Percy Dean

He steered his launch through gunfire to rescue trapped men.

Percy Thompson Dean was born at Blackburn on 20 July 1877. Educated at Bromsgrove, he entered his family’s slate and cotton businesses. An experienced yachtsman, he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1916 after an old leg injury prevented Army service. He served in motor launches on Channel patrols.

During the Zeebrugge raid on 22–23 April 1918, Dean commanded ML282. Under close-range fire he embarked more than a hundred men from the blockships Intrepid and Iphigenia, returned for an officer in the water and brought his launch out despite broken steering. His conduct earned the Victoria Cross.

Promoted temporary lieutenant commander, he left active service in January 1919. Elected a Blackburn MP in December 1918, he served until 1922 and later sat on the town council while managing family businesses. He died in London on 20 March 1939 and was cremated at Golders Green.

Victoria Cross citation: For most conspicuous gallantry. Lieutenant Dean handled his boat in a most magnificent and heroic manner when embarking the officers and men from the blockships at Zeebrugge. He followed the blockships in and closed “Intrepid” and “Iphigenia” under a constant and deadly fire from machine and heavy guns at point blank range, embarking over 100 officers and men. This completed, he was proceeding out of the canal, when he heard that an officer was in the water. He returned, rescued him, and then proceeded, handling his boat throughout as calmly as if engaged in a practice manoeuvre. Three men were shot down at his side whilst he conned his ship. On clearing the entrance to the canal the steering gear broke down. He manoeuvred his boat by the engines, and avoided complete destruction by steering so close in under the mole that the guns in the batteries could not depress sufficiently to fire on the boat. The whole of this operation was carried out under a constant machine-gun fire at a few yards range. It was solely due to this officer’s courage and daring that M.L. 282 succeeded in saving so many valuable lives.

Fourth Supplement to The London Gazette of 19 July 1918. 23 July 1918, Numb. 30807, p. 8586