Who was Vice Admiral Ambrose Maynard Peck and why did he make the cover of The War Illustrated

When: 05 December 2019 to 06 January 2020
Where: BRNC Museum
Time: 09:00 - 16:00
Cost: By Appointment only
Suitable for: Any age

A new temporary exhibit about Vice Admiral Ambrose Peck is now on show in the Museum.

Vice Admiral Peck was born in October 1877 and died in March 1963, having lived for 30 years in Yelverton, Devon.

During Peck’s distinguished naval career, from his passing out from HMS Britannia in July 1893 to his retirement in 1928, he received the Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O) and the Croix de Guerre for his service in the Great War and particularly for the “Battle of the Coastwise Lights”, the name coined by The War Illustrated.

On the night of April 20^th 1917, Peck was serving as Commander on HMS Swift and was on patrol in the English Channel with HMS Broke when he spotted an enemy flotilla advancing.

The German ships opened fire and Commander Peck made the decision to aim for and ram the leading destroyer. Although he missed, Swift broke through the German line unharmed, turned quickly and torpedoed another of the enemy vessels.

The lead ship fled with Swift in pursuit while Broke torpedoed the second ship in the line then turned and rammed the third. At this point, Broke was close enough to be boarded by the Germans who were held off by the injured Midshipman Donald Gyles and Able-Seaman Ingleson who came to Gyles’ defence and bayoneted one of the German attackers.

Meanwhile, Swift’s pursuit of the lead ship was cut short and she turned to see a stationary destroyer, the one rammed by Broke. Although the crew were calling out to surrender, Peck held off any action until it was clear that the German ship was sinking. Swift and Broke then rescued 108 enemy sailors from the sea.

Following this battle, Peck was appointed Captain of H.M.S Diana until the end of the war.

On 23^rd February 1928 he was promoted to Rear Admiral and placed on the retired list the following day. His promotion to Vice Admiral came on the 1^st November 1932.