John Mansfield (Royal Navy officer)

Vice Admiral Sir John Maurice Mansfield KCB, DSO, DSC (22 December 1893 – 4 February 1949) was a Royal Navy officer who became Flag Officer Submarines.

Sir John Mansfield
John Mansfield on his flagship HMS Orion
Born22 December 1893
Easthampstead, Berkshire
Died4 February 1949
Lower Woodford, Wiltshire
AllegianceUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Service / branch Royal Navy
Years of service1906–1948
RankVice admiral
CommandsHMS Norfolk
HMS Devonshire
Battles / warsWorld War I
World War II
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Cross
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Educated at the Royal Naval College, Osborne, and the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, Mansfield joined the Royal Navy in 1906. After serving in the First World War, he became commanding officer of the cruiser HMS Norfolk in October 1937 and of the cruiser HMS Devonshire in May 1939.[1] He saw action during the early stages of Second World War participating in the Norwegian campaign and evacuating the Norwegian royal family and Government officials from Tromsø, Norway, on 7 June 1940, two months after Germany had invaded.[2] He went on to be Chief of Staff, Western Approaches in February 1941 and commander of the 15th Cruiser Squadron in January 1944, in which role he provided support for the landings at Anzio.[3]

Mansfield became Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff for Trade in 1945 and Flag Officer Submarines in November 1946.[4] He retired due to ill health in August 1948.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Captains commanding Royal Navy Warships" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
  2. ^ "HMS Devonshire". Naval History. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
  3. ^ Bollinger, p. 108
  4. ^ a b "Senior Royal Navy Appointments" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2015.

Sources

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  • Bollinger, Martin (2010). Warriors and Wizards: The Development and Defeat of Radio-Controlled Glide Bombs of the Third Reich. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1591140672.
Military offices
Preceded by Flag Officer Submarines
1946–1948
Succeeded by