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Signed Letter by Rear Admiral Anthony Miers VC
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Description
Signed Letter by Rear Admiral Anthony Miers VC, the letter dating 1958 was sent to a gentleman along with a signed programme (no longer present). Signed to the lower part of the letter.
Rear Admiral Miers was awarded the Victoria Cross for an action whilst in command of the Submarine HMS Torbay, the citation for the award was as follows, “For valour in command of H.M. Submarine Torbay in a daring and successful raid on shipping in a defended enemy harbour, planned with full knowledge of the great hazards to be expected during seventeen hours in waters closely patrolled by the enemy. On arriving in the harbour, he had to charge his batteries lying on the surface in full moonlight, under the guns of the enemy. As he could not see his target, he waited several hours and attacked in full daylight in a glassy calm. When he had fired his torpedoes he was heavily counter-attacked and had to withdraw through a long channel with anti-submarine craft all round and continuous air patrols overhead.”
After his death, it was published that Mires was accused of war crimes whilst in command of HM Torbay. The incident was recorded that on the night of 9th July 1941, according to the accounts, on two separate occasions, Miers ordered the machine-gunning of several shipwrecked German soldiers in rafts who had jumped overboard when their vessels were sunk by the Torbay. These events were witnessed and reported by acting First Lieutenant Paul Chapman who reported "everything and everybody was destroyed by one sort of gunfire or another". Miers also made no attempt to conceal his actions, his patrol log recording: "Submarine cast off, and with the Lewis gun accounted for the soldiers in the rubber raft to prevent them from regaining their ship..." When informed of Miers' actions, Flag Officer of Submarines, Admiral Max Horton wrote to the Admiralty about the possibility of German reprisals: "As far as I am aware, the enemy has not made a habit of firing on personnel in the water or on rafts even when such personnel were members of the fighting services; since the incidents referred to in Torbay's report, he may feel justified in doing so." The Admiralty then sent a strongly worded letter to Miers advising him not to repeat the practices of his last patrol.
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Signed Letter by Rear Admiral Anthony Miers VC, the letter dating 1958 was sent to a gentleman along with a signed programme (no longer present). Signed to the lower part of the letter.
Rear Admiral Miers was awarded the Victoria Cross for an action whilst in command of the Submarine HMS Torbay, the citation for the award was as follows, “For valour in command of H.M. Submarine Torbay in a daring and successful raid on shipping in a defended enemy harbour, planned with full knowledge of the great hazards to be expected during seventeen hours in waters closely patrolled by the enemy. On arriving in the harbour, he had to charge his batteries lying on the surface in full moonlight, under the guns of the enemy. As he could not see his target, he waited several hours and attacked in full daylight in a glassy calm. When he had fired his torpedoes he was heavily counter-attacked and had to withdraw through a long channel with anti-submarine craft all round and continuous air patrols overhead.”
After his death, it was published that Mires was accused of war crimes whilst in command of HM Torbay. The incident was recorded that on the night of 9th July 1941, according to the accounts, on two separate occasions, Miers ordered the machine-gunning of several shipwrecked German soldiers in rafts who had jumped overboard when their vessels were sunk by the Torbay. These events were witnessed and reported by acting First Lieutenant Paul Chapman who reported "everything and everybody was destroyed by one sort of gunfire or another". Miers also made no attempt to conceal his actions, his patrol log recording: "Submarine cast off, and with the Lewis gun accounted for the soldiers in the rubber raft to prevent them from regaining their ship..." When informed of Miers' actions, Flag Officer of Submarines, Admiral Max Horton wrote to the Admiralty about the possibility of German reprisals: "As far as I am aware, the enemy has not made a habit of firing on personnel in the water or on rafts even when such personnel were members of the fighting services; since the incidents referred to in Torbay's report, he may feel justified in doing so." The Admiralty then sent a strongly worded letter to Miers advising him not to repeat the practices of his last patrol.
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From the 1st of January 2021 all sales from the UK to EU customers will be treated as exports. These can be zero rated for UK VAT purposes, as currently applied for non-EU countries. But, items depending on their value and nature, may become liable to import VAT (and customs duty where applicable) when entering the EU (This is the responsibility of the buyer).
