Thomas Crisp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Crisp
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Thomas Crisp, VC
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| Born | 28 April 1876 Lowestoft, Suffolk, England |
| Died | 15 August 1917 (aged 41) Naval smack Nelson, North Sea, off Humber Estuary, England |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1915–1917 |
| Rank | Skipper |
| Unit | Royal Naval Reserve |
| Commands held | HM Armed Smack Nelson |
| Battles/wars | First World War
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| Awards | Victoria Cross Distinguished Service Cross |
Thomas Crisp was a brave English sailor. He was born on April 28, 1876, and sadly died on August 15, 1917, at age 41. He received the Victoria Cross, which is the highest award for bravery in the British military. He got this award after he was killed defending his ship, the Nelson, from a German submarine during the First World War.
Thomas Crisp was a fisherman from Lowestoft, England. His heroic actions helped boost spirits in Britain during a very tough time in the war. His story was even read aloud in the British Parliament and was big news for almost a week.
Contents
Early Life of Thomas Crisp
Thomas Crisp grew up in Lowestoft, a town known for shipbuilding and fishing. He was one of ten children. Even though his family could afford to send him to school, Thomas preferred adventures by the sea.
He left school early to become a fisherman, catching herring for several years. He was a very skilled sailor. Later, he worked on a large steamship called the SS Mobile, traveling across the Atlantic Ocean many times.
In 1895, when he was 19, Thomas married Harriet Elizabeth Alp. They lived near Lowestoft and had two sons and a daughter. One of his sons, Thomas Crisp Jr., would later be with him when he earned his Victoria Cross. Thomas Sr. became a qualified skipper, meaning he could captain fishing boats. He worked for a big fishing company in Lowestoft for 13 years, becoming one of the most popular captains. His son joined him on his boat in 1913.
When the First World War started in July 1914, Thomas Crisp was at sea. He didn't know about the war until he returned to port. At first, he continued fishing because he was considered too old for military service, and his job was important for providing food for Britain. Later, his fishing boat, the George Borrow, was sunk by a German submarine in August 1915.
War Service and Bravery
In early 1915, Thomas Crisp's son, Tom Jr., joined the Royal Navy. Soon after, German submarines began attacking fishing boats in the North Sea. They would surface and use dynamite to sink the boats, letting the crews go in small boats. This was part of Germany's plan to cut off Britain's food supply.
After his own boat was sunk, Thomas Crisp was asked by the Navy to join a secret mission. He would command a small fishing boat that was secretly armed with a gun. These boats were called "Q-ships" or "armed smacks." Their job was to pretend to be regular fishing boats, then surprise and sink enemy submarines when they came close.
Thomas Crisp joined the Royal Naval Reserve as a Seaman and later became a Skipper. He arranged for his son to join his crew on their armed smack, the HM Armed Smack I'll Try. It had a small 3-pounder gun.
On February 1, 1917, the I'll Try had its first fight with two German submarines. Even though the submarines fired torpedoes that almost hit them, Crisp's boat and another smack managed to hit the submarines. For this brave action, both skippers received the Distinguished Service Cross and a reward. Crisp was offered a promotion, but he had to turn it down because his wife became very ill. She passed away in June 1917.
The Victoria Cross Action
In July 1917, I'll Try was renamed Nelson to keep its secret identity. The Nelson continued to work with another smack, and Crisp's crew grew to ten people, including his son.
On August 15, 1917, the Nelson was fishing when Crisp spotted a German submarine about 6,000 yards away. Both ships started firing at each other. The submarine's gun was much bigger and more powerful than the Nelson's.
The submarine fired eight shots. The fourth shot hit the Nelson, and the seventh shot tragically wounded Crisp, tearing off his legs. Even though he was badly hurt, Crisp ordered his crew to throw important secret papers overboard. He then dictated a message to be sent by the boat's carrier pigeons, as they didn't have a radio.
The Nelson was sinking, and the nine uninjured crew members tried to save their captain. But Crisp told them to throw him overboard so he wouldn't slow them down. The crew refused, but they couldn't move him. He died in his son's arms a few minutes later, reportedly with a smile.
Another British smack, the Ethel & Millie, arrived and tried to help. Its captain, Charles Manning, called for the Nelson's lifeboat to come alongside. But the survivors refused, knowing it would overcrowd the boat. Manning then bravely sailed towards the submarine, but his boat was also badly damaged and began to sink.
The crew of the Ethel & Millie had to abandon their boat. They were taken aboard the German submarine. Sadly, these seven British sailors were never seen again. It's believed they might have been taken prisoner or killed. The submarine that attacked them is thought to have been UC-63.
The survivors from the Nelson drifted for almost two days until they reached a buoy. They were rescued by a British ship called Dryad. A pigeon named "Red Cock" had successfully delivered Crisp's message to authorities in Lowestoft, which led to the rescue mission.
Thomas Crisp was awarded the Victoria Cross after his death for his incredible bravery. His son and another crew member received Distinguished Service Medals. On October 29, 1917, a speech was given in the British Parliament praising Crisp's sacrifice. His story became famous, showing the bravery of the Royal Navy. His son received the medal at Buckingham Palace on December 19, 1917.
Thomas Crisp is remembered on his wife's gravestone in Lowestoft Cemetery.
Remembering Thomas Crisp
After the war, a small display honoring Thomas Crisp was set up in the Lowestoft Free Library and another in the Lowestoft Maritime Museum. The library's display was destroyed during the Second World War.
Today, a new display with a replica of his Victoria Cross is in Lowestoft Town Hall. The original medal is kept safe by the local council and can be viewed by request.
Crisp's name is on the Chatham Naval Memorial, which remembers those lost at sea during the First World War. He is also honored on memorials in two churches in Lowestoft. One church even has a "VC Bell" dedicated to him. A street in Lowestoft, Tom Crisp Way, is named in his honor.
The brave pigeon "Red Cock," who delivered the message about the attack, was preserved after its death. It was displayed for many years in the Thomas Crisp exhibit at Lowestoft Town Hall before being moved to a museum in South Kensington.
Images for kids
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Crisp with his family in about 1907
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The cenotaph memorial for Thomas Crisp VC in Lowestoft Cemetery
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Memorial Plaque to Crisp displayed at Lowestoft Maritime Museum
