South Yorkshire Times, May 20th, 1944
A Link with Wath
His many friends in Wath will be pleased to hear of the award of the C.B.E. to Capt. H. Drew, Master, Merchant Navy of Basingstoke, Hants, son of Mr. J. R. Drew, Tynedale, 2, Essex Road ,Basingstoke (formerly of Wath) .
The announcement of the award, published in the London Gazette recently, stated that Capt. Drew, along with another Merchant Navy Captain, who also receives the award, displayed “courage and leadership of a high order, and by their excellent organisation, the ships played an important part in the Battle of the Atlantic.
After leaving Wath as a boy, in 1916, Capt. Drew went to Kings’ School, Grantham, and later to Queen Mary’s School, Basingstoke. He went to sea as a cadet apprentice in 1924, and took his examinations after further studies at the London County Council School of Engineering and Navigation. He obtained his Masters (Foreign Going) certificate in 1926 at the early age of 27.
After serving as Third, Second and Chief Officers on various ships, he was given his command as Master in 1942 at the age of 33, when he was probably the youngest captain afloat in command of a large foreign-going tanker. He was at sea at the outbreak of warm and has served on tankers throughout the war. He has had many exciting adventures, and on one occasion had to spend several days in an open lifeboat. Capt. Drew’s father was formerly Engineer and surveyor to Wath Urban Council.