Fraserburgh Harbour, Scotland: Joe Watt VC
AB43 5BR - Mark Stephen tells the story of the Joe Watt VC and the crew of the Gowan Lea.
AB43 5BR - Fraserburgh Harbour
Chief Skipper Joseph Watt VC refused to surrender when his drifter the Gowan Lea was engaged by an enemy cruiser while mine sweeping in the Adriatic during WWI.
On May 15th 1917, Skipper Watt and his crew of eight men were part of a barrage of drifters strung out in a line in the Straits of Otranto when they were attacked by three Austro-Hungarian cruisers. When the Gowan Lea was ordered to surrender and abandon ship, Skipper Watt ordered βfull speed aheadβ and called on his crew to give βthree cheers and fight to the finish.β Deckhand Frederick Hawley Lamb took control of the drifterβs solitary gun and opened fire until his gun was disabled by a shell that plunged through the desk blowing up a box of ammunition and shattering his leg. The Gowan Lea was badly damaged but remarkably remained afloat and was credited with helping to rescue the survivors from other drifters.
Rear Admiral Mark Kerr, commanding the British Adriatic Squadron, recommended awards of the Victoria Cross to Skipper Watt, βfor greatest gallantry and exampleβ, and to Deckhand Lamb, for fighting his gun throughout the action under a hot fire βafter having his leg shattered by explosion of box of ammunitionβ. In the end Joe Watt was awarded the VC and Fred Lamb the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal. Two other members of the Gowan Lea also received military awards.
Presenter: Mark Stephen
Image courtesy of Fraserburgh Heritage Society
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