大象传媒

AB43 5BR - Fraserburgh Harbour

Chief Skipper Joseph Watt VC refused to surrender when his drifter the Gowan Lea was engaged by an enemy cruiser while mine sweeping in the Adriatic during WWI.

On May 15th 1917, Skipper Watt and his crew of eight men were part of a barrage of drifters strung out in a line in the Straits of Otranto when they were attacked by three Austro-Hungarian cruisers. When the Gowan Lea was ordered to surrender and abandon ship, Skipper Watt ordered 鈥渇ull speed ahead鈥� and called on his crew to give 鈥渢hree cheers and fight to the finish.鈥� Deckhand Frederick Hawley Lamb took control of the drifter鈥檚 solitary gun and opened fire until his gun was disabled by a shell that plunged through the desk blowing up a box of ammunition and shattering his leg. The Gowan Lea was badly damaged but remarkably remained afloat and was credited with helping to rescue the survivors from other drifters.

Rear Admiral Mark Kerr, commanding the British Adriatic Squadron, recommended awards of the Victoria Cross to Skipper Watt, 鈥榝or greatest gallantry and example鈥�, and to Deckhand Lamb, for fighting his gun throughout the action under a hot fire 鈥榓fter having his leg shattered by explosion of box of ammunition鈥�. In the end Joe Watt was awarded the VC and Fred Lamb the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal. Two other members of the Gowan Lea also received military awards.

Presenter: Mark Stephen

Image courtesy of Fraserburgh Heritage Society

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