Donald Cameron
Lieutenant, Royal Naval Reserve
- Register No.
- 176 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Lieutenant all Lieutenants →
- Unit
- Royal Naval Reserve (register: HMS X6) all HMS X6 VCs →
- Date of action
- 22 September 1943 on this day → all of 1943 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second World War
- London Gazette
- 22nd February 1944 on this day → all of 1944 →
- Born
- 18th March 1916 at Carluke, Lanarkshire, Scotland
- Died
- 10th April 1961 at Haslar, Hampshire
- Memorial / grave
- He was buried at sea
Digest of citation
On 22nd September 1943 at Kaafjord, Norway, Lieutenant Cameron, commanding Midget Submarine X6, and another Lieutenant * commanding Midget Submarine X7, carried out a most daring raid and successful attack on the German Battleship Tirpitz. The two submarines had to travel at least 1,000 miles from base, negotiate a minefield, dodge nets, gun defences and enemy listening posts. Having eluded all these hazards they finally placed the charges on underneath the ship where they went off an hour later, doing so much damage that the Tirpitz was out of action for months are stop
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
CAMERON, Donald. (reg No. 176).
Lieutenant Royal Naval Reserve.
London Gazetted on 22nd February 1944.
Born on 18th March 1916 at Carluke, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
Died on 10th April 1961 at Haslar, Hampshire.
Memorial. He was buried at sea.
Digest of Citation reads: On 22nd September 1943 at Kaafjord, Norway, Lieutenant Cameron, commanding Midget Submarine X6, and another Lieutenant * commanding Midget Submarine X7, carried out a most daring raid and successful attack on the German Battleship Tirpitz. The two submarines had to travel at least 1,000 miles from base, negotiate a minefield, dodge nets, gun defences and enemy listening posts. Having eluded all these hazards they finally placed the charges on underneath the ship where they went off an hour later, doing so much damage that the Tirpitz was out of action for months are stop * B.C.G. Place (reg No. 991).
Additional information: Commander Cameron transferred to the Royal Navy in 1946 and served on submarines for the rest of his service. He became the Commander ( Submarines ) at Fort Blockhouse in 1955. He was portrayed in a film of this action by Sir John Mills.
Additional information
Commander Cameron transferred to the Royal Navy in 1946 and served on submarines for the rest of his service. He became the Commander ( Submarines ) at Fort Blockhouse in 1955. He was portrayed in a film of this action by Sir John Mills.
* B.C.G. Place (reg No. 991).
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Alf recorded the memorial as: He was buried at sea
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