View source for Edward Fegen

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
|name= Edward Fegen
|image= VCEdwardStephenFogartyFegen.jpg
|image_size= 
|alt= 
|caption= Edward Fegen
|nickname= 
|birth_date= {{birth date|1891|10|08|df=yes}}
|birth_place= [[Southsea]], [[Hampshire]], England
|death_date= {{death date and age|1940|11|05|1891|10|08|df=yes}}
|death_place= {{HMS|Jervis Bay|F40|6}}, [[Atlantic Ocean]]
|placeofburial= 
|allegiance= United Kingdom
|branch= [[Royal Navy]]
|serviceyears= 1904–1940
|rank= [[Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain]]
|unit= 
|commands= {{HMS|Jervis Bay|F40|6}} (1940)<br/>{{HMS|Curlew|D42|6}} (1939)<br/>{{HMS|Dragon|D46|6}} (1938)<br/>{{HMS|Dauntless|D45|6}} (1935)<br/>[[HMS Osprey, Portland|HMS ''Osprey'']] (1932–34)<br/>{{HMS|Forres|1918|6}} (1926–27)<br/>{{HMS|Volunteer|D71|6}} (1924)<br/>{{HMS|Somme|1918|6}} (1922–24)
|battles= [[First World War]]<br/>[[Second World War]]
* [[Atlantic War]]
** [[HX convoys]]
*** [[Convoy HX 84]] {{KIA}}
|awards= [[Victoria Cross]]<br/>[[Sea Gallantry Medal]] (Silver)
|relations= 
|laterwork= 
}}
[[Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain]] '''Edward Stephen Fogarty Fegen''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|VC|SGM}} (8 October 1891 – 5 November 1940) was a [[Royal Navy]] officer and a recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.

Edward Stephen Fogarty Fegen was born into a naval family, one of four children his father being Vice-Admiral F. F. Fegen MVO.<ref>Turner, J. F. ''V.C.'s of the Royal Navy''London, Harrap 1957 p. 54</ref> He was born at 42 Nightingale Rd, Southsea, Hampshire, on 8 October 1891. At the age of 12, he entered Osborne Royal Naval College and in 1909, he was appointed [[Midshipman]] on [[HMS Dreadnought (1906)|HMS ''Dreadnought'']].

==First World War==
On 24 March 1918, while the British ship SS ''War Knight'' was proceeding up the [[English Channel]] in convoy, she collided with the United States oil carrier ''O.B. Jennings''. It appears that the [[naphtha]], which was on board the latter vessel, ignited, and the two ships and surrounding water were soon enveloped in flames. The master of ''O.B. Jennings'' gave orders that all the ship's available boats should be lowered, those on the starboard side were burnt, and the crew abandoned the ship in the port boats, whilst the master, chief engineer, chief officer and three others remained on board. [[Acasta-class destroyer|HMS Garland]], under the command of Lieutenant Fegen, with other destroyers, were proceeding to the spot to render assistance, when it was seen that one boat which had been lowered from ''O.B. Jennings'' had been swamped. ''Garland'' closed with ''O.B. Jennings'', rescued the men from the swamped boat, and then proceeded alongside the ship, which was still blazing, and rescued those who were still on board. She afterwards proceeded to pick up the others who had left the ship in boats, rescuing in all four officers and twenty-two men. Lieutenant Fegen handled his ship in a very able manner under difficult conditions during the rescue of the survivors, while Quartermaster [[Ó hEidirsceoil|Driscoll]] worked the helm and saw that all orders to the engine-room were correctly carried out, and his actions during this rescue resulted in both being awarded Silver [[Sea Gallantry Medal]]s.

==Interwar service==
A little later in his naval career, Fegen was seconded to the [[Royal Australian Navy]], and during 1928–29, served as executive officer in the [[Royal Australian Naval College, HMAS Creswell|Royal Australian Naval College]], which was located on [[Jervis Bay]] on the south coast of [[New South Wales]]. By coincidence, the vessel on which he later achieved fame (and death) was named after this bay.

