Martin Dunbar-Nasmith

Admiral Sir Martin Eric Dunbar-Nasmith VC KCB KCMG (1 April 1883 – 29 June 1965), was a Royal Navy officer who was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was born Martin Eric Nasmith, adding "Dunbar" to his surname in 1923.

Early career
Educated at Eastman's Royal Naval Academy in Winchester and HMS Britannia at Dartmouth, Nasmith joined the Royal Navy in 1898.

One early event in his career often gave him pause to ponder in later life. In May 1912, King George V was in HMY Victoria and Albert III in Weymouth Bay to witness Fleet manoeuvres. Because of heavy fog, the programme was disrupted, and the King expressed the desire to dive in a submarine. On Wednesday 8 May, he embarked on HM Submarine D4, under then Lieutenant Nasmith's command, and (in the words of The Times of May 10) "made a lengthy run in her when she was submerged." What made the occasion all the more remarkable was the presence on board of his second son, Prince Albert, who was to become King George VI, of Winston Churchill, (First Lord of the Admiralty and future World War II Prime Minister), and of then Captain Roger Keyes, Inspecting Captain of Submarines, who was to become the first Director of Combined Operations (the Commandos) in the early part of World War II. Former Prime Minister Arthur Balfour was also embarked, but the then Prime Minister Herbert Asquith, who had been with the King's party earlier in the day, had had to return to London on urgent business and did not dive in D4. Nasmith's diary records that "We remained under water for ten to 15 minutes, during which time he showed great interest in the proceedings, periscope in particular." The Navy News article, from July 2012, by Commander William Corbett R.N. (at whose parents' wedding Nasmith had proposed the toast to the health of the bride and groom), records that Nasmith often wondered what would have happened to the course of 20th century history had he sunk that day, a not unreasonable thought, given that he had very nearly sunk in the Solent in 1905 whilst in command of HM Submarine A4.

World War I
He was 32 years old, and a Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy during World War I, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

"During the period 20 May–8 June 1915 in the Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles, Turkey, Lieutenant-Commander Nasmith, in command of H.M. Submarine E.11, destroyed one large Turkish gunboat, two transports, one ammunition ship, three store ships and four other vessels including civilian transports and torpedo boats which trying to save drowning men and women of E11's targets. Nasmith and HMS E11 also tried to destroy a Kızılay (Red Cross of Ottoman Empire) Hospital Ship which carrying 700 wounded soldiers from battlefields, but failed.

When he had safely passed the most difficult part of his homeward journey he received information that a cargo of coal was heading towards Istanbul from the Black Sea. Realising that coal was essential for the morale of the besieged city, Nasmith turned back.

When the coal-carrying ship came into sight of the docks, a welcoming committee of municipal grandees soon formed, along with a happy crowd – water, electricity and rail transport had all suffered due to a lack of coal. Hardly had the ship berthed than it mysteriously blew up before the eyes of the astounded crowd. Nasmith successfully slipped out again."

Nasmith's First Lieutenant, Guy D'Oyly-Hughes, and Second Lieutenant, Robert Brown, were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, and all the rest of the crew were awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. Nasmith was promoted to Commander immediately and to Captain a year later.

Later naval career
Later in the war, Nasmith was in charge of the Seventh Submarine Flotilla in the Baltic and Senior Naval Officer at Reval (later Tallinn), and was appointed CB in 1920 for that service. He was captain of HMS Iron Duke 1921–24. He was appointed Commandant of the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, in 1926 and then became Rear Admiral Submarines in 1929. He became Commander-in-Chief of the East Indies Station in 1932 and Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel in 1935. He was Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth from 1938 and then Commander-in-Chief of Plymouth and Western Approaches Command from the outbreak of war in September 1939. He served as Flag Officer in charge of London from 1942 and retired in 1946.

In retirement he became Vice Chairman of the Imperial War Graves Commission. He was also appointed Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom, a ceremonial position, and he became President of the Royal Naval Benevolent Trust.



Family
In 1920 he married Beatrix Justina Dunbar-Dunbar-Rivers; they had two sons (Rear-Admiral David Dunbar-Nasmith and the architect Professor Sir James Dunbar-Nasmith) and a daughter.