Corgi AA36308 Fairey Swordfish – 825 Sqn Fleet Air Arm, Lt. Cmdr e. Esmonde VC

On February 12, 1942, six Swordfish from 825 Sqn departed Manston at 12:30 hrs on operation ‘Fuller’ led by Lt. Cdr. Eugene Esmonde DSO. Their targets were the German battle-cruisers Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen, which had departed Brest en-route to the English Channel to destroy allied convoys in the Atlantic. Against all odds, they managed to complete their attack, but without major damage to their target. All six aircraft were destroyed and of the 18 air crew, only 5 survived the operation. Lt. Cdr. Esmonde was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross. Four DSO’s and one Conspicuous Gallantry Medal were awarded to survivors of the first flight.