Richard Frederick Jessel DSC, DSO, RN
| Birth details unknown |
 | Ranks
Retired: 24 Nov 1952 Decorations
|
Warship Commands listed for Richard Frederick Jessel, RN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| HMS Legion (G 74) | Cdr. | Destroyer | 25 Nov 1940 | 26 Mar 1942 |
| HMS Mackay (D 70) | Cdr. | Destroyer | 15 Nov 1943 | Mid 1944 |
| HMS Zealous (R 39) | Cdr. | Destroyer | 20 Jul 1944 | Oct 1945 ? |
Career information
We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.
Events related to this officer
Destroyer HMS Legion (G 74)
12 Feb 1941
The Polish destroyers Piorun, Garland and the British destroyer HMS Legion conduct an offensive patrol against enemy submarines. However, no U-boat was encoutered.
4 Mar 1941
Participated in Operation Claymore, a Commando raid on the Lofoten islands, with sisterships Somali, Eskimo, Tartar, Bedouin and Legion. 500 men of #3 and #4 Commandos were carried in the assault ships Queen Emma and Prinses Beatrix. The attack primary objective was the destruction of the norwegian fish oil processing plants, the destruction of which would have struck a severe blow to the German production of glycerine (used in aircraft engines).
The raid wa eminently succesful, accounting for the sinking of auxiliary patrol boat Krebs, from which Enigma informations were recovered, and 7 freighters; in addition, 11 oil factories were blown up, 225 Germans and 60 "Quislings" taken prisoners and 314 Norwegian volunteers removed to the UK.
13 Apr 1941
The British armed merchant cruiser HMS Rajputana (Capt. F.H. Taylor, DSC, RN), is torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-108 west of Reykjavik, Iceland in position 64º50'N, 27º25'W. HMS Legion (Cdr. R.F. Jessel, RN) picks up 283 survivors.
14 Apr 1941
HMS Rodney, HMS Legion, Piorun and Garland composed the escort of two troop ships heading from Iceland to the Clyde.
30 Sep 1941
Around 1030hours on 30 September 1941 the Italian submarine Adua (offsite link) was sunk north-west of Algiers in position 37º10'N, 00º56'E by the British destroyers HMS Gurkha (Cdr. C.N. Lentaigne, RN) and HMS Legion (Cdr. R.F. Jessel, RN).
13 Nov 1941
On this day the British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal was torpedoed by U-81 off Gibraltar and sank. HMS Legion (Cdr. R.F. Jessel, RN) stopped alongside the Ark Royal to pick up sailors, a very famous photo shows this moment.
13 Dec 1941
The Italian light cruisers Alberico da Barbiano and Alberto di Giussano were torpedoed and sunk off Cape Bon by the Royal Navy destroyers HMS Sikh (Cdr. G.H. Stokes, DSC, RN), HMS Maori (Cdr R.E. Courage, DSO, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Legion (Cdr. R.F. Jessel, RN) and the Dutch destroyer HrMs Isaac Sweers (Cdr. J. Houtsmuller, RNethN) on a supply mission to Tripoli.
10 Jan 1942
The British destroyer HMS Legion (Cdr. R.F. Jessel, DSC, RN) and the Dutch destroyer HrMs Isaac Sweers (Cdr. W. Harmsen) attack the German submarine U-374 with depth charges. The submarine manages to escape but is damaged and unable to submerge again.
U-374 is sunk two days later by the British submarine HMS Unbeaten (Lt.Cdr. E.A. Woodward, DSO, RN).
19 Mar 1942
Second Battle of the Syrte, occasioned by the passage of convoy MW.10 from Alexandria to Malta. Claimed to have engaged the Italian battleship Littorio at 4400 yards' range (more likely she was in action with a heavy cruiser) but on approaching Malta was severely damaged in an air attack and forced to run up the beach at Marsaxlokk. After emergency repairs to make the hull watertight she entered Grand Harbour.