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Commander Charles Lamb DSO DSC Royal Navy
Charles Lamb was born on 11 April 1914 in Bolton, Lancashire. He joined the merchant navy in 1930, and the Royal Naval Reserve in March 1933, serving aboard HMS Rodney, and competing on several occasions as a boxer. Commander Charles Lamb was to become a legend in the Royal Navy during World War II. He was one of the small bands of men who flew the slow cumbersome Swordfish bi-plane nicknamed 'Stringbags', all but declared obsolete before the war, but whose heroic actions changed the course of the war. Charles Lamb was the last to land on HMS Courageous before she was sunk in September 1939 and flew in the thick of the action, from mine-laying and U-boat hunting over northern Europe, harrying E-boats at Dunkirk, to being one of the two Swordfish Pathfinder pilots with 815 Squadron FAA at the Battle of Taranto. He joined 842 Naval Air Squadron then 781 Naval Air Squadron before serving on the carriers HMS Implacable and HMS Indefatigable from 1944 - 1945. Sadly, Charles Lamb died 28th May 1981.
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| Distinguished Service Order | Distinguished Service Cross |
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| Text for the above items : |
Swordfish Attack at Taranto by Robert Taylor. On November 11, 1940 a group of 21 slow, outdated Swordfish biplanes attacked and crippled the Italian Fleet in the heavily defended port of Taranto. One of the most daring raids of World War II captured in this print for posterity. |
| Commander Charles Lamb DSO DSC Royal Navy Aircraft details |
 Swordfish Manufacturer : Fairey Built : 2399 | Swordfish Torpedo bomber and reconnaissance biplane, crewed by three, with a top speed of 154mph, reduced to 136mph as a float plane. Maximum ceiling 19,000 feet, reduced as a float plane. Armed with a .303 Vickers machine gun fixed forward and one in the rear cockpit. One 1610lb torpedo or up to 1500lb bomb load. At the outbreak of world war two the fleet air arm had 13 operational squadrons. The Fairey Swordfish has earned its place in history for major contributions to naval warfare, during the Norwegian campaign, and especially during the raid on Taranto. In November1940, twenty Swordfish took off from HMS Illustrious to attack the Italian fleet in their Harbour of Taranto. At Least nine torpedoes hit their targets. Seven Italian ships were badly damaged including the battleships, Caio Duillio, Littorio and Conte De Cavour. This was followed in February 1942, by a heroic but suicidal attack on German battlecruisers in the English Channel by six Swordfish of 825 squadron from RAF Manston. All aircraft and crews were lost. This resulted in a Victoria Cross for the leader Lieutenant Commander E Esmonde. The next major event was the torpedo attack on the Bismarck by Swordfish from HMS Ark Royal, which badly damaged the steering gear of the Bismarck which helped in the final destruction of the German battleship by Royal Navy battleships. The Fairey Swordfish was also used in anti-submarine and anti-shipping roles. The Swordfish sunk more enemy ships (by tonnage) than any other aircraft acting in the same role. By the end of the war the Fleet Air Arm still had nine active squadrons, but these were finally disbanded in May 1945. A total of 2399 Swordfish were built. |
| Commander Charles Lamb DSO DSC Royal Navy Squadron details |
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