Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC has had his latest “hero of the month” article published in Britain at War, the country’s best-selling military history monthly magazine.
The April issue of the magazine has four pages on the life and career of Admiral Sir Martin Dunbar-Nasmith VC, KCB, KCMG, one of the most daring and skilled submariners of the Great War.
The son of a wealthy stockbroker and one of three brothers, Martin Eric Nasmith was born in April 1883 in East Barnes, then in the county of Surrey. His distinguished career in the Royal Navy began when he was just 15 and his submarine training began in 1904 when he was 21.
He was awarded the Victoria Cross in the rank of Lieutenant Commander for gallantry in his submarine in the Sea of Marmora between May 20 to June 8 1915. During this period, he sank one large Turkish gunboat, two transports, one ammunition ship and three storeships.
Further daring acts followed and some thought that Nasmith should have been awarded further gallantry medals for his valour in his second and third major submarine patrols. He changed his surname to Dunbar-Nasmith after marrying and taking one of the surnames of his wife Beatrix, the daughter of a Royal Navy Commander.
Dunbar-Nasmith, who retired in the rank of Admiral, died in June 1965, aged 82.
Lord Ashcroft’s articles for Britain at War for the past 12 years have often been based on excerpts from his seven books on gallantry: Victoria Cross Heroes, Special Forces Heroes, George Cross Heroes, Heroes of the Skies, Special Ops Heroes, Victoria Cross Heroes Volume II and Falklands War Heroes.
Lord Ashcroft is a military historian who has lectured extensively on courage and his various medal collections.
- Lord Ashcroft’s latest article appears in the April issue of Britain at War which is on sale now.
