Chris Wreford-Brown
Encyclopedia
Christopher Louis Wreford-Brown DSO
RN
(born August 1945) is a retired Royal Navy
officer. He was captain of HM Submarine Conqueror
during the Falklands War
, during which Conqueror sunk the Argentine Cruiser ARA General Belgrano
. For the Falklands patrol he was awarded the DSO. He is the only officer to have commanded a nuclear submarine
when it sank a warship in anger. His other commands include the frigate HMS Cornwall
, the diesel submarine HMS Opossum
and the nuclear submarine HMS Valiant
. He retired from the Royal Navy in 1995, and worked at Paignton Zoo
until retirement in 2010.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
RN
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
(born August 1945) is a retired Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
officer. He was captain of HM Submarine Conqueror
HMS Conqueror (S48)
HMS Conqueror was a nuclear-powered fleet submarine that served in the Royal Navy from 1971 to 1990. She was built by Cammell Laird in Birkenhead...
during the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
, during which Conqueror sunk the Argentine Cruiser ARA General Belgrano
ARA General Belgrano
The ARA General Belgrano was an Argentine Navy light cruiser in service from 1951 until 1982. Formerly the , she saw action in the Pacific theater of World War II before being sold to Argentina. After almost 31 years of service, she was sunk during the Falklands War by the Royal Navy submarine ...
. For the Falklands patrol he was awarded the DSO. He is the only officer to have commanded a nuclear submarine
Nuclear submarine
A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor . The performance advantages of nuclear submarines over "conventional" submarines are considerable: nuclear propulsion, being completely independent of air, frees the submarine from the need to surface frequently, as is necessary for...
when it sank a warship in anger. His other commands include the frigate HMS Cornwall
HMS Cornwall (F99)
The sixth HMS Cornwall was a Batch 3 Type 22 frigate of the British Royal Navy. She was the first Batch 3 to be built, and the last to decommission...
, the diesel submarine HMS Opossum
HMS Opossum (S19)
HMS Opossum was an Oberon-class submarine in service with the Royal Navy from 1964 to 1993.- Service :Opossum was the eleventh Oberon-class boat commissioned by the Royal Navy. She was built by Cammell Laird shipbuilder at Birkenhead and launched on 23 May 1963...
and the nuclear submarine HMS Valiant
HMS Valiant (S102)
The sixth, and most recent HMS Valiant was the second of Britain's nuclear-powered submarines, and the first of the two-unit Valiant class...
. He retired from the Royal Navy in 1995, and worked at Paignton Zoo
Paignton Zoo
Paignton Zoo Environmental Park, is a zoo in Paignton, Devon, England. The zoo is part of South West Environmental Parks Ltd which is owned by the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust . It is a combined zoo and botanic garden that welcomes over half a million visitors a year. WWCT also runs Living...
until retirement in 2010.