Wilfred St Aubyn Malleson

Swam a line under fire to link up boats at Gallipoli in 1915

Wilfred St Aubyn Malleson was born at Kirkee in 1896. Educated in Britain, he entered naval training at Dartmouth and became a midshipman in HMS Cornwallis shortly before the First World War.

During the landings at V Beach, Gallipoli, on 25 April 1915, he helped secure the lighters used to bring troops ashore from River Clyde. When another man was exhausted, Malleson swam with a line between the boats under heavy fire. After it broke, he made further attempts. His Victoria Cross recognised this work.

He later joined the submarine service, commanding several boats before staff and cruiser appointments. During the Second World War he worked at Malta Dockyard, eventually becoming captain of the dockyard and harbour master. He retired in 1948. He married Cecil Mary Collinson in 1927; they had a daughter. With his wife he tried running a hotel and caravan park, then settled near Truro. He died on 21 July 1975; his ashes were scattered off Falmouth.

Official Victoria Cross citation

Midshipman Wilfred St. A. Malleson, R.N.

Also assisted Commander Unwin, and after Midshipman Drewry had failed from exhaustion to get a line from lighter to lighter, he swam with it himself and succeeded. The line subsequently broke, and he afterwards made two further but unsuccessful attempts at his self-imposed task.