Lieutenant-Commander Percy Thompson Dean VC (20 July 1877 – 20 March 1939) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Dean was 40 years old and a lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 22 and 23 April 1918 at Zeebrugge, Belgium, after Intrepid and Iphigenia had been scuttled, their crews were taken off by Motor Launch 282 commanded by Lieutenant Dean. He embarked more than 100 officers and men under constant and deadly fire from heavy and machine-guns at point blank range. This complete, he was about to clear the canal when the steering gear broke down, so he manoeuvred on his engines and was actually clear of the entrance to the harbour when he was told there was an officer in the water. He immediately turned back and rescued him.
He later achieved the rank of Lieutenant-Commander.
After the war, he was elected at the 1918 general election as a Conservative Member of Parliament for Blackburn, serving until the 1922 general election. His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum, London.
Famous quotes containing the words thompson and/or dean:
“Fold up the banners! Smelt the guns!
Love rules, Her gentler purpose runs.
A mighty mother turns in tears
The pages of her battle years,
Lamenting all her fallen sons!”
—Will Henry Thompson (1848–1918)
“President Lowell of Harvard appealed to students ‘to prepare themselves for such services as the Governor may call upon them to render.’ Dean Greenough organized an ‘emergency committee,’ and Coach Fisher was reported by the press as having declared, ‘To hell with football if men are needed.’”
—For the State of Massachusetts, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)