Does anyone else thinks it is crazy ?

[Maestro]

Greetings ladies and gentlemen.

While surfing on Wikipedia about military medals, I found out the following :

"New Zealander, Flying Officer Lloyd Trigg, has the distinction of being the only serviceman ever awarded a VC on evidence solely provided by the enemy, for an action in which there were no surviving Allied witnesses. The recommendation was made by the captain of the German U-boat U-468 sunk by Trigg's aircraft."

Anyone else thinks it is crazy ?

"Your Majesty,

I would like to consider you awarding a VC to mister Lloyd Trigg for sinking my ship, the U-468.

Regards,
Hans von Something"

I can understand someone being recommanded by an officer from an Allied army... But an ennemy officer ? Honestly, I don't get it.

[lesofprimus]

Theres got to be more to this story...

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

Generous Enemy. Maybe.

[k9kiwi]

Source...NZETC

On the same day and about the same hour, Flying Officer L. A. Trigg34 made a most gallant attack on another U-boat about ninety miles farther north. It was his first operational sortie in a Liberator aircraft. His unit, No. 200 Squadron, was only in process of converting from Hudsons to the new type of aircraft, but as several U-boats were known to be in the area, it was essential that a Liberator be despatched on patrol that morning. The aircraft took off from Rufisque, near Dakar, shortly after dawn. Four hours later a surfaced U-boat was sighted and Trigg prepared to attack. The enemy submarine did not attempt to submerge. Instead it engaged the Liberator with its anti-aircraft guns, scoring repeated hits and setting the aircraft on fire during its approach. Trigg continued with his run in and made such an accurate attack that the U-boat sank a few minutes later. Unfortunately, immediately after making the attack, the Liberator crashed into the sea. There were no survivors.

– 31 –

When the aircraft failed to return to its base, a search was organised, and during the next afternoon a Sunderland sighted a dinghy containing several men who were reported as survivors from the missing Liberator. It was not until a naval vessel reached the scene on the following morning that the occupants of the dinghy were found to be seven Germans, the only survivors from the U-boat. By a strange irony of fate the dinghy was one which had floated free from the Liberator at the moment of the crash. It had been found and inflated by one of the Germans half an hour after the U-boat sank. Among the survivors was the U-boat commander, who expressed sincere admiration of the pilot's courage in not allowing the submarine's heavy and accurate fire and the precarious condition of his aircraft to deter him from pressing home his attack.

‘We sighted an aircraft and engaged it with all our guns,’ he declared. ‘As the machine was coming in to attack, it was hit and set on fire. Although his plane was well alight the pilot continued the attack, releasing his depth-charges from a height of fifteen metres. We could see our fire entering through its open bomb doors as the aircraft passed over us. Then the depth- charges burst near the submarine and I momentarily lost sight of the machine. However, I recovered from the shock in time to observe it dive straight into the sea.’

Flying Officer Trigg was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously. Only a few weeks earlier he had received the Distinguished Flying Cross for two skilful attacks against U-boats whilst protecting a West African convoy in March 1943.

The members of his crew who perished with him were Flying Officer J. J. Townshend, of Stroud, Gloucestershire, Pilot Officer G. N. Goodwin, of Vresto, British Columbia, Flight Sergeant R. Bonnick, of Hendon, London, and four New Zealanders, Flying Officer I. Marinovich,35 Flight Sergeant A. G. Bennett,36 Flight Sergeant L. J. Frost,37 and Flight Sergeant T. J. Soper.38


Trigg Road at RNZAF base Whenuapai (Auckland, New Zealand) is named after F/O Trigg

[Njaco]

I don't think VCs nd MOHs are given out without extensive research and investigation. The most number of VCs for a single engagement was for Rourke's drift and that was only eleven given. They're very stingy with those medals.

[Maestro]

Thanks for the info, K9kiwi.

@ Les : What's the badges in your signature ? I assume the third one is the Frogman badge and the second must be the SEAL badge, but what are the three others ?

[Joe2]

I dont think that is crazy

[lesofprimus]

@ Les : What's the badges in your signature ? I assume the third one is the Frogman badge and the second must be the SEAL badge, but what are the three others ?

From left to right... Special Warfare Trident, US Navy Parachutist, Diver Second Class, Small Craft Command Enlisted, Special Warfare Combatant Craft Crewman... Those are all the qualifications I earned while I was in...

The only one I ever wore is the Trident tho...

[evangilder]

That's easily the most recognizable symbol of the lot for most folks anyway.

[lesofprimus]

This is true Eric.... The Small Craft Command Enlisted and Special Warfare Combatant Craft Crewman were quals that I did when there was nothing else to do and we were bangin away with Small Boat Unit 20...

The jump wings and diver quals are a given in the Teams, however, I made it to Second Class Diver with alittle extra work...

The qualifications go from Scuba Diver, Second Class Diver, First Class Diver, Master Diver... Anyone getting above Second Classs Diver usually is a hard core fella and thats all he does, closed Circuit, and saturation diving operations on submarine lock-outs, underwater maintenance, propeller changes, hull repair on ships and submarines, and search and salvage operations in depths up to 1,000 feet..... Like I said, hardcore....

[Maestro]

Wow... Thanks for the info.

And hats off to you. That's impressive.

[lesofprimus]

Thanks...

[Matt308]

Not unheard of for enemy combatants to provide post action information. What about Mochitasura Hashimoto, commander of I-58, who sunk the Indianapolis? Not the same circumstances, unfortunately, but analogous.

[Wildcat]

Possibly the greatest honour you could get is being recommended for a medal from your enemy.

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

I guess the U-boat Commander had nothing else to say. The Liberator went down with the sub. Both hit even. And painful. Both lost crew members.

Maybe if Trigg had survived, he would have recommended the Iron Cross for the German Commander!