Captain. Edward Stephen Fogarty Fegen. Victoria Cross.
The hero of the action between HMS Jervis Bay and the German Admiral Scheer
The sacrifice of HMS Jervis Bay.
Jervis Bay was built at Vickers Ltd at Barrow in Furness in 1922, originally to carry emigrants across the world to Australia, this passenger ship was requisitioned by the Admiralty in September 1939. The 14,164 ton ship to become HMS Jervis Bay, an Armed Merchant Cruiser mounting 7 by 6 inch guns of WW1 vintage, and 2 by 3 inch AA guns. Her speed, a modest 15 knots.
Convoy HX 84, Halifax to UK.
Jervis Bay sailed out of Halifax, the sole escort for 38 ships forming Convoy HX 84, on the 28th. of October 1940. In the Geman pocket battleship Admiral Scheer, her Captain Krancke, with his ship's 11 inch guns had learned through Naval intelligence that HX 84 was on its way, and his ship stood directly in their path. On the morning of the 5th. of November the ship's Arado aircraft on a scouting flight sighted the convoy, but lookouts afloat did not spot this plane, which scurried back home to report its find.
Now Admiral Scheer ran into the 6,000 ton banana ship SS Mopan, it was essential that she was silenced before she could raise the alarm and warn the nearby convoy. Scheer used a signal lamp to order this ship to stop, and maintain radio silence, she suprisingly obliged, her crew to be taken off, and the ship consigned to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Now lookouts in Jervis Bay sighted an unknown ship, and Captain Fegan had his signalman send off, What Ship? Of course no response, so the question was repeated as he was expecting to soon join up with his ocean escort.
At 1730 ( 5. 30 PM ) the unidentified ship turned broadside on, about 8 miles away, and then opened fire, this salvo falling close to Jervis Bay.
Officers of the ill fated HMS Jervis Bay, sunk by the German pocket battleship Admiral Sheer 5th. of November 1940
Now the danger was apparent, Kennedy ordered his charges to scatter, dropped smoke floats trying to obscure the target from the German gunners. The AMC opened fire with her forward 6 inch guns, but this obsolete armament was still out of range, a German salvo struck the fore part of Jervis Bay , now her bridge was hit, destroying her gunnery control, and the Captain lost an arm.
The ship, mortally stricken was starting to sink by her bow, it was time to leave as "Abandon Ship" was ordered. The AMC quickly sank into the dark depths of the grim Atlantic Ocean, taking 187 crew members including the Captain with her. It was all over in about 22 minutes, but she had won time for the bulk of the convoy to escape, Sheer sank a further 5 of the convoy ships, but the Swedish ship Stureholm risking her own safety, stopped to collect 65 sailors from Jervis Bay. Unfortunately this brave ship was herself sunk by U-Boat U-96 on the 15th. of December 1940.
Fegan was awarded a posthumousVictory Cross for his gallant fight and sacrifice which saved many of Convoy HX 84.