Jack Foreman Mantle

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Jack Foreman Mantle

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Leading Seaman Jack Mantle
Born(1917-04-12)12 April 1917
Wandsworth, London
Died 4 July 1940(1940-07-04) (aged 23)
Portland Harbour
Buried Royal Naval Cemetery, Portland
AllegianceFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom/British Empire
Service/branchNaval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy
Years of service 1933–1940
Rank Leading Seaman
Unit HMS Foylebank
Battles/wars Second World War
Awards Victoria Cross

Jack Foreman Mantle VC (12 April 1917 – 4 July 1940) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Victoria Cross highest military decoration awarded for valour in armed forces of various Commonwealth countries

The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for gallantry "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces. It may be awarded posthumously. It was previously awarded to Commonwealth countries, most of which have established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. It may be awarded to a person of any military rank in any service and to civilians under military command although no civilian has received the award since 1879. Since the first awards were presented by Queen Victoria in 1857, two-thirds of all awards have been personally presented by the British monarch. These investitures are usually held at Buckingham Palace.

Commonwealth of Nations Intergovernmental organisation

The Commonwealth of Nations, normally known as the Commonwealth, is a unique political association of 53 member states, nearly all of them former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Commonwealth Secretariat, which focuses on intergovernmental aspects, and the Commonwealth Foundation, which focuses on non-governmental relations between member states.

Contents

Details

Mantle was educated at Taunton's School in Southampton [1]

Southampton City and unitary authority area in England

Southampton is the largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire, England. It is 70 miles (110 km) south-west of London and 15 miles (24 km) west north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest. It lies at the northernmost point of Southampton Water at the confluence of the Rivers Test and Itchen, with the River Hamble joining to the south of the urban area. The city, which is a unitary authority, has an estimated population of 253,651. The city's name is sometimes abbreviated in writing to "So'ton" or "Soton", and a resident of Southampton is called a Sotonian.

He was 23 years old, and an acting leading seaman in the Royal Navy during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

Leading Seaman is a junior non-commissioned rank or rate in navies, particularly those of the Commonwealth. When it is used by NATO nations, Leading Seaman has the rank code of OR-4. It is often equivalent to the army and air force rank of corporal and some navies use Corporal rather than Leading Seaman.

Royal Navy Maritime warfare branch of the United Kingdoms military

The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by the English kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years War against the Kingdom of France. The modern Royal Navy traces its origins to the early 16th century; the oldest of the UK's armed services, it is known as the Senior Service.

On 4 July 1940 during an air raid on Portland, England, Leading Seaman Mantle of HMS Foylebank, who was manning the starboard 20mm pom-pom gun, had his left leg shattered by the blast from a bomb early in the action. Although wounded again many times, he remained at his gun, training and firing by hand when Foylebank's electric power failed, until he collapsed and died. His citation in the London Gazette reads:

Portland Harbour Harbour beside the Isle of Portland, off Dorset

Portland Harbour is located beside the Isle of Portland, Dorset, on the south coast of England. When completed in 1872, its 520-hectare (1,300-acre) surface area made it the largest man-made harbour in the world, and it is the third largest as of 2016, after the 4,500-hectare (11,000-acre) Ras Laffan Harbour in Qatar and the 1,500-hectare (3,700-acre) Cherbourg Harbour in France. It is naturally protected by Portland to the south, Chesil Beach to the west and mainland Dorset to the north. It consists of four breakwaters — two southern and two northern. These have a total length of 4.57 km and enclose approximately 520 hectares of water. The initial southern breakwaters were built between 1849 and 1872, and Portland Harbour was a Royal Navy base until 1995.

HMS Foylebank was a converted 5,500 ton merchant ship active during the Second World War. She was launched as the MV Foylebank by Bank Line in 1930 and requisitioned by the Royal Navy in September 1939. She was converted into an anti-aircraft ship, equipped with 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) machine guns, two quad 2-pounder pom-poms and four twin high angle 4-inch gun turrets. The Foylebank saw action in Portland Harbour next to the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. She arrived in Portland on 9 June 1940 for a build-up to anti-aircraft duties commanded by Captain H.P. Weir.

Leading Seaman Jack Mantle was in charge of the Starboard pom-pom when FOYLEBANK was attacked by enemy aircraft on the 4th of July, 1940. Early in the action his left leg was shattered by a bomb, but he stood fast at his gun and went on firing with hand-gear only; for the ship's electric power had failed. Almost at once he was wounded again in many places. Between his bursts of fire he had time to reflect on the grievous injuries of which he was soon to die; but his great courage bore him up till the end of the fight, when he fell by the gun he had so valiantly served. [2]

This was only the second occasion that the Victoria Cross has been awarded for action in the United Kingdom.

Legacy

The Yeovil Sea Cadet unit carries the name T. S. Mantle V. C. in his honour.

Yeovil Town in Somerset, England

Yeovil is an English town and civil parish in the district of South Somerset, with a population of 45,000. It is close to Somerset's southern border with Dorset, 130 miles (210 km) from London, 40 miles (64 km) south of Bristol, 6 miles (9.7 km) from Sherborne and 30 miles (48 km) from Taunton. The aircraft and defence industries developed in the 20th century made it a target for bombing in the Second World War. They are still major employers. Yeovil Country Park, which includes Ninesprings, is one of several open spaces with educational, cultural and sporting facilities. Religious sites include the 14th-century Church of St John the Baptist. The town is on the A30 and A37 roads and has two railway stations.

A brass memorial detailing the incident and honouring Jack Foreman Mantle can be found in Southampton Maritime Museum. It is placed to the left of the main entrance doors. This memorial was originally situated in 'Jack's Corner' at the City's Central Sports Centre – the name remains as a children's play area.

Mantle's VC and other medal are on loan to the Royal Naval Museum in Portsmouth.

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References

  1. ↑ Daily Echo
  2. ↑ "No. 34938". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 September 1940. p. 5385.
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