Orders, Decorations and Medals

A poignant Second World War campaign group of six awarded to Lieutenant-Commander J. P. Wisden, Royal Navy, a gallant destroyer captain who was mentioned in despatches on Mountbatten’s recommendation for saving the damaged Kelly in May 1940, but who was killed in an air raid on H.M. Dockyard Portsmouth a few months later

British War and Victory Medals (Mid. J. P. Wisden, R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45, M.I.D. oak leaf; Jubilee 1935, generally good very fine (6) £300-350

John Patrick Wisden, who was born in October 1901, was appointed a Midshipman in the Royal Navy in September 1917, when he joined the battleship H.M.S. Hercules, and he remained similarly employed until the War’s end.

Gaining steady promotion between the wars, he was advanced to Lieutenant-Commander in September 1931, and was given command of the destroyer Bulldog at the end of April 1940. And it was in this latter capacity, on 10 May, while patrolling off the mouth of the Skagerrak, that Bulldog joined up with the Kandahar and the Kelly, the latter the command of the Captain (D.), 5th Destroyer Flotilla, Louis Mountbatten - shortly afterwards, about midnight, German E-Boats were sighted. William Pattinson’s Mountbatten and the Men of the Kelly takes up the story:

‘Visibility was about four cables with banks of mist forming. In less than ten minutes a blurred object was sighted from the bridge of Kelly. This was an enemy M.T.B. lying almost stopped. It put a torpedo into the side of the Kelly, blowing a forty-foot hole in her side from the waterline down to the keel. Flames rose internally and externally above the level of the Kelly’s bridge and the foremost boiler room was blown open to the sea. The entire ship was enveloped in steam and black smoke from the explosion. Bulldog sighted Kelly well down by the bows and with heavy list to starboard. At that time it was not established whether Kelly had been torpedoed by the M.T.B. or a U-boat so depth charges were dropped by Bulldog. The fog became very thick but Bulldog succeeded in taking Kelly in tow and was heading for home within an hour of the explosion, having also conducted a U-boat hunt. Kelly’s crew had thrown overboard top weight but she had an excessive bow trim and the starboard gunwale was awash; with this very cumbersome tow Bulldog was making only six knots.

Just after midnight on 10 May a German M.T.B. emerged from the fog at high speed and accidentally rammed both destroyers. There was further damage to Kelly but the Bulldog was not seriously damaged. The M.T.B. was thought to have foundered. Three hours after this Kandahar joined the two ships and later took off Kelly’s wounded. While the ships were lying alongside the first German bombers arrived. They were repelled by gunfire and by an escort of Hudson aircraft that had just arrived. Later the same morning the Fury and the Gallant joined as escort and in the afternoon the cruisers Manchester and Sheffield also put in an appearance and helped beat off repeated bombing attacks by the enemy. Twice on 10 May the Kelly became unmanageable and the tow had to be made longer and stronger. Next morning, with wind and sea rising Kelly yawed badly and the tow parted so it was decided to ask for the aid of tugs.

An Admiralty report said that at 14.00 Kelly’s list had increased and it seemed that she might sink at any moment. Lord Louis decided to send out of the ship everybody not required to man guns. The escorting destroyers had stopped and sent boats to transfer these men when the enemy made another and their heaviest bombing attack, but there were no hits. Six officers and twelve men were left aboard the Kelly. They were all volunteers. Towing was suspended because of the bad weather. Kelly was lying waterlogged and stationary when two submarines were reported in the vicinity. Mountbatten realised that Kelly was a sitting target and transferred his volunteer party to Bulldog. Throughout the night the destroyers steamed round Kelly. Two rescue tugs arrived early next morning (12 May) and the volunteer party returned to Kelly while the tow was established again. The sea had remained calm during the night but by about eight in the morning had got up again and washed right over the starboard gunwale to the port side. There was a further bombing attack at noon but the skeleton volunteer crew, having to work the guns by hand because the electrical system was out of action, helped fight off the attack.

The badly damaged Kelly got back to the Tyne shipyard after 91 hours in tow or hove-to.’

Wisden was duly mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 9 August 1940 refers), Mountbatten having stated in his official report:
‘The Bulldog proceeded to take me in tow in the fog which had now become very thick. I consider that the handling of the Bulldog was a supreme display of seamanship and ship-handling, in that she had Kelly in tow and was proceeding ahead by 2340 hours, no less than one hour after the explosion and during which she carried out a submarine hunt. For this I consider the greatest credit to be due to her Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Commander J. P. Wisden.’

After undergoing repairs, Bulldog transferred to the 1st Destroyer Flotilla, and Wisden commanded her in support of “Operation Cycle”, the evacuation of British troops from Le Havre and Cherbourg on 10-13 June.

On the afternoon of 24 August 1940, however, after Bulldog had returned to Portsmouth from patrol, an enemy bombing raid commenced on H.M. Dockyard and the surrounding area of the city. It was a substantial raid which resulted in the death of 100 people, and many more injured, and, as related by one crew member, extensive damage to the Bulldog, two bombs landing on the jetty alongside her, while another hit her Quarter-Deck - her gallant C.O. was mortally wounded by bomb splinters and died of his wounds on 29 August 1940.

Wisden, who was 38 years of age, left a widow, Mary, of Worthing, Sussex, and is commemorated at Brighton (Woodvale) Borough Crematorium.