John Gregory Crace

From The Dreadnought Project
Jump to navigationJump to search

Admiral SIR John Gregory Crace, C.B., K.B.E., Royal Navy, Retired (6 February, 1887 – 11 May, 1968) served in the Royal Navy.

As a young torpedo officer, he created a change of bearing instrument and an enemy torpedo calculator.

Life & Career

Crace was born in Gungahlin, New South Wales.

Crace was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 September, 1908.[1]

He was appointed to Formidable as Lieutenant (T) on 7 September, 1912. On 18 November, the Admiralty expressed its appreciation for the skill shown in the design of a torpedo safe range indicator, which presumably was the device known as the Crace Enemy Torpedo Calculator. On 26 January, 1913, Crace transferred into the battlecruiser Australia to be her torpedo officer and to assist on staff of the Cruiser Squadron. He would be in her when the war broke out.[2]

Crace was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 September, 1916. He would be discharged from Australia on 23 February, 1917 to go to the torpedo training school H.M.S. Vernon for torpedo duties. On 8 October, 1918, he was appointed to the new battlecruiser Hood, to take up as her torpedo officer upon commissioning.[3]

Crace was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1920 while employed as Hood's torpedo officer. He was superseded in her on 15 January, 1921 to take up work with the Director of Torpedoes and Mining, vice Mackenzie.[4]

In 1921, he was still helping devise new torpedo control tools, being mentioned in the Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1921 for a protractor he'd developed to help analyse tactical plots.[5]

Crace was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1928.[6]

World War II

Crace was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 1 August, 1939.[7]

Crace was placed on the Retired List and promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 29 October, 1942.[8]

Crace was advanced to the rank of Admiral on the Retired List on 25 September, 1945.[9]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Archibald R. J. Southby
Captain of H.M. T.B. 105
29 Oct, 1910[10][11] – 31 Jul, 1911[12]
Succeeded by
Edwin H. Neale
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of A/S School H.M.S. Osprey
10 Nov, 1924[13] – 22 Nov, 1926[14]
Succeeded by
Hubert Vaughan-Jones
as Commanding Officer, H.M.S. Osprey
Preceded by
Henry H. Harwood
Fleet Torpedo Officer, Mediterranean Fleet
7 Jan, 1927[15] – Aug, 1928[16]
Succeeded by
Denis W. Boyd
Preceded by
Frederic C. Bradley
Captain of H.M.S. Valhalla
26 Apr, 1929[17] – 24 Apr, 1930[18]
Succeeded by
Douglas A. Budgen
Preceded by
Arthur J. L. Murray
Captain A/S
24 Apr, 1930[19] – 25 Apr, 1932[20]
Succeeded by
Douglas A. Budgen
Preceded by
John W. Clayton
Captain of H.M.S. Emerald
11 Jun, 1934[21][22] – 15 Jan, 1937[23]
Succeeded by
Tom O. Bulteel
Preceded by
The Hon. Alexander R. M. Ramsay
Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station
20 May, 1936[24] – 14 Jun, 1936[25]
Succeeded by
Sir James F. Somerville
as Commander-in-Chief, East Indies
Preceded by
Henry E. C. Blagrove
Naval Assistant to the Second Sea Lord
12 Apr, 1937 – 15 Aug, 1939
Succeeded by
Claud B. Barry
Preceded by
Wilfrid R. Patterson
Rear-Admiral Commanding, Royal Australian Navy Squadron
1 Nov, 1939 – 13 Jun, 1942
Succeeded by
Victor A. C. Crutchley
Preceded by
Sir Clinton F. S. Danby
Admiral Superintendent, Chatham Dockyard
15 Oct, 1942[26] – Jul, 1946[27]
Succeeded by
Gervase B. Middleton

Footnotes

  1. The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 18.
  2. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  3. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  4. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  5. Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1921. p. 154.
  6. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  7. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  8. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  9. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  10. The Monthly Navy List. (March, 1911). p. 401a.
  11. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  12. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  13. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  14. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  15. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  16. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  17. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  18. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  19. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  20. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  21. The Navy List. (July, 1934). p. 238.
  22. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  23. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  24. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  25. Inferring that this temporary assignment was until Ramsay arrived. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  26. Crace Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51. f. 61.
  27. Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY SENIOR APPOINTMENTS.