Edward Stephen Fogarty Fegen
Acting Captain, Royal Navy VC London Gazetted on 22nd November 1940
- Register No.
- 398 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Acting Captain all Captains →
- Unit
- Royal Navy VC London Gazetted on 22nd November 1940 (register: HMS Jervis Bay) all HMS Jervis Bay VCs →
- Date of action
- 5 November 1940 on this day → all of 1940 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second World War
- Born
- 8th October 1891 at Southsea, Hampshire
- Died
- 5th November 1940. Went down with the Jervis Bay in
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- at: Chatham Naval Memorial; On a sundial, Hamilton, Bermuda;On a twelve feet high Column in the Hospital grounds in St John, New Brunswick, Canada and the Seaman's Institute,Wellington New Zealand
Digest of citation
On the 5 November 1940 in the Atlantic, Captain Fegen, commanding HMS Jervis Bay, was escorting 37 merchantmen, when they were attacked by the German Pocket Battleship Admiral Scheer. Captain Fegen immediately engaged the enemy head-on, thus giving the ships of the convoy time to scatter. Out-gunned and on fire Jervis Bay maintained the unequal fight for three hours, although the Captain's right arm was shattered and his bridge was shot from under him. He went down with his ship but it was due to him that 31ships of the convoy escaped
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
FEGEN, Edward Stephen Fogarty (reg.No.398)
Acting Captain Royal Navy VC London Gazetted on 22nd November 1940 Born on: 8th October 1891 at Southsea, Hampshire.
Died on: 5th November 1940. Went down with the Jervis Bay in the Atlantic Ocean.
Memorials are at: Chatham Naval Memorial; On a sundial, Hamilton, Bermuda;On a twelve feet high Column in the Hospital grounds in St John, New Brunswick, Canada and the Seaman's Institute,Wellington New Zealand.
Digest of Citation reads: On the 5 November 1940 in the Atlantic, Captain Fegen, commanding HMS Jervis Bay, was escorting 37 merchantmen, when they were attacked by the German Pocket Battleship Admiral Scheer. Captain Fegen immediately engaged the enemy head-on, thus giving the ships of the convoy time to scatter. Out-gunned and on fire Jervis Bay maintained the unequal fight for three hours, although the Captain's right arm was shattered and his bridge was shot from under him. He went down with his ship but it was due to him that 31ships of the convoy escaped.
Additional information: Edward Fegan came from a family of naval tradition. His father and grand-father being officers. He was Born on at 42, Nightingale Road, Southsea. His father was then Commander Frederick Fogarty Fegen later to become Vice-Admiral and his mother Catherine Mary Fegen, née Crewse of Ballinlonty, Tipperary. His father was educated at OsBorn one and Dartmouth Naval College. He saw action in the European War (WW1) and his ship, HMS Amphion was sunk almost immediately on 5th August 1914. As well as serving in destroyers he was involved in several training units, training not only future officers but seaman too. At one time he was Commanding officer of the Royal Australian Naval College (HMAS Jervis Bay). He became Agar's (another VC) executive officer aboard HMS Emerald in 1939. Edward Fegen was awarded the Victoria Cross on the 22nd November 1940 and the medal was presented to his sister, Miss M.C. Fegan by His Majesty King George VI at the investiture on the 12th June 1941, at Buckingham Palace.
Additional information
Edward Fegan came from a family of naval tradition. His father and grand-father being officers. He was Born on at 42, Nightingale Road, Southsea. His father was then Commander Frederick Fogarty Fegen later to become Vice-Admiral and his mother Catherine Mary Fegen, née Crewse of Ballinlonty, Tipperary. His father was educated at OsBorn one and Dartmouth Naval College. He saw action in the European War (WW1) and his ship, HMS Amphion was sunk almost immediately on 5th August 1914. As well as serving in destroyers he was involved in several training units, training not only future officers but seaman too. At one time he was Commanding officer of the Royal Australian Naval College (HMAS Jervis Bay). He became Agar's (another VC) executive officer aboard HMS Emerald in 1939. Edward Fegen was awarded the Victoria Cross on the 22nd November 1940 and the medal was presented to his sister, Miss M.C. Fegan by His Majesty King George VI at the investiture on the 12th June 1941, at Buckingham Palace.
the Atlantic Ocean.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at: Chatham Naval Memorial; On a sundial, Hamilton, Bermuda;On a twelve feet high Column in the Hospital grounds in St John, New Brunswick, Canada and the Seaman's Institute,Wellington New Zealand
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