Edward Stephen Fogarty Fegen
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Edward Stephen Fogarty Fegen VC SGM (in silver) was an Irish VC recipient (born Southsea, Hampshire on 8 October 1891 of Irish parentage, missing (presumed dead) Atlantic Ocean on 5 November 1940), by birth an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
[edit] Details
He was 49 years old, and an Acting Captain in the Royal Navy during World War II when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 5 November 1940 in the Atlantic, Captain Fegen, commanding the armed merchantman HMS Jervis Bay, was escorting 37 ships of Convoy HX-84, when they were attacked by the German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer. Captain Fegen immediately engaged the enemy head-on, thus giving the ships of the convoy time to scatter. Out-gunned and on fire Jervis Bay maintained the unequal fight for three hours, although the captain's right arm was shattered and his bridge was shot from under him. He went down with his ship but it was due to him that 31 ships of the convoy escaped including the SS San Demetrio.
He was remembered in Winston Churchill's famous broadcast speech on 13 May 1945 "Five years of War", as having defended Ireland's houour:
"When I think of these days I think also of other episodes and personalities. I do not forget Lieutenant-Commander Esmonde, V.C., D.S.O., Lance-Corporal Kenneally, V.C., Captain Fegen, V.C., and other Irish heroes that I could easily recite, and all bitterness by Britain for the Irish race dies in my heart. I can only pray that in years which I shall not see, the shame will be forgotten and the glories will endure, and that the peoples of the British Isles and of the British Commonwealth of Nations will walk together in mutual comprehension and forgiveness."
[edit] References
- British VCs of World War 2 (John Laffin, 1997 ISBN 0 7509 1026 7)
- Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000 ISBN 1851824421)
- Irelands VCs (Dept of Economic Development 1995)
- Monuments to Courage (David Charles Harvey, 1999 ISBN 1843423561)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997 ISBN 0-906324-27-0)
[edit] External links
- Commander E.S Fogarty Fegen in The Art of War exhibition at the UK National Archives
- Captain Fegan and HMS "Jervis Bay"
- World War II Unit Histories & Officers - RN Officers
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