John Eaton (Royal Navy officer)
Encyclopedia
Vice Admiral
Sir John William Musgrave Eaton KBE
CB
DSO
DSC
(1902–1981) was a Royal Navy
officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief America and West Indies Station.
in 1916 and served in World War I
. After the War he served in destroyers and then in submarines.
He served in World War II
he commanded the detroyers HMS Venetia, HMS Mohawk
, HMS Somali
and HMS Eskimo
.
After the War he became Captain of the cruiser
HMS Sheffield
and then Captain of the training school
HMS St Vincent
. He was appointed Director at the Royal Navy Staff College, Greenwich
in 1949, Flag Officer commanding HM Australian Fleet
in 1951 and Flag Officer commanding the Reserve Fleet in 1954. His last appointment was as Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station and Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic
in 1955; he took part in Operation Strikeback
(a major NATO training exercise) in 1957 and retired in 1958.
His life is commemorated by an inscription at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Kelvedon
in Essex
.
Vice Admiral (Royal Navy)
Vice admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It equates to the NATO rank code OF-8 and is immediately superior to rear admiral and is subordinate to the full admiral rank.The Royal Navy has had vice admirals since at least the 16th century...
Sir John William Musgrave Eaton KBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
DSO
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...
DSC
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
(1902–1981) was a 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 who went on to be Commander-in-Chief America and West Indies Station.
Naval career
Eaton joined the Royal NavyRoyal 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...
in 1916 and served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After the War he served in destroyers and then in submarines.
He served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he commanded the detroyers HMS Venetia, HMS Mohawk
HMS Mohawk (F31)
HMS Mohawk was a Tribal-class destroyer laid down by John I. Thornycroft and Company at Woolston, Hampshire on 16 July 1936, launched on 5 October 1937 and commissioned on 7 September 1938...
, HMS Somali
HMS Somali (F33)
HMS Somali was a Tribal-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service in World War II.-History:She was built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear....
and HMS Eskimo
HMS Eskimo (F75)
HMS Eskimo was a Tribal-class destroyer, laid down by the High Walker Yard of Vickers Armstrong at Newcastle-on-Tyne on 5 August 1936...
.
After the War he became Captain of the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
HMS Sheffield
HMS Sheffield (C24)
HMS Sheffield was one of the Southampton sub class of the Town-class cruisers of the Royal Navy during the Second World War. She took part in actions against several major German warships. Unlike most Royal Navy ships of her time, her fittings were constructed from stainless steel instead of the...
and then Captain of the training school
Training school
For a juvenile correctional facility, see youth detention center-----A training school is an official designation, awarded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, to schools in England that provide exceptional facilities for in-service and work experience training of teachers...
HMS St Vincent
HMS St Vincent (Gosport shore establishment)
HMS St Vincent was a shore establishment of the Royal Navy, located in Gosport, Portsmouth.The name was given to the barracks and training establishment in Portsmouth in 1927, after the one that been set up aboard the old first rate HMS St Vincent in 1862...
. He was appointed Director at the Royal Navy Staff College, Greenwich
Old Royal Naval College
The Old Royal Naval College is the architectural centrepiece of Maritime Greenwich, a World Heritage Site in Greenwich, London, described by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation as being of “outstanding universal value” and reckoned to be the “finest and most...
in 1949, Flag Officer commanding HM Australian Fleet
Commander Australian Fleet
Commander Australian Fleet , also referred to as Fleet Commander Australia , is a senior appointment in the Royal Australian Navy , holding full command of all Navy combat forces and responsibility for all maritime operations within the Australian Defence Force...
in 1951 and Flag Officer commanding the Reserve Fleet in 1954. His last appointment was as Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station and Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic
Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic
The Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic was one of two supreme commanders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation , the other being the Supreme Allied Commander Europe . The SACLANT led Allied Command Atlantic, based at Norfolk, Virginia...
in 1955; he took part in Operation Strikeback
Operation Strikeback
Operation Strikeback was a major naval exercise of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that took place over a ten-day period in September 1957....
(a major NATO training exercise) in 1957 and retired in 1958.
His life is commemorated by an inscription at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Kelvedon
Kelvedon
Kelvedon is a village and civil parish in the Braintree District of Essex in England, near to the town of Witham. It has a population of 3,485.-Origins:...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
.