Old Salt
12-09-2011, 20:06
“A War by Stealth” by Gerry Wright profiles Lieutenant Wally Drake who may have sunk more enemy ships than any other New Zealander in World War II, and did so without firing a shot in anger.
About 7000 New Zealand officers and ratings served with the Royal Navy during World War II. New Zealand had the manpower but few ships, while Britain had ships with limited manpower. New Zealanders saw active service in ships of every type of ship from battleships and aircraft-carriers to submarines, motor-launches, and landing craft, and in every sea from Spitzbergen in the Arctic to the shores of Japan.
As First Lieutenant, and later Commanding Officer of Motor Launch 106 and finally senior officer of the 51st ML Flotilla, Lieutenant Walter Charles Drake, DSC, RNZNVR took part in thirty four successful mine-laying operations in enemy waters off the Dutch coast in the North Sea. He was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) in July 1944.
Not many went to war with instructions from ‘On High’ requiring that on meeting the enemy to ‘retire behind smoke and try again on the following nights until you are successful’. As well as minelaying, Wally’s contribution included the development of navigation aids to assist navigation in the difficult coastal waters off Europe. His last significant operation was to navigate the invasion force into Walcheren to open the entrance to Antwerp. In this operation involving Canadians and Royal Marines the British suffered over 12,000 casualties.
RNZN
About 7000 New Zealand officers and ratings served with the Royal Navy during World War II. New Zealand had the manpower but few ships, while Britain had ships with limited manpower. New Zealanders saw active service in ships of every type of ship from battleships and aircraft-carriers to submarines, motor-launches, and landing craft, and in every sea from Spitzbergen in the Arctic to the shores of Japan.
As First Lieutenant, and later Commanding Officer of Motor Launch 106 and finally senior officer of the 51st ML Flotilla, Lieutenant Walter Charles Drake, DSC, RNZNVR took part in thirty four successful mine-laying operations in enemy waters off the Dutch coast in the North Sea. He was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) in July 1944.
Not many went to war with instructions from ‘On High’ requiring that on meeting the enemy to ‘retire behind smoke and try again on the following nights until you are successful’. As well as minelaying, Wally’s contribution included the development of navigation aids to assist navigation in the difficult coastal waters off Europe. His last significant operation was to navigate the invasion force into Walcheren to open the entrance to Antwerp. In this operation involving Canadians and Royal Marines the British suffered over 12,000 casualties.
RNZN