VC recommendation by German officer.

[Andy H]

Sgt Tom Durrant from No1 Commando won his VC in the raid on St Nazaire. After leaving the battle area in a motor launch Durrant manned the launches twin Vickers machine guns after they were surprised by a German destroyer. Durrant manned the guns till collapsing and dying of his wounds, thus becoming the first Army person to win a VC in a naval action.

However he recieved the VC on the recommendation of a German officer aboard the German destroyer.

Does anyone know the following.

1) The Destroyers Name or Number
2) The German officers name who gave the recommendation
3) Was this recommendation "unusual" or did it happen from both sides, such as a German winning the IC or KC on the recommendation of an enemy.

Andy from the Shire

[Andy H]

Surely somebody knows at least what destroyer was in or around St Nazaire

Andy from the Shire

[USAF1986]

I wish I could help on this one, but I don’t have much on the St. Nazaire raid. However, I know of at least one case where a German officer nominated a British officer for the VC. Tasked with landing troops at Trondheim in Norway, the German heavy cruiser "Admiral Hipper," commanded by Kapitän zur See Hellmuth Guido Heye (later Vizeadmiral), encountered the British destroyer HMS "Glowworm" off Norway while en route on 8 April 1940. In a 15-minute battle, the German cruiser mortally damaged the destroyer; however, the "Glowworm" turned about and rammed the cruiser in the starboard side gashing 40 meters of outer plating allowing 500 tons of water to enter the ship. As the destroyer drifted clear, the German AA gunners raked her with close-range fire. Shortly afterwards, the "Glowworm" exploded and capsized. Heye later sent a detailed report of the battle through the International Red Cross. In the same report, Heye also recommended that the destroyer’s captain be awarded the VC. On 10 July 1945, the captain of the "Glowworm," Lieutenant Commander Gerard B. Roope, who died in the action, received a posthumous award of the VC.

Regards,
Shawn

[Galahad]

Here's a shot of HMS Glowworm during that action, crossing Hipper's bow as she closed to ram.

[Dan]

Great posts all. Keep 'em comimg.

Dan

[USAF1986]

You've got me intrigued on this one! I've been searching all afternoon for details of the German warships present at St. Nazaire and only found this gaming website:

http://flyhi.de/games/nazaire1.html

Please see “Diagram of the attack” at this site. It pinpoints the German warships (5 harbor defense boats, 2 tugs, 8 minesweepers), all of which were inside the Submarine Basin and the adjacent Penhouet Basin. According to this map, there was a 16th German vessel present which appears to have been already underway (or shortly afterwards) at the time of the raid. It looks like this was the one that got in amongst the remnants of the British raiding flotilla. It is not identified by type, but I'm not really sure that it was a destroyer or a torpedo boat. For a single man to "clear the enemy decks" with a Lewis gun, this might have been something smaller like a motor fishing vessel (used in large numbers for patrol, anti-submarine, coastal escort, etc.), an auxiliary minesweeper or the like. Just a guess! The search continues...

Regards,
Shawn

[Lars EP]

According to my information, the case with Gerard Roope receiving a posthumous VC, after recommendation by the enemy commander, is the only example of this.

8/4 1940, of the coast of Norway. Glowworm had lost sight of her squadron the day before, and then she encounters two German destroyers. If I remember correctly their names where Bernd von Arnim and Paul Jakobi. Glowworm lays out a smokescreen, and subsequently damages both German destroyers severely.

After that she goes through the smoke, to identify the German flagship. She succesfully identifies Hipper as the flagship, and radioes that to Scapa Flow, but is then hit by a full broadside. In spite of this she manages to fire both her torpedo batteries, but without succes. While she is loosing steam-pressure, she manages to ram Hipper, and cause so much damage, that Hipper has to tun back to Kiel immidiatly.

After Hipper manages to free herself of Glowworm, Glowworm quickly starts sinking. Hipper stops to pick up survivors, very uncommon and as far as I remember, against normal German procedure in this period. 31 survivors from Glowworm manages to reach Hipper in the extremely perverse sea.

10/7 1945 Gerard Roope is awarded a posthumous V.C. after recommendation by Helmuth Heye, the German captain.

There is a good novel written about the incident: "Battle of the April Storm", by Larry Forrester. The names of the partipants are changed in the novel, but otherwise it claims to describe the events according to interwievs with survivors, and Hipper's log-book.

Regards --- Lars EP

[Andy H]

To USAF, Lars & Galahad-Thank you for your input.

I have now found a picture of Durrant, which when I learn how to get my scanner working I will add to the thread.

Has anyone come across an allied commander reccomending a German for an EK or KC?

Andy from the Shire

[Phaethon]

You've got me intrigued on this one!

You might try emailing the St Nazaire Society:

http://www.stnazairesociety.org/

There's a list of contacts and Durrant's medal is listed but not the citation.

Cheers,

K.

Ken Cocker
London

[Andy H]

Durrant was originally in the Royal Engineers and he fought his battle aboard ML (Motor Launch) 306.

Have emailed several people for any info they have on the citation, which will hopefully yield the results.

Andy from the Shire

[Andy H]

Durrant was wounded 25 times whilst manning his post whilst under attack by the German boat Jaguar and the German officer who's report led to the VC for Durrant was Hauptmann Paul.

I have started a thread in the ABR to get some more details on Paul if possible.

Andy

[Max]

http://www.navynews.co.uk/articles/2001 ... 40401.asp#

[Peter]

Here is another one for you, Kapitanleutnant Clemens Schamong of U468 gave the report to his British rescuers which resulted in a posthumous VC award to Flying Officer L A Trigg DFC the pilot of the Liberator which sank U468.

cheers
Pete

[Peter]

Andy

I have got a copy of that London Gazette in front of me 19 Jun 45 (pages 3171 and 3172) for Newmans VC and Tom Durrants, what can I tell you ?

It does repeatedly say "German destroyer".

If it helps anybody, Thams Frank Durrant was born at Kingsley Road, Green Street Green, near Farnborough, Kent on 17 Oct 1918. Attended Vine Road School and joined the 1st Green Street Green Scout Troop. He enlisted in the Royal Engineers in 1938 (regimental number 1874047) and was an early volunteer to No.1 Commando in 1940. After his death his VC was presented to his mother and brother by King George VI on 29 Oct 46 at Buckingham Palace. He is buried at Escoublac-La-Baule War Cemetery, France, (plot 1, Row D, grave 11).

Pete

[Peter]

That should say THOMAS in my note above, not Thams .


PAUL - interesting,

I wonder if he might have been Kapitanleutnant (later Korvettenkapitan) Karl Paul, (Naval Officers Class 32/30) born 19 Mar 08 in Kiel-Hassee. IO of the destroyer Bruno Heidemann May 40-Jan42, IO of Destroyer Z31 from April 42 to Feb 43, Captain of T11 Feb-Oct 43, then T16 from Oct-Dec 43, Captain of destroyer Z31 Dec 43 - May 45. Released from captivity 12 Oct 45

Pete