Martin Dunbar-Nasmith

Sir Martin Eric Dunbar-Nasmith
Martin Eric Nasmith
Born	April 1, 1883 Barnes, London, England
Died	June 29, 1965 (aged 82) Elgin, Moray, Scotland
Buried at	Elgin Cemetery, Linkwood Road, New Elgin, Elgin
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1898 - 1946
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	East Indies Station (1932-1935) Plymouth Command (1938-1941) Western Approaches Command (1939-1941) Flag Officer-In-Charge, London (1942-1945) Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom (1954-1962)
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Operation Ariel
Awards	Victoria Cross Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav Polonia Restituta (Poland) Legion of Honour (France) Order of Orange Nassau (Netherlands) Croix de Guerre (France) Cross of Liberty II/2 (Estonia)
Relations	Sir James Dunbar-Nasmith (son) Rear Admiral David Dunbar-Nasmith (son)
Other work	Vice Chairman, Imperial War Graves Commission (1948-1954) Deputy Lieutenant and Vice-Lord Lieutenant, Morayshire

Admiral Sir Martin Eric Dunbar-Nasmith VC, KCB, KCMG, RN (1 April 1883 – 29 June 1965), was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was born Martin Eric Nasmith, adding the "Dunbar" part of his name after World War I.

Early career

Educated at Eastman's College in Winchester and the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, Dunbar-Nasmith joined the Royal Navy in 1898.^[1]

World War I

He was 32 years old, and a Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy during World War I, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.^[2]

During the period 20 May–8 June 1915 in the Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles, Turkey, Lieutenant-Commander Nasmith, in command of H.M. Submarine E.11, destroyed one large Turkish gunboat, two transports, one ammunition ship, three store ships and four other vessels including civilian transports and torpedo boats which trying to save drowning men and women of E11's targets. Nasmith and HMS E11 also tried to destroy a Kızılay (Red Cross of Ottoman Empire) Hospital Ship which carrying 700 wounded soldiers from battlefields, but failed.

When he had safely passed the most difficult part of his homeward journey he received information that a cargo of coal was heading towards Istanbul from the Black Sea. Realising that coal was essential for the morale of the besieged city, Nasmith turned back.

When the coal-carrying ship came into sight of the docks, a welcoming committee of municipal grandees soon formed, along with a happy crowd - water, electricity and rail transport had all suffered due to a lack of coal. Hardly had the ship berthed than it mysteriously blew up before the eyes of the astounded crowd. Nasmith successfully slipped out again.

Later naval career

He was appointed Commandant of the Royal Naval College Dartmouth in 1926 and then became Rear Admiral Submarines in 1929.^[2] He became Commander-in-Chief of the East Indies Station in 1932 and Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel in 1935.^[2] He was Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth from 1938 and then Commander-in-Chief of Plymouth and Western Approaches Command from the outbreak of war in September 1939.^[2] He served as Flag Officer in charge of London from 1942 and retired in 1946.^[2]

In retirement he became Vice Chairman of the Imperial War Graves Commission .^[2] He was also appointed Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom, a ceremonial position, and he became President of the Royal Naval Benevolent Trust.

Nasmith's grave in Elgin Cemetery, Linkwood Road, New Elgin, Elgin, Moray

Family

In 1920 he married Beatrix Justina Dunbar-Rivers; they had two sons (Rear-Admiral David Dunbar-Nasmith and the architect Professor Sir James Dunbar-Nasmith) and a daughter.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• VCs of the First World War - Gallipoli (Stephen Snelling, 1995)
• VCs of the First World War - The Naval VCs (Stephen Snelling, 2002)
• Dardanelles Patrol: the Story of Submarine E-11 (Peter Shankland & Anthony Hunter, 1964)

External links

• Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939-1945
• Location of grave and VC medal (Grampian)

Military offices
Preceded by Sir Eric Fullerton	Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station 1932–1934	Succeeded by Sir Forrester Rose
Preceded by Sir Dudley Pound	Second Sea Lord 1935–1938	Succeeded by Sir Charles Little
Preceded by Sir Reginald Plunkett	Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth 1938–1941	Succeeded by Sir Charles Forbes
Honorary titles
Preceded by Sir Montague Browning	Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom 1945–1962	Succeeded by Sir John Edelsten

Persondata
Name	Dunbar-Nasmith, Martin
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1 April 1883
Place of birth	Barnes, England
Date of death	29 June 1965
Place of death	Elgin, Scotland