Herbert Rayner
Herbert Sharples Rayner | |
|---|---|
| Born | 16 January 1911 Clinton, Ontario |
| Died | 30 May 1976 (aged 65) Ottawa, Ontario |
| Allegiance |  Canada |
| Service/ |  Royal Canadian Navy |
| Years of service | 1928–1964 |
| Rank |  Vice-Admiral |
| Commands held | HMCS Skeena HMCS St. Laurent HMCS Huron HMCS Nootka Naval Air Section, HMCS Stadacona Canadian Services College Royal Roads HMCS Magnificent Maritime Forces Pacific Royal Canadian Navy |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Cross |
Vice Admiral Herbert Sharples Rayner DSC & Bar, CD (16 January 1911 – 30 May 1976) was a Royal Canadian Navy officer who served as Chief of the Naval Staff from 1960 to 1964.
Career
Herbert Sharples Rayner joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1928.[1] He served in the Second World War as Commanding Officer of the destroyer HMCS Skeena and then of the destroyer HMCS St. Laurent during 1940, as Staff Officer Operations to the Commander Atlantic Coast from 1942 and as Commanding Officer of the destroyer HMCS Huron from 1943 before becoming Director of Plans in 1944.[1] He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for "courage and enterprise in action against enemy submarines in the Western Approaches" and a bar to his DSC for an action "against four German destroyers trying to break through to attack the Allied invasion fleet off Normandy".[2]
He went on to be Commanding Officer of the destroyer HMCS Nootka in 1946, Commanding Officer of the Naval Air Section at the shore establishment HMCS Stadacona in 1947 and Commandant of the Canadian Services College Royal Roads in 1948.[1] After that he became Secretary to the Chiefs of Staff Committee in 1950, Commanding Officer of the aircraft carrier HMCS Magnificent in 1953 and Naval Assistant to the Chief of the Naval Staff 1955.[1] His last appointments were as Chief of Naval Personnel in 1955, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific in 1957 and as Chief of the Naval Staff from 1960 until retiring in 1964.[1]
Awards and Decorations
Rayner's personal awards and decorations include the following:
| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
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Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) with bar | |
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1939–1945 Star |
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Atlantic Star |
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Canadian Volunteer Service Medal |
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WW2 War Medal 1939–1945 with Mentioned in dispatches |
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Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal |
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Canadian Forces Decoration (CD) |
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Legion of Honour |
|
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Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 with palm |
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References
- ^ a b c d e Rayner, Herbert Sharples The Nauticapedia
- ^ Herbert Rayner Home from the War
- ^ Distinguished Service Cross: London Gazette of 16 August 1940 (no Canada Gazette). "courage and enterprise in action against the enemy submarine in the Western Approches."
- ^ Distinguished Service Cross: London Gazette of 16 August 1940 (no Canada Gazette). "for action in the western English Channel against four German destroyers trying to break through to attack the Allied invasion fleet off Normandy.".
- ^ RCN / HMCS Ottawa - Awarded as per Canada Gazette of 20 January 1945 and London Gazette of 5 December 1944. "For services in destroying an enemy submarine on 18th-19th August, 1944."
HMCS Ottawa (II) (River Class Destroyer - H31), HMCS Kootenay, and HMCS Chaudiere sank U-621 in the Bay of Biscay on 18 August 1944. They also sank a second U-Boat, U-984 on 20 August 1944 as well. These actions are described in Chapter 49 of "The Canadian Naval Chronicle 1939 - 1945".
| Directors of the Naval Service |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Chiefs of the Naval Staff | ||
| Principal Naval Adviser | ||
| Commanders, Maritime Command | ||
| Chiefs of the Maritime Staff | ||
| Commanders of the Royal Canadian Navy | ||