This beautiful 1940 dated royal navy greatcoat is great condition except for some damage behind the rear belt loop.
It is named to Commander Cecil Wakefield May (KIA), a WW2 hero who commanded the Destroyer HMS ELECTRA that was sunk in the Battle of The Java sea on 27th Feb 1942. Sadly Commander May went down with his ship.
The coat is made by Gieves of Plymouth and is dated 26th June 1940. Epaulettes for rank of commander on the shoulders. All KC buttons present
Supplied with research materials and service record.
Chest is approx 42 inches, arms short fitting.
Cecil Wakeford May
Cecil was born 1/06/1899 in Twickenham, Middlesex, to Hermon May, a solicitor, and his wife Ethel. He attended Brighton College, becoming a house prefect in 1917. He enlisted in the Navy on 1/03/1918 as a Midshipman, quickly climbing the ranks during and after WW1.
He served on HMS Canada, HMS Warspite, HMS Skillful, HMS Verity, HMS President, HMS Victory, HMS Cicala, HMS Moth, HMS Cicala, HMS Moth, HMS Tower, HMS Columbine and HMS Wessex before getting his own command.
In 1930, Cecil was granted command of HMS Skate before moving on to command HMS Verity, HMS Vidette, HMS Foresight and finally, at the rank of Commander in 1941, he was given command of the destroyer HMS Electra.
Highlights of his command on HMS Electra were :
24 May 1941 HMS Electra took part in the hunt for the Bismarck, before rescuing the 3 survivors from the British battlecruiser HMS Hood, which was sunk by the Bismarck off Iceland.
21 Aug 1941 Operation (Convoy) Dervish From Hvalfjord to Archangelsk in Northern Russia
10 Dec 1941 Participated in the Force Z sortie from Singapore. Rescued 571 survivors from HMS Repulse, which was sunk by Japanese aircraft. These survivors included one of Cecil's old school mates.
27 Feb 1942 Electra took part in the battle of the Java Sea. She managed to evade the shells and torpedoes in the first round. Then Exeter received a hit which destroyed a 4-inch gun mount and then exploded in a boiler room, causing her to lose speed, seeing that Exeter was in trouble, Electra headed toward the enemy ships, followed by the other two British destroyers, to cover Exeter's escape. After several near misses from gunfire from the Japanese light cruiser Jintsū, Electra fired back, scoring several hits on Jintsū and the destroyer Asagumo disabling her engines, she also managed to score hits on destroyers Minegumo and Tokitsukaze. During this slugging match, Electra sustained several hits, which knocked out her A and X gun mounts, wrecked the electrical system forward, cut off all communications, destroyed a searchlight platform, damaged the after boiler room, and ruptured the main steam line. Electra came to a total halt, she fired off her torpedoes and started to list to port. After a fire started under 'B' gun mount and 'Y' Electra ran out of ammunition then an abandoned ship was ordered by Cecil, who refused to leave until everyone who could be saved was saved. HMS Electra sank shortly afterward, bow first with her White Ensign still flying and Cecil going down with her.
Cecil left a widow, Eileen, and is commemorated at the Chatham Naval Memorial in Kent.
He received the war and victory medals for his WW1 service, the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal and the war medal and 39-45 star for his WW2 service.In correspondence with his College almost a year later, his mother wrote:
“Two of the crew have written me the most awfully nice letters and all the men seemed very devoted to their Captain.”
