The Victoria Cross of a Royal Navy hero who lured three U-boats to their death by letting his vessel be torpedoed in an audacious ‘sinking ship’ tactic is on sale for £300,000 at auction.
Vice-Admiral Gordon Campbell was awarded 11 medals during an illustrious career, including a Victoria Cross and a Distinguished Service Order with two bars.
At just 29 years old, Campbell was given command of HMS Farnborough, a specially-converted cargo ship dispatched to hunt down U-boats during the First World War.
To lure U-boats to the surface Campbell would allow his vessel to take fire, but when the German submarines rose to finish their prey with a deck gun, the commander would launch a devastating attack.
Vice-Admiral Gordon Campbell (pictured) was a Royal Navy hero who lured three U-boats to their death by letting his vessel be torpedoed in an audacious ‘sinking ship’ tactic
Campbell (pictured) won 11 medals during an illustrious career, including a Victoria Cross and a Distinguished Service Order with two bars
He used the tactic four times, sinking three U-boats and earning Britain’s highest military honour, the Victoria Cross.
Alongside the VC, Campbell’s medals, which also include a Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and with two bars, the Legion d’Honneur Chevalier’s badge and Croix de Guerre, will go under the hammer at Morton and Eden in Mayfair, London on November 23.
Campbell, from Croydon, south London, was awarded his DSO after he led his crew to sinking U-68, in March 1916.
During a battle in February the following year, he allowed the Farnborough to be torpedoed by the U-83 and then pretended to abandon ship, only to attack the enemy sub when it surfaced.
His courage under fire and quick-thinking saw him awarded the Victoria Cross.
Campbell repeated the ‘sinking ship’ tactic months later in HMS Pargust, another disguised cargo vessel, sending UC-29 to the deep and seeing two of his crew earning the VC by ballot.
Campbell’s tactical prowess and courage under fire, while sinking the U-83 during February 1917 saw him awarded Britain’s highest military honour, the Victoria Cross (far left)
German submarine U-68 surfaces before being sunk during a battle with Campbell’s HMS Farnbrough off the south west coast of Ireland in March 1916
However, he was finally sunk when trying to use the tactic for the fourth time while patrolling the Bay of Biscay in HMS Dunraven.
Campbell lost the battle with UC-71 but described it as a ‘fair and honest fight’.
His crew nominated him for a second VC but he wanted the men to be recognised for their service and the medal was awarded to his deputy and a petty officer gunlayer.
David Kirk of medal auctioneers Morton and Eden, described Campbell as ‘one of, if not the single greatest Naval VCs of the 20th Century and is without doubt of the highest national importance.’
Alongside the VC (pictured) , Campbell’s medals, which also include the Legion d’Honneur Chevalier’s badge and Croix de Guerre, will go under the hammer at Morton and Eden in Mayfair, London on November 23
At just 29 years old, Campbell was given command of HMS Farnborough, a specially-converted collier dispatched to hunt down U-boats during the First World War (pictured, the ship sinking after it was torpedoed by U-83, in February 1917)
He told the Royal Navy website:’The fact that Campbell was nominated by his fellow officers for a second Victoria Cross, but out of modesty declined, places him amongst the very greatest names in British military history.’
Following his heroics in the Great War, Campbell was in charge of the battle-cruiser HMS Tiger, served as Naval aide de camp to George V, and served for four years as the MP for Burnley, representing the since dissolved National Liberal Party.
After his death in 1953, his medals were passed down to his son David and then on to the Fellowship of St John Trust Association.
Proceeds of the auction will go towards the Trust’s projects in Zimbabwe, South Africa, West Indies and Burnley.