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William Lumb Wanklyn F/Mc Married: 1906 Marjorie Josephine Rawsonc | ||||||||
| Malcolm David Wanklyn [CFT #9837] Born: 1911 Died: 1942-Apr-14 |
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| b Calcutta, West Bengal, India d Gulf of Tripoli, North African Coast (HMS Upholder N99) On 24 May 1941, during an action in the Mediterranean south of Sicily, Lieutenant-Commander Wanklyn was the commander of submarine HMS Upholder. He managed to hit an enemy troopship with a torpedo. The troopship rapidly sunk, and several enemy ships immediately haunted the allied submarine. After avoiding 37 depth charges, the submarine was finally able to move to clear water. At the end of the year 1941 Lieutenant Commander Wanklyn was responsible for the sinking of 140.000 tons of enemy shipping, including lots of troopships, tankers and supply ships. Details: Lieutenant-Commander Wanklyn was killed on 14 April 1942 near Tripoli. Malcolm David Wanklyn, seaman's buriel in the Mediterranean. Name on Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Great Britain. THE SINKING OF CONTE ROSSE This attack was to win Wanklyn the award of the Victoria Cross, the first awarded to a submariner in World War II. Here is the citation: "On the evening of 24th May 1941, whilst on patrol off the coast of Sicily, Lt. Cdr. Wanklyn in command of His Majesty's Submarine UPHOLDER, sighted a southbound enemy troop convoy, strongly escorted by destroyers. The failing light was such that observation by periscope could not be relied on, but a surface attack would have been easily seen. UPHOLDER'S listening gear was out of action. In spite of these handicaps, Lt. Cdr. Wanklyn decided to press home his attack at short range. He quickly steered his craft into a favourable position and closed in so as to make sure of his target. By this time the whereabouts of the escorting destroyers could not be made out. Lt. Cdr. Wanklyn, while fully aware of the risk of being rammed by one of the escort, continued to press on towards the enemy troopships. As he was about to fire, one of the enemy destroyers suddenly appeared out of the darkness at high speed and he only just avoided being rammed. As soon as he was clear he brought his periscope sights on and fired torpedoes, which sank a large troopship. The enemy destroyers at once made a strong counter-attack and during the next 20 minutes dropped 37 depth charges near UOHOLDER. The failure of his listening device made it much harder for him to get away, but with the greatest courage, coolness and skill he brought UPHOLDER clear of the enemy and safe back to harbour." David Wanklyn was the Royal Navy's top submarine ace, the most successful submariner in the Western Allied navies and the most highly decorated Royal Navy hero of the second World War. |
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