- Francis Anthony Blair Fasson
Lieutenant Francis Anthony Blair Fasson RN was posthumously awarded the
George Cross for the "for outstanding bravery and steadfast devotion to duty in the face of danger" he displayed on the30 October 1942 in action in theMediterranean . [ [http://www.ww2awards.com/person/501 World War 2 Awards.com - FASSON, Francis Anthony Blair ] at www.ww2awards.com]Able Seaman
Colin Grazier RN also won the George Cross for the courage that he displayed during the same incident. The destroyer on which they served, HMS "Petard", attacked and badly damaged the GermanU Boat "U-559", in conjunction with the DestroyersHMS Pakenham andHMS Hero , the escort destroyersHMS Dulverton andHMS Hurworth , and anRAF Sunderland flying boat of 47 squadron based in Port Said. The crew of the "U-559" surrendered and her crew was taken off with no casualties. Fasson and Grazier, along withNAAFI canteen assistant Tommy Brown, swam naked to the "U-559" and entered the sinking submarine in complete darkness to capture instruments and documentation, fully aware that the submarine could sink without warning at any time. Grazier and Fasson continued to search for and hand over documents and equipment until suddenly the submarine "sank like a stone," Fact|date|date=September 2008 drowning them both. The awards were published in theLondon Gazette on14 September 1943 . Fasson was born on17 July 1913 , educated at Jedburgh Grammar School and died aged 29.Notes
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.