Martin Eric Nasmith
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Martin Eric Nasmith (VC, KCB, KCMG) was 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.
He was 32 years old, and a Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
During the period 20 May–8 June, 1915 in the Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles, Turkey, Lieutenant-Commander Nasmith, in command of H.M. Submarine E.11, destroyed one large Turkish gunboat, two transports, one ammunition ship, three store ships and four other vessels.
When he had safely passed the most difficult part of his homeward journey he received information that a cargo of coal was heading towards Constantinople from the Black Sea. Realising that coal was essential for the morale of the besieged city, Nasmith turned back. When the coal-carrying ship came into sight of the docks, a welcoming committee of municipal grandees soon formed, along with a happy crowd - water, electricity and rail transport had all suffered due to a lack of coal. Hardly had the ship berthed than it mysteriously blew up before the eyes of the astounded crowd. Nasmith successfully slipped out again.
Later Sir Martin Eric Dunbar-Nasmith. He later achieved the rank of Admiral and was Commander-in-Chief of Western Approaches Command, based at Plymouth, on the outbreak of war in September 1939.
References
- Monuments To Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- VCs of the First World War - Gallipoli (Stephen Snelling, 1995)
- VCs of the First World War - The Naval VCs (Stephen Snelling, 2002)
- Dardanelles Patrol: the Story of Submarine E-11 (Peter Shankland & Anthony Hunter, 1964)
External links
- [Location of grave and VC medal] (Grampian)
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