FROM SEA-FARING STOCK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 18 November 1940, Page 8

FROM SEA-FARING STOCK

CAREER OF JERVIS BAY CAPTAIN Captain Edward Stephen Fogarty Fegen. whose gallantry in fighting his ship, H.M.S. Jervis Bay, for two grim hours against overwhelming odds, undoubtedly saved the great convoy of 38 valuable merchant ships in his charge from almost certain comlpete destruction. had seen 36 years’ service in the Royal Navy. It is a remarkable coincidence that he met his death in the Jervis Bay. for it is just over 10 years since he completed a period of two years’ service on the staff of the Australian Naval College at Jervis Bay. SON OF AN ADMIRAL *\s° n °* late Admiral Frederick I*. Fegen. M.V 0., Captain Fegen entered Osborne Naval College in 1904. He served as a lieutenant throughout the war of 1914-18. He was first lieutenant of the destroyer Mansfield from 1914 to 1916. Subsequently he commanded the destroyers Moy, Garland and Paladin.

He was promoted to the rank of commander on 30th June, 1927. and on 20th January. 1928. was appointed sec-ond-in-charge on the staff of the Royal Australian Naval College at Jervis Bav, where he served for two years. In 1930, Commander Fegen, who was then serving as chief executive officer of H.M.S. Suffolk on the China Station, w-as specially commended by the Admiralty for the splendid boat work earned out under his charge that resulted in the rescue of 14 members of the crew of the Swedish motor-ship Medwig which had run ashore in heavv weather on the Pratas Reef in the China Sea The Suffolk’s boats had to travel 28 miles across the lagoon inside the Pratas Reef to reach the wrecked ship. A hard gale was blowing and visibility was so bad that the Suffolk had to make a black smoke cloud to serve as a guide to her boats. The feat of Commander Fegen and his boats’ crews was the subject of a special statement in the House of Commons by the then First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr Alexander (who is the present holder of that position). COMMANDED A CRUISER

In April, 1933. Commander Fegen was appointed to command the cruiser Dauntless, then in reserve at Ports- 1 mouth. On 12th July. 1935. he was ap- 1 pointed assistant to the King’s Harbourmaster at Chatham Dockyard, where he remained for three years. On 19th September. 1938. ho was appointed to command HM S. Dragon boys’ training ship, in the Reserve Fleet at the Nore, from which he transferred, on 9th February. 1939. to H M S. Curlew. which was used for a similar purpose. The Curlew, a cruiser of 4290 tons, was converted into an anti-aircraft ship and was sunk by German aircraft bombs in a Norwegian fjord last April. J With the exception of certain special- j ists. the officers and all the engineers j of the Jervis Bay were in the service of the Shaw. Savill and Albion Com- | pany Ltd., till the ship was taken over by the Admiralty at the beginning of the war Most of them served at vari- i ous periods in the Shaw. Savill ships in the New Zealand trade in which they I were well known. At least two-thirds I of the other members of the crew of i the Jervis Bay were from the service j Inf ffl «* Shaw, Savill and Albion Com- \ ,-pany. |