James Blackburn joined the Royal Navy in October 1943 as a Boy 2nd Class. He trained in HMS Royal Arthur achieving the rate of Ordinary Telegraphist in 1944. During the Second World War he served as a telegraphist in the shore establishments HM Ships Scotia and Mercury, and the vessel HMS Duchess of Fife. From September 1944 until the end of the war he was posted to HMS Copra, the combined operations shore establishment.
After the war, Blackburn continued to serve with Royal Navy shore establishments until being discharged in 1946. After a six year break, Blackburn joined the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) in 1952. He again served as a telegraphist in RNZN shore establishments including HMNZ Ships Philomel, Wakefield, Irirangi, and in HMAS Cerberus. He served as a Radio Instructor in HMNZS Royalist from 1957 to 1958 on deployment to Malaya. The ship was deployed as part of the response to the Malayan Emergency, an attempt by the Malayan Communist Party to overthrow British administration of Malaya. Blackburn then returned to South East Asia in 1962 and 1966 with HMNZS Otago to take part in the response to the Indonesian Confrontation. For his service in Malaya, Blackburn was awarded the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal. Blackburn was also awarded the Legion of Honour, the Long Service and Good Conduct medal in 1965, and the British Empire medal (BEM) in 1968, though these are not held in the Navy Museum’s collections. He took his final discharge from the Navy in December 1969, having reached the rate of Chief Radio Instructor.
Awarded by the Malaysian Government to members of the British and Commonwealth Armed Forces who served in the prescribed operational area of Malaysia and Singapore during the “Confrontation” and Emergency” periods (1957-1966). The ribbon has five vertical stripes in the colours of the Malaysian national flag.
