John de Mestre Hutchison
Encyclopedia
Admiral
John de Mestre Hutchison CVO CMG AdC (4 September 1862 – 9 October 1932) was a Royal Navy
officer who held senior posts during the early part of the 20th century.
John de Mestre Hutchison was born on was 4 September 1862, the son of Captain
John Hutchison. The young Hutchison attended Eastman's Naval Academy in Southsea
, Portsmouth
before he joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1876. Hutchison was promoted to sub-lieutenant
in 1882 and was promoted from lieutenant to commander
on 22 June 1897. At the start of 1903, Hutchison was promoted to captain
and by 1904 he was serving as the Extra Naval Attache to the Japanese during the Russo-Japanese War
. In October 1905, Hutchison was appointed Officer Commanding HMS Juno
, serving in that appointement until May 1907. From May 1907 to March 1909 Hutchison commanded HMS Devonshire
which was part of the Atlantic Fleet.
Hutchison was appointed naval aide-de-camp to King George V
on 19 September 1911. Also in 1911 Hutchison was appointed as Commodore of the RN Barracks Devonport, a post he held until to 1913 when he was promoted to rear admiral (in May) and relinquished his aide de camp appointment. He retired from the Navy on 9 May 1916 but in early 1918 he was Flag Officer
of the Royal Naval Air Service
depot at Tregantle and Withnoe in Cornwall. On 1 April 1918 when the Royal Naval Air Service merged with the Royal Flying Corps
to become the Royal Air Force
, Hutchison was made a temporary colonel and granted the honorary rank of lieutenant-general (both these ranks existed in the RAF during its first year). His command was probably retitled General Officer Commanding
, RAF Tregantle and Withnoe Depot.
After the war in 1921, Hutchison was granted the rank of admiral as a retired officer on the Navy list. He died on 9 October 1932.
Admiral (United Kingdom)
Admiral is a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-9, outranked only by the rank Admiral of the Fleet...
John de Mestre Hutchison CVO CMG AdC (4 September 1862 – 9 October 1932) 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 held senior posts during the early part of the 20th century.
John de Mestre Hutchison was born on was 4 September 1862, the son of Captain
Captain (Royal Navy)
Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
John Hutchison. The young Hutchison attended Eastman's Naval Academy in Southsea
Southsea
Southsea is a seaside resort located in Portsmouth at the southern end of Portsea Island in the county of Hampshire in England. Southsea is within a mile of Portsmouth's city centre....
, Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
before he joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1876. Hutchison was promoted to sub-lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
in 1882 and was promoted from lieutenant to commander
Commander (Royal Navy)
Commander is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. It is immediately junior to captain and immediately senior to the rank of lieutenant commander...
on 22 June 1897. At the start of 1903, Hutchison was promoted to captain
Captain (Royal Navy)
Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
and by 1904 he was serving as the Extra Naval Attache to the Japanese during the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
. In October 1905, Hutchison was appointed Officer Commanding HMS Juno
HMS Juno (1895)
HMS Juno was an of Britain's Royal Navy.Juno was assigned to the 11th Cruiser Squadron operating from Ireland. In 1915 she was sent to the Persian Gulf and took part in an engagement at Bushire in July-August 1915 against Tangistani raids under Rais Ali Delvari.In 1918 she was sent to the West...
, serving in that appointement until May 1907. From May 1907 to March 1909 Hutchison commanded HMS Devonshire
HMS Devonshire (1904)
HMS Devonshire was a 10,850 ton Devonshire-class armoured cruiser of the Royal Navy built at Chatham Dockyard and launched on 30 April 1904...
which was part of the Atlantic Fleet.
Hutchison was appointed naval aide-de-camp to King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
on 19 September 1911. Also in 1911 Hutchison was appointed as Commodore of the RN Barracks Devonport, a post he held until to 1913 when he was promoted to rear admiral (in May) and relinquished his aide de camp appointment. He retired from the Navy on 9 May 1916 but in early 1918 he was Flag Officer
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
of the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
depot at Tregantle and Withnoe in Cornwall. On 1 April 1918 when the Royal Naval Air Service merged with the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
to become the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, Hutchison was made a temporary colonel and granted the honorary rank of lieutenant-general (both these ranks existed in the RAF during its first year). His command was probably retitled General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
, RAF Tregantle and Withnoe Depot.
After the war in 1921, Hutchison was granted the rank of admiral as a retired officer on the Navy list. He died on 9 October 1932.