==Second World War==
He was 49 years old, and an acting [[Captain (Royal Navy)|captain]] in the [[Royal Navy during the Second World War]] when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 5 November 1940 in the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]], Captain Fegen, commanding the [[Armed merchantmen|armed merchantman]] {{HMS|Jervis Bay|F40|6}}, was escorting 38 ships of [[Convoy HX 84]], when they were attacked by the German [[heavy cruiser]] {{ship|German cruiser|Admiral Scheer||2}} (often termed a "pocket battleship"). 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 22 minutes,<ref>Caithness Archives: HMS "Jervis Bay" Armed Merchant Cruiser: Convoy HX 84: 5 November 1940</ref> although the captain's right arm was shattered, and even after he died when the bridge was shot from under him.<ref>Caithness Archives: HMS "Jervis Bay" Armed Merchant Cruiser: Convoy HX 84: 5 November 1940</ref> He went down with his ship but 31 ships of the convoy managed to escape – including {{ship|MV|San Demetrio||2}}.

He was remembered in [[Winston Churchill]]'s broadcast speech on 13 May 1945 "Five years of War",<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.churchill-society-london.org.uk/13May45.html |title= BBC London 13 May 1945 |work=Churchill's War Time Speeches   |publisher=The Churchill Society London  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170324221226/http://www.churchill-society-london.org.uk/13May45.html |archive-date= 24 March 2017}}</ref> as having defended Ireland's honour:
{{blockquote|When I think of these days I think also of other episodes and personalities. I do not forget [[Eugene Esmonde|Lieutenant-Commander Esmonde]], V.C., D.S.O., [[John Patrick Kenneally|Lance-Corporal Kenneally]], V.C., Captain Fegen, V.C., and other Irish heroes that I could easily recite, and all bitterness by Britain for the Irish race dies in my heart. I can only pray that in years which I shall not see, the shame will be forgotten and the glories will endure, and that the peoples of the British Isles and of the British Commonwealth of Nations will walk together in mutual comprehension and forgiveness.}}

The citation for Fegen's Victoria Cross was published in the ''[[London Gazette]]'' on 22 November 1940, reading:<ref>{{London Gazette|issue = 34999|page=6743|supp = y|date = 22 November 1940}}</ref>
{{blockquote|The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the VICTORIA CROSS to the late Commander (acting Captain) Edward Stephen Fogarty Fegen, Royal Navy for valour in challenging hopeless odds and giving his life to save the many ships it was his duty to protect.

On the 5th of November, 1940, in heavy seas, Captain Fegen, in His Majesty's Armed Merchant Cruiser Jervis Bay, was escorting thirty-eight Merchantmen. Sighting a powerful German warship he at once drew clear of the Convoy, made straight for the Enemy, and brought his ship between the Raider and her prey, so that they might scatter and escape. Crippled, in flames, unable to reply, for nearly an hour the Jervis Bay held the German's fire. So she went down, but of the Merchantmen all but four or five were saved.}}

==In popular culture==
Issue #47 of the comic book ''[[Hitman (DC Comics)|Hitman]]'' by [[Garth Ennis]] and [[John McCrea (comics)|John McCrea]] contains a fictionalized account of Fegen's last battle and the sinking of the ''Jervis Bay''.

==References==
{{reflist}}

*Connel, G.G., (1987) ''Mediterranean Maelstrom: H. M. S. "Jervis" and the 14th Flotilla'', William Kimber, London 
*Edwards, Bernard, (2013) ''Convoy Will Scatter: The Full Story of Jervis Bay and Convoy HX84'', Pen and Sword, 
*Pollock, George, (1958) ''The Jervis Bay'', William Kimber, London

==External links==
*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/theartofwar/valgal/valour/INF3_0421.htm Commander E.S Fogarty Fegen] in ''The Art of War'' exhibition at the [[National Archives (UK)|UK National Archives]]
*[http://www.internet-promotions.co.uk/archives/caithness/jervisbay.htm Captain Fegan and HMS "Jervis Bay"]¨
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20141108123301/http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/info_sheets_edward_fegen.htm Royal Naval Museum Biography]
*[http://www.unithistories.com/officers/RN_officersF.html#Fegen_ESF World War II Unit Histories & Officers – RN Officers]
*[http://hmsjervisbay.com HMS Jervis Bay]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fegen, Edward Stephen Fogarty}}
[[Category:1891 births]]
[[Category:1940 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Southsea]]
[[Category:British World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Royal Navy officers of World War I]]
[[Category:Irish World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sea Gallantry Medal]]
[[Category:Royal Navy officers of World War II]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel killed in World War II]]
[[Category:People lost at sea]]
[[Category:Royal Navy recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:English people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:Captains who went down with the ship]]
[[Category:British sea captains]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Portsmouth]]
[[Category:Irish officers in the Royal Navy]]