Thomas Frank Durrant
Encyclopedia
Thomas Frank Durrant VC
(17 October 1918 – 28 March 1942) was a soldier in the British Army during the Second World War and a posthumous 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. His award of the Victoria Cross was unique in that it is the only award given to a soldier in a naval action and it was on the recommendation of the enemy commander.
. After leaving school, he worked as a butcher’s boy, then as a builder’s labourer.
ordered the formation of units of specially trained troops that would "develop a reign of terror down the enemy coast". Durrant volunteered for service with the Special Service Independent Companies and was posted to No. 2 Special Independent Company. It was when serving with No. 2 Independent Company in the Norwegian Campaign
that he was promoted in the field to Sergeant
. When his company returned from Norway all the independent companies were formed into battalion
sized units known as Commandos, Durrant then became a member of No. 1 Commando
.
in occupied France on the night of 28 March 1942. This was a combined operation undertaken by Royal Navy
and Commando units. The main commando force was provided by No. 2 Commando
with supporting demolition parties from other commando units, including Durrants No. 1 Commando. The intention of the raid was to destroy the dry dock
which would force any large German warship in need of repairs, such as the Tirpitz
, to return to home waters rather than seek safe haven in the Atlantic coast. Of the 600 men who left the port of Falmouth, Cornwall
, England on the raid only 225 would return.
During the raid Sergeant Durrant was in charge of a Lewis gun
on H.M. Motor Launch
306. As it came up the River Loire to the port of St Nazaire it came under heavy fire from the shore and from a pursuing German destroyer
Jaguar. In the battle with the German destroyer Durrant was wounded numerous times, in the head, both arms, legs, chest and stomach. After the battle Durrant died of his wounds in a German military hospital in St Nazire, following his death he was buried in La Baule-Escoublac
War Cemetery, France in Plot I, Row D, Grave 11. A week later the commander of the German destroyer, Kapitänleutnant F. K. Paul, met the Commando commander, Lieutenant Colonel Newman
, in a prisoner of war
camp in Rennes
. Bringing the action to Newman's attention, Paul suggested that the colonel might wish to recommend Durrant for a high award.
His Victoria Cross citation reads:
War Cemetery, France in Plot I, Row D, Grave 11.
The award of the Victoria Cross to Durrant was announced in the London Gazette
on 15 June 1945, at the same time it was announced the Commando commander during the raid Lieutenant Colonel Augustus Charles Newman had also been awarded the Victoria Cross. On 29 October 1946 Durrant's Victoria Cross was presented to his mother at an investiture at Buckingham Palace
by King George VI
. Durrant's Victoria Cross is now on display at the Royal Engineers Museum
Prince Arthur Road, Gillingham
, Kent
, England.
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....
(17 October 1918 – 28 March 1942) was a soldier in the British Army during the Second World War and a posthumous English recipient of 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
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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. His award of the Victoria Cross was unique in that it is the only award given to a soldier in a naval action and it was on the recommendation of the enemy commander.
Early life
Thomas Frank Durrant was born on 17 October 1918 and lived in Green Street Green Farnborough, KentKent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. After leaving school, he worked as a butcher’s boy, then as a builder’s labourer.
Military service
Durrant enlisted in the Corps of Royal Engineers prior to the Second World War on 1 February 1937, his service number was 1874047. In 1940 the British Prime Minister Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
ordered the formation of units of specially trained troops that would "develop a reign of terror down the enemy coast". Durrant volunteered for service with the Special Service Independent Companies and was posted to No. 2 Special Independent Company. It was when serving with No. 2 Independent Company in the Norwegian Campaign
Norwegian Campaign
The Norwegian Campaign was a military campaign that was fought in Norway during the Second World War between the Allies and Germany, after the latter's invasion of the country. In April 1940, the United Kingdom and France came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force...
that he was promoted in the field to Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
. When his company returned from Norway all the independent companies were formed into battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
sized units known as Commandos, Durrant then became a member of No. 1 Commando
No. 1 Commando
The No. 1 Commando was a unit of British Commandos and part of the British Army during the Second World War. It was raised in 1940 from the ranks of the existing independent companies. Operationally they carried out a series of small scale cross channel raids and spearheaded the Operation Torch...
.
