Lieutenant-Commander Eugene Esmonde, V.C., D.S.O., R.N., Fleet Air Arm

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Lieutenant-Commander Eugene Esmonde, D.S.O., R.N., was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1942.

On the morning of February 12th, 1942, Lieutenant-Commander Esmonde, in command of a squadron of the Fleet Air Arm, was told that the German battle-cruisers “Sharnhorst” and “Gneisenau” and the cruiser “Prinz Eugen”, strongly escorted by some 30 surface craft, were entering the Straits of Dover, and that his squadron must attack before they reached the sand-banks north-east of Calais. Lieutenant-Commander Esmonde well knew that his enterprise was desperate. Soon after noon he and his squadron of six Swordfist set course for the enemy, and after ten minutes’ flight were attacked by a strong force of enemy fighters. Touch was lost with his fighter escort, and in the action which followed all his aircraft were damaged. He flew on, cool and resolute, serenely challenging hopeless odds, to encounter the deadly fire of the battle-cruisers and their escort, which scattered the port wing of his aircraft. Undismayed, he led his squadron on, straight through this inferno of fire, in steady flight towards their target. Almost at once he was shot down; but his squadron went on to launch a gallant attack, in which at least one torpedo is believed to have struck a German battle-cruiser, and from which not one of the six aircraft returned.

Lieutenant-Commander Esmonde’s home was in Drominagh, Lough Derg, Co. Tipperary.

The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Image Details

Eugene Esmonde - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lt. Cdr. (A) Eugene Esmonde VC DSO Mid RN - World Naval Ships Forums

CWGC :: Casualty Details
Lieut-Commander (A) EUGENE KINGSMILL ESMONDE V C, D S O, H.M.S. Daedalus (825 Sqdn.), Royal Navy who died age 32 on 12 February 1942
Son of John Joseph and Eily Esmonde, of Drominagh, Co. Tipperary, Irish Republic.
Remembered with honour GILLINGHAM (WOODLANDS) CEMETERY
Grave/Memorial Reference: Naval Reservation. Grave 187. R.C.


See this thread for reference:
http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/researc...tinctions.html

[James S]

And in the event no hits were achieved but this does not detract from courage and determination shown.

Cerberus caught Fuller on the wrong foot and men like Esmonde were left to salvage from it what could be in an attempt to at least inflict damage on the Brest Squadron as they forged their way through the Channel.

There was supposed to be a fighter escort but they missed each other and Edsmonde decided to press on with the attack , the chance of success and survival being equally low.

[Gerard]

Definitely a brave soul especially knowing that the chances of survival were low.

[Peter Clare]

I have a very detailed account of the events leading to the air operations surrounding this action, but I'll post the part relating to the Swordfish action.

The Swordfish Attack

At 1220 hours the six Swordfish led by Lieut. Commander Esmonde took off and circled above Manston, At 1228 hours one of the Biggin Hill Wing Squadrons - No, 72 Spitfires -arrived and without further delay1 the Swordfish set cut to area. Prom survivors' evidence it seems clear that Esmonde
decided to start with some of his escort hoping that the other Squadrons would join up en route. He did not necessarily expect to see all three Squadrons as they might well be stepped up in height above the low cloud and therefore out of his sight.

The 10 Spitfires, of No, 72 Squadron maintained close touch -with the Swordfish until sighting the enemy ships at about 1240 hours. Simultaneous with the sighting, the party was attacked by numerous FW 190’s and Me.109's. The ensuing "dog fights" occupied all the attention of the escort (1) and, though the leading three Swordfish were seen to cross the enemy destroyer screen, nothing further was seen of them. The few survivors. reported that after sighting the enemy squadron they were attacked by enemy fighters all the way in until within 4000 yards of the big ships; thereafter intense flak was encountered. All the aircraft were hit repeatedly during this approach and many of the personnel killed or wounded. Lieut. Commander Esmonde was seen to be shot down by fighters but it could not be seen if he had dropped his torpedo.(2) In the smoke and mist only two big ships were seen.' After the loss of their leader the two other Swordfish in his section dropped their torpedoes at the rearmost big ship from 3000 and 2000 yards range respectively at about 1245 hours and then both crashed into the sea from damage previously received. Five of the six personnel were afterwards picked up by our motor torpedo boats. Nothing was seen of the rear section of three Swordfish after crossing the destroyer screen neither was it known whether they dropped their torpedoes. There were no survivors from them.

The other two escorting squadrons for the Swordfish were not airborne until 1218 and 1220 hours respectively and, on the way to the rendezvous, realised they were going to be late .so turned off to cross the coast at Deal hoping to see the Swordfish en route. Seeing no signs of them they turned again for Manston but as they were not there the two squadrons set off for the target which they were told by R/T would be found off Calais. The big ships were sighted about 10 miles north of Calais at 1240 hours. Both Squadrons immediately became involved in combats with enemy fighters and saw no signs of the Swordfish. After their action they returned to base.(3)

Nos. 64 and 411 Squadrons were delayed in take off from 'their station at Fairlop by difficult weather conditions and did not reach Manston until 1230 hours. Not finding the Swordfish they proceeded over to the French coast but failed to locate the German force and were not engaged.

