Malcolm David Wanklyn
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Commander Malcolm David Wanklyn VC
, DSO
& Two Bars
(28 June 1911 – 14 April 1942) was the Allies' most successful submariner in the Second World War in terms of tonnage sunk, and received 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.
, India
to William Lumb Wanklyn and Marjorie Wanklyn; he was married to Elspeth.
in 1925, trained at Dartmouth Naval College
, and was assigned as a midshipman
in 1930 to the battleship
HMS Marlborough
, part of the Third Battle Squadron; and the following year to the battlecruiser
HMS Renown
. After attending promotion courses in 1932 he joined the navy's submarine arm. From August 1933 he served on the submarine HMS Oberon which was part of the Mediterranean Fleet, and in October 1934 transferred to HMS L56
based with the rest of the 6th Submarine Flotilla at Portsmouth. In 1936 he was promoted to First Lieutenant (i.e. second in command) of the boat. In January 1937 he moved to HMS Shark
. He became second in command of HMS Otway
, part of the 5th Submarine Flotilla in August 1939 but was shortly afterwards promoted to be commander of HMS H32
. He was given command HMS Upholder
, which was then under construction, in August 1940.
As a 29 year-old Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy
during the Second World War, he was awarded the VC for his "utmost courage" on 24 May 1941 south of Sicily
. Commanding HM Submarine Upholder
on her seventh patrol, an Italian troopship (the 18,000 ton former liner Conte Rosso), which was with a strongly protected convoy, was torpedoed while the submarine's listening equipment was broken and periscope use was not reliable. The troopship sank, and Upholder escaped after evading 37 depth charges.
was lost on her 25th patrol, becoming overdue on 14 April 1942. The most likely explanation is that she fell victim to depth charge
s dropped by the Italian torpedo boat
Pegaso North East of Tripoli on 14 April 1942 although no debris was seen on the surface. The attack was 100 miles away from Wanklyn's patrol area; it is thought that he may have changed position to find more targets. It is also possible that the submarine was sunk by a mine on 11 April 1942 near Tripoli, when a submarine was reported as approaching a minefield. More recent research carried out by Italian naval specialist Francesco Mattesini points out to a German aerial patrol supporting the same convoy, composed of two Do-17 and two Bf-110, which attacked an underwater contact with bombs two hours before the Pegaso incident. The author also asserts that the seaplane crew was unsure if the target they pintpointed to Pegaso was a submarine or a school of dolphins. Mattesi, however, admits the possibility that Pegaso could have finished off the submarine previously damaged by the German aircraft.
He was the Allies' most successful submariner in terms of tonnage sunk.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
& Two Bars
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
(28 June 1911 – 14 April 1942) was the Allies' most successful submariner in the Second World War in terms of tonnage sunk, and received the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Early life
Born in KolkataKolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to William Lumb Wanklyn and Marjorie Wanklyn; he was married to Elspeth.
Military career
Wanklyn joined the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1925, trained at Dartmouth Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy, located on a hill overlooking Dartmouth, Devon, England. While Royal Naval officer training has taken place in the town since 1863, the buildings which are seen today were only finished in 1905, and...
, and was assigned as a midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
in 1930 to the battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
HMS Marlborough
HMS Marlborough (1912)
HMS Marlborough was an Iron Duke-class battleship of the Royal Navy, named in honour of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and launched in 1912. In World War I she served in the 1st Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet based at Scapa Flow...
, part of the Third Battle Squadron; and the following year to the battlecruiser
Battlecruiser
Battlecruisers were large capital ships built in the first half of the 20th century. They were developed in the first decade of the century as the successor to the armoured cruiser, but their evolution was more closely linked to that of the dreadnought battleship...
HMS Renown
HMS Renown (1916)
HMS Renown was the lead ship of her class of battlecruisers of the Royal Navy built during the First World War. She was originally laid down as an improved version of the s. Her construction was suspended on the outbreak of war on the grounds she would not be ready in a timely manner...