St Nazaire
The St Nazaire Raid (Operation Chariot) was a seaborne attack on the heavily defended docks of St. NazaireSaint-Nazaire
Saint-Nazaire , is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.The town has a major harbour, on the right bank of the Loire River estuary, near the Atlantic Ocean. The town is at the south of the second-largest swamp in France, called "la Brière"...
in occupied France on the night of 28 March 1942. This was a combined operation undertaken by 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...
and Commando units. The main commando force was provided by No. 2 Commando
No. 2 Commando
No. 2 Commando was a battalion-sized British Commando unit of the British Army during the Second World War. The No. 2 Commando unit was reformed three times during the Second World War. The original No. 2 Commando, unlike the other commando units, was formed from volunteers from across the United...
with supporting demolition parties from other commando units, including Durrants No. 1 Commando. The intention of the raid was to destroy the dry dock
Dry dock
A drydock is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform...
which would force any large German warship in need of repairs, such as the Tirpitz
German battleship Tirpitz
Tirpitz was the second of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, the architect of the Imperial Navy, the ship was laid down at the Kriegsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven in November 1936 and launched two and a half years later in April...
, to return to home waters rather than seek safe haven in the Atlantic coast. Of the 600 men who left the port of Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
, England on the raid only 225 would return.
During the raid Sergeant Durrant was in charge of a Lewis gun
Lewis Gun
The Lewis Gun is a World War I–era light machine gun of American design that was perfected and widely used by the British Empire. It was first used in combat in World War I, and continued in service with a number of armed forces through to the end of the Korean War...
on H.M. Motor Launch
Motor Launch
A Motor Launch is a small military vessel in British navy service. It was designed for harbour defence and submarine chasing or for armed high speed air-sea rescue....
306. As it came up the River Loire to the port of St Nazaire it came under heavy fire from the shore and from a pursuing German destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
Jaguar. In the battle with the German destroyer Durrant was wounded numerous times, in the head, both arms, legs, chest and stomach. After the battle Durrant died of his wounds in a German military hospital in St Nazire, following his death he was buried in La Baule-Escoublac
La Baule-Escoublac
La Baule-Escoublac, commonly referred to as La Baule, is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.A century-old seaside resort at the gateway to Britany with beautiful villas, casino, luxury hotels and an original mix of old Breton and exclusive seaside culture boasting a 12...
War Cemetery, France in Plot I, Row D, Grave 11. A week later the commander of the German destroyer, Kapitänleutnant F. K. Paul, met the Commando commander, Lieutenant Colonel Newman
Augustus Charles Newman
Lieutenant-Colonel Augustus Charles Newman VC, OBE, TD, DL was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, in a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
camp in Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
. Bringing the action to Newman's attention, Paul suggested that the colonel might wish to recommend Durrant for a high award.
His Victoria Cross citation reads:
Aftermath
Durrant is buried in La Baule-EscoublacLa Baule-Escoublac
La Baule-Escoublac, commonly referred to as La Baule, is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.A century-old seaside resort at the gateway to Britany with beautiful villas, casino, luxury hotels and an original mix of old Breton and exclusive seaside culture boasting a 12...
War Cemetery, France in Plot I, Row D, Grave 11.
The award of the Victoria Cross to Durrant was announced in the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 15 June 1945, at the same time it was announced the Commando commander during the raid Lieutenant Colonel Augustus Charles Newman had also been awarded the Victoria Cross. On 29 October 1946 Durrant's Victoria Cross was presented to his mother at an investiture at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
by King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
. Durrant's Victoria Cross is now on display at the Royal Engineers Museum
Royal Engineers Museum
The Royal Engineers Museum, Library & Archive is a military engineering museum and library in Gillingham, Kent, England. It tells the story of the Corps of Royal Engineers and British military engineering in general.-History:The Library was founded in 1812...
Prince Arthur Road, Gillingham
Gillingham, Kent
Gillingham is a town in the unitary authority of Medway in South East England. It is part of the ceremonial county of Kent. The town includes the settlements of Brompton, Hempstead, Rainham, Rainham Mark and Twydall....
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England.
External links
- HMS Campbeltown and the Raid on St. Nazaire (detailed description of the action)
- Location of grave and VC medal (France)