Soon after this No. 607 Squadron of Hurribombers(4) ' escorted by Cannon Hurricanes of No. 32 Squadron left Mans ten at 1240 hours with orders to attack the E-boats and destroyer screen around the big ships. They also did not locate the enemy main force but at 1300 hours attacked four small flak vessels close off Cap Griz Nez. One Hurribomber was shot down by shore batteries and three of the flak vessels were claimed as damaged.


Notes

(1) 3 FW 190' s were shot down and 3 claimed as damaged.
No losses were incurred by No. 72 Squadron.

(2) Lieut. Commander Esmonde was posthumously awarded the V.C.

(3) 2 FW 190's were shot down by No. 401 Squadron and
2 claimed as damaged. 4 were claimed damaged by No. 124 Squadron. Neither Squadron incurred any. losses.

(4) These were Hurricane fighters fitted with bomb racks
and had been developed earlier as part of Fighter Command's operations against enemy shipping.


AIR41/47

The RAF Narrative Vol. III The Atlantic and Home Waters. July 1941 to February 1942.

[James S]

I really should not trust to memory Peter - you are correct on the Spitfire escort .
J D Potter in his "Fiasco" confirms this - there were to be others involved but they didn't show Esmonde went on with S.Ldr's Kingcombe's 10 Spitfires.
(Potter states that there were to be 4 other Squadrons involved).

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From The Irish Times, Thursday, May 31, 1945:

Fleet Air Arm's First V.C.

Among those who were awarded the Victoria Cross in the war against Germany was the late Lieutenant-Commamder Eugene Esmonde, D.S.O., R.N., member of an Irish family which has produced many distinguished soldiers and sailors, including Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Esmonde, V.C., a brother of the 10th Baronet.

Eugene Esmonde, fighter-pilot of the Fleet Air Arm, was transferred to the Swordfish section - torpedo bombers - and was quickly promoted to lead a squadron. Among his exploits was a gallant attack on the German battleship, Bismarck. Esmonde's plane was hit twice. The Swordfish did not sink the warship, but they got a hit which, in the words of the Commander-in-Chief, "was largely responsible for the Bismarck being finally brought to action and sunk."

Shortly after this, Esmonde's squadron was transferred to the Ark Royal, and was with her when she was sunk by a torpedo in the Mediterranean in November, 1941.

On February 11th, 1942, Esmonde called together his squadron and told them: "The Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prince Eugen have had the cheek to put their noses out into the Channel, and we're going to deal with them. Fly at 50 feet, close line astern, individual attacks, and find your own way home."

The three ships had the biggest fighter umbrella ever seen, up to then, over a naval force. They were accompanied by 30 surface craft. Through an inferno of fire, Esmonde flew on, challenging hopeless odds. The port wing of his Swordfish was shattered, but he went on to his target, to be shot down and meet his death in the sea. The entire squadron was wiped out.

Esmonde was awarded a posthumous V.C., the first won by the Fleet Air Arm. It is written of him that "he was a brave man and an inspiring leader ... That he was facing tremendous risks he knew, but he was prepared to fact them as he had faced other risks many times before."

Lieutenant-Commander Esmonde came of a family that was always prominent in the old days in the Nationalist movement. His half-brother, Sir John Esmonde, S.C., the present holder of the title, was a Member of Parliament, at the age of 22, for North Tipperary, and later he was a member of Dail Eireann. He served in the European War of 1914-1918 as a captain in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Another member of the family was killed in action at the battle of Jutland in 1916.

[Drew5233]

Taken shortly after the Bismarck was sunk
Esmonde is second from left

[KevinW4]

It would seem there is another part to this story, about the recovery of his body?
Name: ESMONDE, EUGENE KINGSMILL
Initials: E K
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lieut-Commander (A)
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M.S. Daedalus (825 Sqdn.)
Age: 32
Date of Death: 12/02/1942
Awards: V C, D S O
Additional information: Son of John Joseph and Eily Esmonde, of Drominagh, Co. Tipperary, Irish Republic.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Naval Reservation. Grave 187. R.C.
Cemetery: GILLINGHAM (WOODLANDS) CEMETERY

Gillingham doesn't seem to be the nearest port, so what happened after they were shot down?

From Peters account,

After the loss of their leader the two other Swordfish in his section dropped their torpedoes at the rearmost big ship from 3000 and 2000 yards range respectively at about 1245 hours and then both crashed into the sea from damage previously received. Five of the six personnel were afterwards picked up by our motor torpedo boats.

- does this infer they also picked up his body?

[Drew5233]

A few tit bits from VC's of the Second World War:

Esmonde first spotted the ships about 10 miles North of Calais after they had passed the Straits of Dover, they had been sailing for around four hours and it was now noon.

The other five crews from his depleted No.825 Squadron had heard his orders earlier and were intent on carrying them out.

The six aircraft now drew the attention of over a hundred guns from the armada of German ships, Esmonde's plane was No. 5984/825 and such was the intensity of fire that a shell actually ricochetted off the water and scratched the numbers on the belly of the plane.

It then goes on to say that Esmonde's plane was attacked by a Focke-Wulf 190 that completely destroyed the upper main plane which caused the aircraft to spin into the sea with Esmonde never to be seen again.

However Esmonde was buried in the Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham, Kent so I wonder if his body was washed up on the shore sometime later..

[Drew5233]

I think I may have found a new theme to add to my VC Thead

The original VC recommendation: