Honours & Awards: George Cross.
Lieutenant, Royal Navy. The son of Captain Francis Hamilton Fasson of the Scottish Horse Regiment and Lilias Clara (Bruce) Fasson of Lanton, Roxburghshire, he joined the Royal Navy when war broke out. He was assigned as the First Officer to the British destroyer HMS Petard in the eastern Mediterranean Sea NE of Port Said, Egypt, when it attacked a German submarine, U-559, assisted by three other destroyers. Firing more than 200 depth charges over 16 hours, the destroyers forced the submarine to the surface with the Petard nearest to the sub. When the German crew abandoned their submarine, three British sailors, Canteen Assistant Tommy Brown, Lieutenant Antony Fasson and Able Seaman Colin Grazier, swam to the submarine and climbed into the sub's control room, Making their way to the Captain's cabin, they forced the door lock and the locker inside, grabbing as many documents that they could find. In the Captain's cabin, Lieutenant Fasson found several documents printed in water-soluble ink. These documents proved to be the code keys for the German Enigma cypher machine. Despite water pouring into the submarine, Fasson passed the documents and the Enigma machine up the conning tower and to other sailors waiting in the Petard's whaler which had come alongside. Fasson returned to the control room to wrench a radio set from its fixings, but Brown, now on top of the conning tower, shouted for the others to get out, as the U-Boat's afterdeck was now underwater. As Grazier and Fasson started up the ladder, the U-boat suddenly sank. Brown jumped clear and swam to the whaler, but Grazier and Fasson were trapped inside the submarine and drowned. Their bodies remained inside the submarine and were not recovered. All of the German crewmen were rescued by the British surface ships and eventually taken to Allied POW Camps. The documents the three men helped to seize were code keys and code books used by the German Navy and helped Britain break the newly released Triton Enigma German Naval Code. Their sacrifice enabled the Allies to win the Battle of the North Atlantic in just six months. By May 1943 the German Navy withdrew their submarines after suffering heavy losses. As a direct effect of their actions, it is estimated that millions of tons of Allied shipping was saved, as were tens of thousands of Allied lives. Both Fasson and Grazier were posthumously awarded the George Cross, while Seaman Brown was awarded the George Medal. His citation of September 14, 1943 reads: "Awarded the George Cross for most conspicuous gallantry in carrying out hazardous work in a very brave manner. Lt. Fasson together with Able Seaman Colin Grazier RN both boarded a sinking submarine following action by HMS Petard. The crew of the submarine surrendered and survivors were taken off. In total darkness, Fasson and Grazier entered the sinking submarine to capture instruments and documentation, fully aware of the dangers. They continued to hand over documents and equipment until suddenly the vessel sank like a stone without warning and took both to their deaths. Both men were posthumously awarded the George Cross." In 1991, the town of Tamworth in Staffordshire, Grazier's hometown, erected a memorial sculpture to the three men.
Lieutenant, Royal Navy. The son of Captain Francis Hamilton Fasson of the Scottish Horse Regiment and Lilias Clara (Bruce) Fasson of Lanton, Roxburghshire, he joined the Royal Navy when war broke out. He was assigned as the First Officer to the British destroyer HMS Petard in the eastern Mediterranean Sea NE of Port Said, Egypt, when it attacked a German submarine, U-559, assisted by three other destroyers. Firing more than 200 depth charges over 16 hours, the destroyers forced the submarine to the surface with the Petard nearest to the sub. When the German crew abandoned their submarine, three British sailors, Canteen Assistant Tommy Brown, Lieutenant Antony Fasson and Able Seaman Colin Grazier, swam to the submarine and climbed into the sub's control room, Making their way to the Captain's cabin, they forced the door lock and the locker inside, grabbing as many documents that they could find. In the Captain's cabin, Lieutenant Fasson found several documents printed in water-soluble ink. These documents proved to be the code keys for the German Enigma cypher machine. Despite water pouring into the submarine, Fasson passed the documents and the Enigma machine up the conning tower and to other sailors waiting in the Petard's whaler which had come alongside. Fasson returned to the control room to wrench a radio set from its fixings, but Brown, now on top of the conning tower, shouted for the others to get out, as the U-Boat's afterdeck was now underwater. As Grazier and Fasson started up the ladder, the U-boat suddenly sank. Brown jumped clear and swam to the whaler, but Grazier and Fasson were trapped inside the submarine and drowned. Their bodies remained inside the submarine and were not recovered. All of the German crewmen were rescued by the British surface ships and eventually taken to Allied POW Camps. The documents the three men helped to seize were code keys and code books used by the German Navy and helped Britain break the newly released Triton Enigma German Naval Code. Their sacrifice enabled the Allies to win the Battle of the North Atlantic in just six months. By May 1943 the German Navy withdrew their submarines after suffering heavy losses. As a direct effect of their actions, it is estimated that millions of tons of Allied shipping was saved, as were tens of thousands of Allied lives. Both Fasson and Grazier were posthumously awarded the George Cross, while Seaman Brown was awarded the George Medal. His citation of September 14, 1943 reads: "Awarded the George Cross for most conspicuous gallantry in carrying out hazardous work in a very brave manner. Lt. Fasson together with Able Seaman Colin Grazier RN both boarded a sinking submarine following action by HMS Petard. The crew of the submarine surrendered and survivors were taken off. In total darkness, Fasson and Grazier entered the sinking submarine to capture instruments and documentation, fully aware of the dangers. They continued to hand over documents and equipment until suddenly the vessel sank like a stone without warning and took both to their deaths. Both men were posthumously awarded the George Cross." In 1991, the town of Tamworth in Staffordshire, Grazier's hometown, erected a memorial sculpture to the three men.
Honours & Awards: George Cross.
Lieutenant, Royal Navy. The son of Captain Francis Hamilton Fasson of the Scottish Horse Regiment and Lilias Clara (Bruce) Fasson of Lanton, Roxburghshire, he joined the Royal Navy when war broke out. He was assigned as the First Officer to the British destroyer HMS Petard in the eastern Mediterranean Sea NE of Port Said, Egypt, when it attacked a German submarine, U-559, assisted by three other destroyers. Firing more than 200 depth charges over 16 hours, the destroyers forced the submarine to the surface with the Petard nearest to the sub. When the German crew abandoned their submarine, three British sailors, Canteen Assistant Tommy Brown, Lieutenant Antony Fasson and Able Seaman Colin Grazier, swam to the submarine and climbed into the sub's control room, Making their way to the Captain's cabin, they forced the door lock and the locker inside, grabbing as many documents that they could find. In the Captain's cabin, Lieutenant Fasson found several documents printed in water-soluble ink. These documents proved to be the code keys for the German Enigma cypher machine. Despite water pouring into the submarine, Fasson passed the documents and the Enigma machine up the conning tower and to other sailors waiting in the Petard's whaler which had come alongside. Fasson returned to the control room to wrench a radio set from its fixings, but Brown, now on top of the conning tower, shouted for the others to get out, as the U-Boat's afterdeck was now underwater. As Grazier and Fasson started up the ladder, the U-boat suddenly sank. Brown jumped clear and swam to the whaler, but Grazier and Fasson were trapped inside the submarine and drowned. Their bodies remained inside the submarine and were not recovered. All of the German crewmen were rescued by the British surface ships and eventually taken to Allied POW Camps. The documents the three men helped to seize were code keys and code books used by the German Navy and helped Britain break the newly released Triton Enigma German Naval Code. Their sacrifice enabled the Allies to win the Battle of the North Atlantic in just six months. By May 1943 the German Navy withdrew their submarines after suffering heavy losses. As a direct effect of their actions, it is estimated that millions of tons of Allied shipping was saved, as were tens of thousands of Allied lives. Both Fasson and Grazier were posthumously awarded the George Cross, while Seaman Brown was awarded the George Medal. His citation of September 14, 1943 reads: "Awarded the George Cross for most conspicuous gallantry in carrying out hazardous work in a very brave manner. Lt. Fasson together with Able Seaman Colin Grazier RN both boarded a sinking submarine following action by HMS Petard. The crew of the submarine surrendered and survivors were taken off. In total darkness, Fasson and Grazier entered the sinking submarine to capture instruments and documentation, fully aware of the dangers. They continued to hand over documents and equipment until suddenly the vessel sank like a stone without warning and took both to their deaths. Both men were posthumously awarded the George Cross." In 1991, the town of Tamworth in Staffordshire, Grazier's hometown, erected a memorial sculpture to the three men.
Lieutenant, Royal Navy. The son of Captain Francis Hamilton Fasson of the Scottish Horse Regiment and Lilias Clara (Bruce) Fasson of Lanton, Roxburghshire, he joined the Royal Navy when war broke out. He was assigned as the First Officer to the British destroyer HMS Petard in the eastern Mediterranean Sea NE of Port Said, Egypt, when it attacked a German submarine, U-559, assisted by three other destroyers. Firing more than 200 depth charges over 16 hours, the destroyers forced the submarine to the surface with the Petard nearest to the sub. When the German crew abandoned their submarine, three British sailors, Canteen Assistant Tommy Brown, Lieutenant Antony Fasson and Able Seaman Colin Grazier, swam to the submarine and climbed into the sub's control room, Making their way to the Captain's cabin, they forced the door lock and the locker inside, grabbing as many documents that they could find. In the Captain's cabin, Lieutenant Fasson found several documents printed in water-soluble ink. These documents proved to be the code keys for the German Enigma cypher machine. Despite water pouring into the submarine, Fasson passed the documents and the Enigma machine up the conning tower and to other sailors waiting in the Petard's whaler which had come alongside. Fasson returned to the control room to wrench a radio set from its fixings, but Brown, now on top of the conning tower, shouted for the others to get out, as the U-Boat's afterdeck was now underwater. As Grazier and Fasson started up the ladder, the U-boat suddenly sank. Brown jumped clear and swam to the whaler, but Grazier and Fasson were trapped inside the submarine and drowned. Their bodies remained inside the submarine and were not recovered. All of the German crewmen were rescued by the British surface ships and eventually taken to Allied POW Camps. The documents the three men helped to seize were code keys and code books used by the German Navy and helped Britain break the newly released Triton Enigma German Naval Code. Their sacrifice enabled the Allies to win the Battle of the North Atlantic in just six months. By May 1943 the German Navy withdrew their submarines after suffering heavy losses. As a direct effect of their actions, it is estimated that millions of tons of Allied shipping was saved, as were tens of thousands of Allied lives. Both Fasson and Grazier were posthumously awarded the George Cross, while Seaman Brown was awarded the George Medal. His citation of September 14, 1943 reads: "Awarded the George Cross for most conspicuous gallantry in carrying out hazardous work in a very brave manner. Lt. Fasson together with Able Seaman Colin Grazier RN both boarded a sinking submarine following action by HMS Petard. The crew of the submarine surrendered and survivors were taken off. In total darkness, Fasson and Grazier entered the sinking submarine to capture instruments and documentation, fully aware of the dangers. They continued to hand over documents and equipment until suddenly the vessel sank like a stone without warning and took both to their deaths. Both men were posthumously awarded the George Cross." In 1991, the town of Tamworth in Staffordshire, Grazier's hometown, erected a memorial sculpture to the three men.
Bio by: Kit and Morgan Benson
