Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Seven: Engine Room Artificer 1st Class E. R. Fox, Royal Navy, a submariner who was mentioned in despatches for services with H.M.S. Tribune in 1940, and survived the sinking of the Tempest by the Italian destroyer Circe, 13 February 1942. He was picked up by the Italian ship and taken prisoner of war

Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1936-1939 (M.24887 E. R. Fox. E.R.A. 1. R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, fixed suspension (24887 E. R. Fox. E.R.A. 2. H.M.S. Dolphin) mounted for wear, generally very fine or better (7) £300-£400

M.I.D. London Gazette 13 November 1940.

The original recommendation (for a decoration) states: ‘For marked efficiency in the performance of his duty as Outside E.R.A. both in the face of the enemy and also during previous patrols.’

Eric Roulstone Fox was born in Stoke, Staffordshire in March 1901. He joined the Royal Navy as a Boy in January 1917, and served at H.M.S. Indus until October 1921 (entitled to British War Medal). He advanced to Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class in July 1925, and was awarded the L.S. & G.C. in March 1934. Fox advanced to Engine Room Artificer 1st Class in July 1934, and served on and off at the submarine base H.M.S. Dolphin, 1932 - 1937. He served with the submarine H.M.S. Tribune from August 1939, and was engaged in operations in the North Sea and off the Scandinavian coast (M.I.D.).

Fox returned to H.M.S. Dolphin in April 1941, before being posted to H.M.S. Tempest in October 1941. Whilst on patrol in the Gulf of Taranto, on 13 February 1942, the Tempest was detected by the Italian torpedo boat destroyer Circe which attacked with a devastating salvo of depth-charges. Over the course of the next six and a half hours the Italians dropped a total of forty-five depth-charges. In the last attack the battery boards of No. 3 Battery burst open and chlorine gas appeared in large quantities. Lieutenant-Commander Cavaye realised that the position was now hopeless and ordered the confidential books put into a weighted bag, ditched later by Sub-Lieutenant Neel-Wall who failed to survive the sinking. Tempest was now forced to the surface but sank when an attempt was made to take her in tow. The surviving crew members (including Fox) were picked up by the Circe, some after two hours in the water, and were made prisoners of war. Thirty-nine of the sixty-three crew had perished, including her commander William Cavaye, the nephew of a general and a veteran of almost thirteen years in the Submarine service.

Fox was seemingly wounded, as he spent a month recuperating in Taranto Naval Hospital. He was also interrogated whilst in the hospital. He was interned at three camps in Italy, prior to being moved to Germany in October 1943. Fox was interned at Stalag 8B and 9A, and suffered from both Malaria and Dysentery. He was repatriated in 1945.

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