Frederick Thornton Peters
Captain, Royal Navy
- Register No.
- 984 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Captain (register: Acting Captain) all Captains →
- Unit
- Royal Navy (register: HMS Walney) all HMS Walney VCs →
- Date of action
- 8 November 1942 on this day → all of 1942 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second World War
- London Gazette
- 18th May 1943 on this day → all of 1943 →
- Born
- 17th September 1889 at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island,
- Died
- in an air crash on 13th November 1942 off Gibraltar
- Memorial / grave
- on Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire
Digest of citation
For Valour in taking HMS Walney, into the harbour of Oran, North Africa, on 8th November 1942. This port was held by the Vichy French. Captain Peters led his force through the boom towards the jetty, all the time under fire at point-blank range from the enemy shore batteries as well as fire from a Vichy French Destroyer and a Cruiser. Although he was blinded in one eye, he was the only one of 17 officers on the bridge that survived. HMS Walney, badly disabled and on fire, managed to make it to the jetty. She sank with her Colours flying
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
PETERS, Frederick Thornton. (reg No. 984).
Captain. Royal Navy.
London Gazetted on 18th May 1943.
Born on 17th September 1889 at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Killed in an air crash on 13th November 1942 off Gibraltar.
Memorial on Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire.
Digest of Citation reads: For Valour in taking HMS Walney, into the harbour of Oran, North Africa, on 8th November 1942. This port was held by the Vichy French. Captain Peters led his force through the boom towards the jetty, all the time under fire at point-blank range from the enemy shore batteries as well as fire from a Vichy French Destroyer and a Cruiser. Although he was blinded in one eye, he was the only one of 17 officers on the bridge that survived. HMS Walney, badly disabled and on fire, managed to make it to the jetty. She sank with her Colours flying.
Additional information:. Captain Peters also held the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) and Bar. ( He won the DSO and DSC in the First World War (WW I) and a Bar to his DSC for convoy duties, in the Atlantic, during the Second World War (WWII). During this action at Oran, Captain Peters took the Walney alongside a French warship. American Rangers pulled the two ships together with grappling hooks and then stormed the Vichy ship, firing Tommy guns. The Walney was continually hit by enemy fire, her boilers finally blew up causing her to sink. Captain Peters and another 10 survivors were taken prisoner.
Additional information
Captain Peters also held the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) and Bar. ( He won the DSO and DSC in the First World War (WW I) and a Bar to his DSC for convoy duties, in the Atlantic, during the Second World War (WWII). During this action at Oran, Captain Peters took the Walney alongside a French warship. American Rangers pulled the two ships together with grappling hooks and then stormed the Vichy ship, firing Tommy guns. The Walney was continually hit by enemy fire, her boilers finally blew up causing her to sink. Captain Peters and another 10 survivors were taken prisoner.
Canada.
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Alf recorded the memorial as: on Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire
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