ANOTHER SKIPPER'S V.C. 



the act lor which Skipper Watt was awarded I 

 Cross. 



Skipper Wall's bravery had been publicly referred 



to before it was honoured by the award, and the 



public were again reminded, by that reference, of 



the obligation under which they rested to the fisher- 



i who had become part of the Navy. 



The affair of the drifters in the Adriatic undoubt- 

 edly made a strung appeal to the public imagina- 

 1 and enthusiasm, but still greater emotion was 

 aroused when the story of Skipper Crisp's bravery 

 and devotion was made known. When the details 

 of the affair were published it was stated that Crisp 

 was a Lowestoft man, and natural 1 .}- very great pride- 

 was shown by the fishing community in that port, 

 which was and had been so very intimately and 

 prominently associated with the fishing industry. 



In the official story which told of Skipper Crisp's 

 valour no locality was indicated, and the only period 

 mentioned was " An August afternoon, at about a 

 quarter to three." 



 gularly appropriate to the valiant deeds which 

 were done aboard her before the end came was the 

 name of the little vessel — and that was the Nelson. 

 She was a smack, and was on the port tack and the 

 trawl was shot. 



The skipper was below, \ fish, and one 



hand was on deck cleaning fish for the ne til- 



ing's breakfast. The skipper came on dick, and 

 bj< ct on the horizon he cl mined 



it and sent for his glasses. What he saw left no 



