Sub-Lieutenant Gordon Kilner RNVR

[Brian Probetts (Site Admin)]

Hello again Brian, I have found the information about my former History Teacher, Mr Gordon Kilner, who taught me at Upholland Grammar School in the 1950's.

His service in the Royal Navy began in December 1942. His participation in the Arctic Convoy Operations took place during the Autumn and Winter of 1943-44 and during the Spring of 1944.
In the Autumn of 1943 he served in HMS Anson – a new battleship in the Home Fleet, based at Scapa Flow, which was part of the long-range support group for the Convoys to Russia (Convoys RA54A and RA54B).
HMS Anson was also involved in activities aimed at enticing German capital ships to put to sea e.g. Operation Leader in October 1943, which attacked German shipping along the coast of northwest Norway, which Gordon says, “(was) something I remember well as I was down in the shell room of B Turret at action stations.”
From January to May 1944 he served in HMS Rattlesnake, a Fleet Minesweeper/Escort of the 18th Flotilla, as part of a close support group for convoys sailing from Loch Ewe past Iceland and Jan Mayen Island en route to Russia, especially during February and March of that year (Convoys RA56 and JW58).
In May 1944 Gordon was transferred to Combined Operations and remained there until he was demobilised in October 1946.

Gordon R Kilner.jpg

The man who had to wait

Navy veteran who wed bride after decades apart is to finally receive Arctic Star war medal

• The Scarborough News
• 7 Mar 2013
• By Ian Johnson

Gordon Kilner and his wife Pauline, who wed after decades apart. Gordon has finally been honoured for his war heroics. 130953



War hero Gordon Kilner is set to be honoured for his efforts during the risk-laden Arctic convoy, one of the harshest missions of the Second World War – after almost 70 years of campaigning. However, the wait is nothing out of the ordinary for the Filey pensioner. He married his long-lost childhood sweetheart Pauline after more than 60 years of separation brought on by the war. Read his extraordinary tale –

War hero Gordon Kilner is used to having to wait for his rewards in life. After almost 70 years of campaigning, the decorated navy veteran is set to be honoured for his heroism during one of the harshest missions of the second world war, the Arctic convoy.
He is among 200 living veterans to be awarded the Arctic Star, for the convoy described by Winston Churchill as “the worst journey in the world”.
However, the wait is nothing out of the ordinary for the pensioner, of West Avenue, Filey, who married his long-lost childhood sweetheart Pauline after over 60 years of separation brought on by the war.
“I was from Barnsley, and she was from Rotherham, and I used to take her to school on Sheffield on the bus every day,” recalled Mr Kilner, 88.

He then joined the navy and was thrown headfirst into one of the most savage battles of the conflict, his life constantly threatened by torpedo attacks, a sitting target in the merciless Arctic waters.

“When you’re young, you don’t think that much about being torpedoed - we were just trying to survive day to day.”
But he survived. However, despite writing to Pauline and sending her clothing coupons, the pair sadly lost touch. Both happily married until their partners died in 2001.
And it was a chance encounter that reunited them.
“My cousin lives in Filey, and said that they had just been for a talk at the historical society, where a lady was talking about the war, and she mentioned how she received clothing coupons from a man in the navy.”
That generous sailor was in fact Gordon.
After some nudging from his cousin, Gordon eventually plucked up the courage to get back in touch with his first love.
“I had a few whiskies for courage, picked up the phone and called her.
“I said ‘I think you owe me 25 clothing coupons.’”
In 2005, the pair married, and have been living in Filey since, with Gordon moving over from Lancashire, where, he joked, he was carrying out “missionary” work.
And now, seven decades after the horrific conflict ended, he is finally set to receive the medal from the British government, despite already receiving four honours from the Russians.

However, the award is bittersweet, Mr Kilner adding: “I’m pleased to have it, but you think of the thousands who died since the war – it’s a great disappointment that they won’t be there.”


Best Wishes, Joan Harrison.

[Joan Harrison]

Mr. Kilner was an excellent History Teacher - I loved his History Lessons, and due to him I passed my "O" Level History, and went on to qualify as a Secondary School Teacher, not of History, but Phys.Ed. Thanks for your help Brian.