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Lieutenant Commander Malcolm David Wanklyn VC DSO and Bar was a British Royal Navy Submarine ace and the most successful submariner in the Western Allied navies during the Second World War, accounting for some 127,100 tons of enemy shipping.
Born in 1911 to a affluent family, Wanklyn was influenced into a military career at a young age. His father was a successful businessman and engineer who served in the British Army in the First World War and his uncle was a Destroyer commander who had a successful war fighting German U-Boats in the First Battle of the Atlantic. He developed a seafaring interest at the age of five and applied to join the Royal Navy aged 14. Despite some physical ailments, he was able to pass the selection boards. He progressed an commissioned officer fairly quickly and by 1931 had been promoted to Sub-Lieutenant and Lieutenant two years later in 1933. After serving on a variety of surface ships, he joined the submarine service.
After the outbreak of the Second World War, he was given command of HMS Upholder. Commanding submarines in the North Sea and then during the Battle of the Mediterranean, he sank 8 Italian merchant and Troopships while damaging two more. He also sank three German merchant ships and damaged one while succeeding in damaging one Vichy French vessel. During his combat career he fought many actions with Regia Marina Warships. He sank one Destroyer, one Minesweeper and damaged a Light cruiser. In a rare achievement, he also sank two Italian submarines.
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