Desmond Dreyer: Difference between revisions
ClueBot NG (talk | contribs) m Reverting possible vandalism by 70.140.50.231 to version by Khazar2. False positive? Report it. Thanks, ClueBot NG. (1649377) (Bot) |
No edit summary |
||
Line 26: | Line 26: | ||
==Naval career== |
==Naval career== |
||
Dreyer joined the [[Royal Navy]] in 1924.<ref name=lh>[http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/locreg/DREYER.shtml Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives]</ref> He served in [[World War II]] at sea and in the [[Admiralty]].<ref name=lh/> He distinguished himself as Gunnery Officer on [[HMS Ajax (22)|HMS ''Ajax'']] at the [[Battle of the River Plate]] in December 1939 winning the [[Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)|DSC]] for his role in this action.<ref name=tele>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1430646/Admiral-Sir-Desmond-Dreyer.html Obituary: Sir Desmond Dreyer] Daily Telegraph, 21 May 2003</ref> |
Born the second son of [[Admiral (United Kingdom)|Admiral]] Sir [[Frederic Charles Dreyer]], [[Order of the British Empire|GBE]], [[Order of the Bath|KCB]] (1878–1956), Desmond Dreyer joined the [[Royal Navy]] in 1924.<ref name=lh>[http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/locreg/DREYER.shtml Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives]</ref> He served in [[World War II]] at sea and in the [[Admiralty]].<ref name=lh/> He distinguished himself as Gunnery Officer on [[HMS Ajax (22)|HMS ''Ajax'']] at the [[Battle of the River Plate]] in December 1939 winning the [[Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)|DSC]] for his role in this action.<ref name=tele>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1430646/Admiral-Sir-Desmond-Dreyer.html Obituary: Sir Desmond Dreyer] Daily Telegraph, 21 May 2003</ref> |
||
He was appointed [[Chief of Staff]] to the [[Commander-in-Chief]], [[Mediterranean Fleet]] in 1955 and was involved in the [[Suez Crisis]] in 1956.<ref name=tele/> He went on to be Assistant Chief of Naval Staff in 1958, Flag Officer (Flotillas) for the Mediterranean Fleet in 1960 and Flag Officer Air (Home) in 1961.<ref name=lh/> He was appointed [[Eastern Fleet|Commander-in-Chief, Far East Fleet]] in 1962: following the [[Malayan Emergency]] he co-ordinated Commonwealth naval forces in their successful resistance to [[Indonesia]]n incursions into the newly formed [[Malaysia]].<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2003/may/21/guardianobituaries.military Obituary: Sir Desmond Dreyer] The Guardian, 21 May 2003</ref> |
He was appointed [[Chief of Staff]] to the [[Commander-in-Chief]], [[Mediterranean Fleet]] in 1955 and was involved in the [[Suez Crisis]] in 1956.<ref name=tele/> He went on to be Assistant Chief of Naval Staff in 1958, Flag Officer (Flotillas) for the Mediterranean Fleet in 1960 and Flag Officer Air (Home) in 1961.<ref name=lh/> He was appointed [[Eastern Fleet|Commander-in-Chief, Far East Fleet]] in 1962: following the [[Malayan Emergency]] he co-ordinated Commonwealth naval forces in their successful resistance to [[Indonesia]]n incursions into the newly formed [[Malaysia]].<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2003/may/21/guardianobituaries.military Obituary: Sir Desmond Dreyer] The Guardian, 21 May 2003</ref> |
Revision as of 19:37, 27 July 2014
Sir Desmond Dreyer | |
---|---|
Born | 6 April 1910 |
Died | 15 May 2003 |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | Royal Navy |
Years of service | 1924 - 1968 |
Rank | Admiral |
Commands held | Flag Officer (Flotillas) for the Mediterranean Fleet Flag Officer Air (Home) Far East Fleet |
Battles/wars | World War II Suez Crisis Malayan Emergency |
Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Cross |
Admiral Sir Desmond Parry Dreyer GCB CBE DSC DL (6 April 1910 – 15 May 2003) was a senior Royal Navy officer who went on to be Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel.
Born the second son of Admiral Sir Frederic Charles Dreyer, GBE, KCB (1878–1956), Desmond Dreyer joined the Royal Navy in 1924.[1] He served in World War II at sea and in the Admiralty.[1] He distinguished himself as Gunnery Officer on HMS Ajax at the Battle of the River Plate in December 1939 winning the DSC for his role in this action.[2]
He was appointed Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet in 1955 and was involved in the Suez Crisis in 1956.[2] He went on to be Assistant Chief of Naval Staff in 1958, Flag Officer (Flotillas) for the Mediterranean Fleet in 1960 and Flag Officer Air (Home) in 1961.[1] He was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Far East Fleet in 1962: following the Malayan Emergency he co-ordinated Commonwealth naval forces in their successful resistance to Indonesian incursions into the newly formed Malaysia.[3]
He became Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel in 1965.[1] He was also Principal Naval Aide-de-camp to the Queen from 1965 to 1968.[1] His last appointment was as Chief Advisor (Personnel and Logistics) to Denis Healey, the Secretary of State for Defence in 1967: he retired in 1968.[1]
In retirement he became a member of the Prices and Incomes Board and the Armed Forces' Pay Review Board.[2] He was also Deputy Lieutenant of Hampshire.[2] From 1970 to 1971 he was Chairman of the Royal Navy Club of 1765 & 1785 (United 1889).[4]
Family
In 1934 he married Elisabeth Chilton: they went on to have two sons and a daughter.[2] In 1959, following his first wife's death, he married Majorie Whiteley.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
- ^ a b c d e f Obituary: Sir Desmond Dreyer Daily Telegraph, 21 May 2003
- ^ Obituary: Sir Desmond Dreyer The Guardian, 21 May 2003
- ^ Royal Navy Club of 1765 & 1785 (United 1889).
- Use dmy dates from April 2012
- 1910 births
- 2003 deaths
- Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
- Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
- Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
- Royal Navy admirals
- Deputy Lieutenants of Hampshire
- Royal Navy officers of World War II
- British military personnel of the Suez Crisis