Recruits from a Royal Navy base north of Glasgow will this afternoon form a key part of Judgement Day and back the Dragons - as part of the anniversary of a Newport man who was a key figure in the history of Royal Navy submarine service.
This year sees the 80th anniversary of the loss of Commander John Wallace Linton VC.
A Newport man born and bred, Commander Linton commanded some of the most daring and enduring submarine missions in the second world war.
Tubby Linton, as he was known to his fellow officers, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross in 1943.
A memorial to his exploits remains to this day on the Newport waterfront outside the Riverfront Theatre - as well as having the local Wetherspoons named after him.
Staff and trainees from the Royal Navy Basic Submarine Course base in HM Naval Base Clyde in Scotland – where they live and work in Linton Block - will this weekend commemorate Commander Linton with a trip to Wales.
As well as laying a wreath in Newport at the memorial, they will be special guests at today’s Judgement Day where they will be flag-bearing the Welsh Dragon crest prior to both games in full uniform.
Dragons RFC are delighted to welcome the trainees alongside WO1 Mark Harris and his fellow staff to Judgement Day and thank you for your support and service.
A life story: Cdr John Wallace Linton, VC, DSC
John Linton was born in Newport in Monmouthshire on 15th Oct 1905, the son of Edward Maples Linton and Margaret Gertrude Linton. On leaving school he joined the Royal Navy.
After service in the Cruiser HMS Dauntless in the Mediterranean and then his Lieutenant's Courses at Greenwich and Portsmouth, he joined Submarines on 25th July 1927 when he was appointed to HMS Dolphin for the Submarine Course.
After qualifying and serving on several submarines he was appointed to “Perisher”, the Commanding Officers Qualifying Course on 31st Dec 1934.
He went on to command four submarines, gaining a Distinguished Service medal onboard HMS Pandora in the Mediterranean Sea just after the outbreak of WWII.
It was as Commanding Officer of HMS Turbulent that he gained recognition for the Victoria Cross a cruiser, a destroyer, a U-boat, and 28 other ships, and escaped 13 hunts and 250 depth charges.
On 23rd Feb 1943, HMS Turbulent sailed from Algiers for a patrol in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Turbulent did not respond to any further messages and did not return when expected on 23rd March. It is thought that Turbulent fell victim to a mine off La Maddalena, Sardinia.
