in 1944 he took command of the 61st mgb flotilla, eight torpedo gunboats, based on vis island, yugoslavia. it was here, while conducting raids on axis shipping to provide supplies to josip broz tito's partisans, that he earned a second bar to his dsc and a mention in despatches, as well as the nickname "the pirate of the adriatic." he was known as the pirate of the adriatic because he carried commandos and captured dozens of ships intact carrying useful cargo such as tons of goulash and danish butter. for example, he sank or captured 25 ships in ten days. he had 105 firefights at sea as well as 30 actions in which he did not fire a shot. nevertheless, he decommissioned 13 boats during his war service; the ships were no longer serviceable and were stripped for parts.