- Type of Memorial
- Flag or banner
- WMR Reference Number
- 49697
- Description
- FLAG ACCOMPANIED BY FRAMED AND GLAZED CITATION. FLAG OF VICE ADMIRAL 3 STAR: CROSS OF ST GEORGE WITH RED CIRCLE IN TOP LEFT CORNER. CITATION WRITTEN IN RED AND BLACK WITH CREST ABOVE CITATION. GLAZED AND FRAMED IN WOOD.
- Inscription
- FLAG/ OF VICE ADMIRAL SIR REGINAL TUPPER. KCB, CVO, COMMANDER OF/ LEGION OF HONOUR/ THIS FLAG WAS CARRIEDAT THE FOR OF H.M.S."ALSATIAN" ARMED/ MERCANTILE CRUISER - AS FLAGSHIP OF THE 10TH CRUISER SQUADRON,/ WHICH CONSISTED OF 24 ARMED MERCANTILE CRUISERS AND 18/ ARMED TRAWLERS. THIS SQUADRON WAS EMPLOYED UNDER THE/ COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE GRANT FLEET IN BLOCKDALE DUTY IN/ THE ATLANTIC BETWEEN ICELAND AND THE HEBRIDES, DURING THE/ GREAT WAR OF 1914-1918 TO PREVENT FOOD STUFFS AND OTHER CON-/ -TRABAND OF WAR FROM REACHING GERMANY, AND TO PREVENT/ GERMAN RAIDERS FROM GETTING OUT INTO THE TRADE ROUTES./ DURING THESE OPERATIONS SOME 15,000 VESSELS WERE INTERCEPT-/ -ED AND EXAMINED BY THE CRUISERS AND TRAWLERS AND IN SPITE OF/ THE LONG WINTER NIGHT, HEAVY GALES, BLIZZARDS AND FOGS AS WELL/ AS WELL (SIC) AS THE PRESENCE OF ENEMY SUBMARINE ONLY 4 PER/ CENT OF THE VESSELS MANAGED TO EVADE THE PATROLS: BUT/ IN CARRYING OUT THESE DUTIES 11 CRUISERS AND 4 TRAWLERS/ WERE LOST AND SEVERAL OTHERS DAMAGED BUT REPAIRED. THE/ OFFICERS AND MEN WHO BOARDED THE VESSELS, OFTEN IN VERY/ HEAVY WEATHER, AND THE ARMED GUARDS WHO TOOK VESSELS INTO/ PORT FOR EXAMINATION, HAD SPECIALLY ARDUOUS AND DANGEROUS/ DUTIES TO PERFORM./ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY SAID/ "IN THE MAGNIFICENT WORK OF THE BLOCKADE/ WHICH HAD CRUSHED THE LIFE OUT OF THE CENTRAL POWERS, THE/ PART TAKEN BY THE 10TH CRUISER SQUADRON WAS ONE OF THE/ FINEST IN HISTORY, AND WILL LIVE FOR ALL TIME, AS SURELY AS THE/ NAME OF THE "ALSATIAN" WHICH HAD PLAYED SO WONDERFUL/ A PART IN IT."