Esmonde was commissioned into the Royal Air Force as a pilot officer on probation on 28/12/1928. During the early 1930s, Esmonde served first in the RAF, and then transferred to the Fleet Air Arm where he served in the Mediterranean when responsibility for naval aviation was returned to the Royal Navy. Upon leaving the Royal Navy in 1934, he spent some time flying for Imperial Airways

 

At the beginning of the Second World War, Esmonde returned to the Fleet Air Arm with the rank of lieutenant commander. His first sea posting was with HMS Courageous. This ship was sunk in September 1939. He next returned to sea duty onboard HMS Victorious after a series of postings to shore-based stations.

 

On the night of 24 May 1941, Esmonde led No. 825 Naval Air Squadron's nine Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers in an attack against the German battleship Bismarck. This attack took place after the Battle of the Denmark Strait, in which HMS Hood had been sunk by the Bismarck.

The biplanes flying from Victorious made a 120-mile flight in bad North Atlantic weather and hit the Bismarck amidships. Esmonde was awarded with the Distinguished Service Order which was announced on 16/09/1941.

Esmonde was also mentioned in despatches for saving survivors of the stricken and sinking Ark Royal as she tried unsuccessfully to make for Gibraltar in November of 1941.

 

On the morning of the 12/02/1942, Esmonde took part in an action to try and halt the Channel Dash by the battlecruisers Gneisenau and Scharnhorst, and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen. The ships were trying to return to their home ports at Kiel and Wilhelmshaven.

 

Esmonde commanded a flight of Six Fairey Swordfish Torpedoe BiPlanes in an effort to sink the ships. Theses were slow lumbering planes and vastly outpaced by the then far superior FW190’s and ME109’s of JG2 Richthofen Squadron and JG26 fighter groups. JG26 was commanded by Adolf Galland, the famous Luftwaffe fighter ace.

Promised fighter cover of five squadrons of Spitfires, Esmonde agreed to lead his squadron in a daylight attack. Just one squadron, No 72 Squadron RAF led by Squadron Leader Brian Kingcombe, rendezvoused with Esmonde’s squadron and so with fighter cover of only 10 Spitfires, 825 Squadron attacked the mighty Germany battle group.  Against the guns of the big ships and the power of the Luftwaffe, the slow, out-dated Swordfish stood little chance. 

 

Despite being damaged by an earlier action against JG2 & JG26 the the Biplanes carried on towards their targets. Esmondes plane was hit by Anti Aircraft fire which destroyed most of one of his portside wings. The aircraft continued on but was pounced on by a FockeWulf 190 resulting in his plane crashing into the sea in flames.

 

None of the six Fairey Swordfish returned. There were 5 survivors of the 18 aircrew.

 

For this action, on 03/03/1942 Lieutenant Commander Eugene Esmonde D.S.O. was also awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously. A special plane was provided and Esmonde's mother was flown from and back to Ireland the same day when she received his V.C. on his behalf at Buckingham Palace.

On 13/05/1945, Churchill stated:

When I think of these days I think also of other episodes and personalities. I do not forget Lieutenant-Commander Esmonde, V.C., D.S.O., Lance-Corporal Kenneally, V.C., Captain Fegen, V.C., and other Irish heroes that I could easily recite, and all bitterness by Britain for the Irish race dies in my heart.

 

Esmonde 2nd from left, aboard carrier HMS Ark Royal