Stanley McArdle

Rear Admiral Stanley Lawrence McArdle was born on 27 September 1922 at Lochmaben, Dumfriesshire, the son of a colour sergeant in the Royal Marines, and was educated at the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook. He died 4 December 2007.

Navy career
McArdle joined HMS St Vincent at Gosport in 1938 as a boy seaman, 2nd class and saw service worldwide as a torpedoman before being the only successful candidate at a fleet board for promotion to officer in Colombo at the end of World War II.

In January 1953 he was awarded a George Medal for his part in HMS Contest's rescue of survivors from the ferry MV Princess Victoria.

His ship, the destroyer HMS Contest, was at Rothesay when it picked up a distress signal. The ferry's stern doors had been ripped open by a storm, and water had flooded the car deck. When Contest arrived the ferry had already sunk, but McArdle and Chief Petty Officer Wilfred Warren managed to pluck several survivors to safety.

He trained the naval guard for King George VI's funeral in 1952, for which he was appointed Member of the Royal Victorian Order.

He served in the directorate of Naval Operations and Trade at the Admiralty in 1969 and he became Director General Personal Services and Training until 1977. His last appointment was as Flag Officer and Port Admiral Portsmouth, when he was made Companion of the Order of the Bath.