. After attending promotion courses in 1932 he joined the navy's submarine arm. From August 1933 he served on the submarine HMS Oberon which was part of the Mediterranean Fleet, and in October 1934 transferred to HMS L56
HMS L56
HMS L56 was a British L class submarine built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan, Clyde. She was laid down on 16 October 1917 and was commissioned on 14 August 1918.HMS L56 was sold on 25 March 1938....
based with the rest of the 6th Submarine Flotilla at Portsmouth. In 1936 he was promoted to First Lieutenant (i.e. second in command) of the boat. In January 1937 he moved to HMS Shark
HMS Shark (54S)
HMS Shark was a Royal Navy S-class submarine which was launched on 31 May 1934 and fought in the Second World War. Shark is one of 12 boats named in the song "Twelve Little S-Boats"....
. He became second in command of HMS Otway
HMS Otway
HMS Otway was an of the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Navy .Otway was laid down by Vickers Limited of Barrow-in-Furness in England in March 1925...
, part of the 5th Submarine Flotilla in August 1939 but was shortly afterwards promoted to be commander of HMS H32
HMS H32
HMS H32 was a British H class submarine built by Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness. She was laid down on 20 April 1917 and was commissioned on 14 May 1919....
. He was given command HMS Upholder
HMS Upholder (P37)
HMS Upholder was a Royal Navy U-class submarine built by Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow-in-Furness. She was laid down on 30 October 1939, launched on 8 July 1940 by Mrs. Doris Thompson, wife of a director of the builders. The submarine was commissioned on 31 October 1940...
, which was then under construction, in August 1940.
As a 29 year-old Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
during the Second World War, he was awarded the VC for his "utmost courage" on 24 May 1941 south of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. Commanding HM Submarine Upholder
HMS Upholder (P37)
HMS Upholder was a Royal Navy U-class submarine built by Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow-in-Furness. She was laid down on 30 October 1939, launched on 8 July 1940 by Mrs. Doris Thompson, wife of a director of the builders. The submarine was commissioned on 31 October 1940...
on her seventh patrol, an Italian troopship (the 18,000 ton former liner Conte Rosso), which was with a strongly protected convoy, was torpedoed while the submarine's listening equipment was broken and periscope use was not reliable. The troopship sank, and Upholder escaped after evading 37 depth charges.
Citation
Death
By the end of 1941 Lieutenant-Commander Wanklyn had sunk nearly 140,000 tons of enemy shipping, including a destroyer and troopships, tankers, supply and store ships. Wanklyn was killed along with his crew when their submarine HMS UpholderHMS Upholder (P37)
HMS Upholder was a Royal Navy U-class submarine built by Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow-in-Furness. She was laid down on 30 October 1939, launched on 8 July 1940 by Mrs. Doris Thompson, wife of a director of the builders. The submarine was commissioned on 31 October 1940...
was lost on her 25th patrol, becoming overdue on 14 April 1942. The most likely explanation is that she fell victim to depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
s dropped by the Italian torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
Pegaso North East of Tripoli on 14 April 1942 although no debris was seen on the surface. The attack was 100 miles away from Wanklyn's patrol area; it is thought that he may have changed position to find more targets. It is also possible that the submarine was sunk by a mine on 11 April 1942 near Tripoli, when a submarine was reported as approaching a minefield. More recent research carried out by Italian naval specialist Francesco Mattesini points out to a German aerial patrol supporting the same convoy, composed of two Do-17 and two Bf-110, which attacked an underwater contact with bombs two hours before the Pegaso incident. The author also asserts that the seaplane crew was unsure if the target they pintpointed to Pegaso was a submarine or a school of dolphins. Mattesi, however, admits the possibility that Pegaso could have finished off the submarine previously damaged by the German aircraft.
He was the Allies' most successful submariner in terms of tonnage sunk.