'' (captured from the Vichy French). ''Criton'' sailed from Freetown for the UK on June 19, 1941, but was intercepted by two Vichy French warships on June 21, and sunk by gunfire. ''Criton'''s crew were escorted under armed guard to Conakry, where the executive officers were tried and found guilty of piracy by a Vichy French naval court martial and imprisoned in Timbuktu. They managed to escape, and walked 400 miles up the River Niger before they were recaptured and returned to Timbuktu. Neumann was eventually released at the end of December 1942, and arrived back in the UK aboard ''HMS Asturias'' in mid January 1943. He received his [[George Medal]] from King George VI in mid February 1943.


From 1947 to 1953 he served as Commander of HMRC (His Majesty's Revenue Cruiser) ''Vigilant'', and in 1953 joined the Port of London Authority. He served as [[Harbourmaster]], and, after his health deteriorated as a result of his imprisonment in West Africa, [[Dockmaster]] at Tilbury.
From 1947 to 1953 he served as Commander of HMRC (His Majesty's Revenue Cruiser) ''Vigilant'', and in 1953 joined the Port of London Authority. He served as [[Harbourmaster]], and, after his health deteriorated as a result of his imprisonment in West Africa, [[Dockmaster]] at Tilbury.
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*a Red Cross label from a parcel addressed to Peter de Neumann in Timbuctoo;
*a Red Cross label from a parcel addressed to Peter de Neumann in Timbuctoo;
* the tumbler he made from the bottom of a Perrier Water bottle by half filling it with water, binding around it paraffin soaked twine at the water level and igniting it, making the glass crack at the water-line.
* the tumbler he made from the bottom of a Perrier Water bottle by half filling it with water, binding around it paraffin soaked twine at the water level and igniting it, making the glass crack at the water-line.



==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
*Montague Lacey, 10 Feb 1943. “The Man From Timbuctoo“, Daily Express, London.

*David Masters, "In Peril on the Sea", Cresset Press, London, 1960.
*[[Richard Woodman]], "The Real Cruel Sea", John Murray, 2004.
*Bernard Edwards, "Death in the Doldrums", Pen & Sword Books, 2005.


{{DEFAULTSORT:Neumann, Peter de}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Neumann, Peter de}}

Revision as of 10:07, 4 March 2009

Peter de Neumann as Commander of HMRC Vigilant in about 1950

Commander Bernard Peter de Neumann GM RN (18 September 1917 – 16 September 1972) was a British sailor and convicted pirate.

Neumann's sailing career included being sunk twice in the space of one month, charged and convicted of piracy by the Vichy French, and being known as “The Man From Timbuctoo”. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

His courage during the Second World War was recognised when he was awarded the George Medal and the Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea for removing a 250 kilogram bomb from deep in the engine-room of the Tewkesbury and dropping it over the side during a Luftwaffe air attack off Aberdeen, Scotland on March 1, 1941.[7] [8] Tewkesbury was torpedoed and sunk by gunfire by U-69 on May 21, 1941. All of the crew survived, and were picked up by (US) Exhibitor, and later he transferred to HMS Cilicia. Cilicia arrived in Freetown on May 17, 1941, and Neumann volunteered as Second Officer aboard the RN prize vessel Criton (captured from the Vichy French). Criton sailed from Freetown for the UK on June 19, 1941, but was intercepted by two Vichy French warships on June 21, and sunk by gunfire. Criton's crew were escorted under armed guard to Conakry, where the executive officers were tried and found guilty of piracy by a Vichy French naval court martial and imprisoned in Timbuktu. They managed to escape, and walked 400 miles up the River Niger before they were recaptured and returned to Timbuktu. Neumann was eventually released at the end of December 1942, and arrived back in the UK aboard HMS Asturias in mid January 1943. He received his George Medal from King George VI in mid February 1943.

From 1947 to 1953 he served as Commander of HMRC (His Majesty's Revenue Cruiser) Vigilant, and in 1953 joined the Port of London Authority. He served as Harbourmaster, and, after his health deteriorated as a result of his imprisonment in West Africa, Dockmaster at Tilbury.

He began having thoughts on the potential for a port control system while he was Commander of Vigilant. These ideas followed on from considering such incidents as the accidental ramming of HMS Truculent by the Divina in 1950, the collision with the Nore Forts by Baalbek, and the disastrous North Sea flood that resulted in the flooding of Canvey, Foulness and the East Coast in 1953. In these and other situations, rescue and intelligence gathering were severely hampered by a lack of centralised command and control, and lack of detailed "picture". de Neumann resigned his command after returning Vigilant from the Spithead Review and joined the PLA, immediately suggesting in a report to them, submitted in 1953, that a feasibility study of such a system be commenced. He then oversaw its development and ultimate installation at Gravesend, which was completed by 1960.

During his time with the PLA he was commended for:

  • his handling of the rescue attempt following the sinking of the Tug Sunfish under Tower Bridge, 12 March 1960. The Sunfish was aft and the Sun VI forward of the Ellerman Lines’ Palermo, dragging through Tower Bridge inward bound in the Upper Pool, when the Sunfish was dragged on the Northern Buttress of the bridge. Her stern struck, rolling her over and she sank with the loss of her Chief Engineer. She was raised the next day, refurbished and returned to service.
  • his part in rescuing the crew of the Tug Kenia when she sank in the New Lock bellmouth, Tilbury Dock, 25 August 1964. The Crested Cock and the Kenia were undocking the Maashaven from Tilbury Dock New Entrance. The ship started her swing to starboard in the Bellmouth and the Kenia was on the port bow when coming around, the Maashaven went ahead and pinned her to the upper pier head before she cleared the ship’s bow. The Kenia was cut from the deck to the keel in the after end of the engine room starboard side. A line was passed to the pier head and secured and all crew rapidly taken ashore before she sank. Kenia was raised by the PLA Salvage Department and scrapped.
  • attempting to save the life of a crane driver injured when his crane toppled across the open hold of a ship in Tilbury Dock, 10 March 1966. The crane driver died before he could be released.

Just a few days before his death he was involved in another incident with a toppled crane at Tilbury. This time the driver survived. He was killed in an accident in Tilbury Dock, aged 54, and his ashes were scattered on the River Thames in Gravesend Reach.

Museum pieces

Three items he brought home from Timbuctoo are on loan to the Imperial War Museum in London and on display in the Survival at Sea Exhibition. They are:

  • a New Testament with a diary of the movements the prisoners made whilst captured;
  • a Red Cross label from a parcel addressed to Peter de Neumann in Timbuctoo;
  • the tumbler he made from the bottom of a Perrier Water bottle by half filling it with water, binding around it paraffin soaked twine at the water level and igniting it, making the glass crack at the water-line.


References

  1. ^ Daily Express, London, 10 February 1943, London – Front Page "The Man From Timbuctoo" by Montague Lacey
  2. ^ The Port, London, 30 Nov 1972 – "The Man From Timbuctoo"
  3. ^ The Dog Watch, Australia, No 31, 1972 – "The Man From Timbuctoo"
  4. ^ Sunday Express, London, 13 May 1975 – "Tribute to the Sailors of Timbuctoo"
  5. ^ Edwards, Bernard Death in the Doldrums: U Cruisers Off West Africa, 2005. ISBN 978-1844152612
  6. ^ * Woodman, Richard, The Real Cruel Sea, John Murray, 2004
  7. ^ Masters, David, In Peril on the Sea, Cresset Press, London, 1960”
  8. ^ The Times, London, 22 Sep 1972 – ‘’Obituary’’
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