Dudley North (Royal Navy officer)

Admiral Sir Dudley Burton Napier North GCVO CB CSI CMG (25 November 1881 – 15 May 1961) was a Royal Navy officer who served during World War I and World War II.

Sir Dudley North
Birth name	Dudley Burton Napier North
Born	25 November 1881 Great Yarmouth, Norfolk[1]
Died	15 May 1961 (aged 79) Parnham, Beaminster, Dorset
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1897–1946
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	HMS New Zealand (1915 - 1916) HMS Caledon (15 Sep 1922 - Au g 1923) HMS Tiger (10 May 1929 - Aug 1929) Vice Admiral Commanding Royal Yacht (HMY Victoria and Albert) (15 Dec 1934 - Aug 1939) Vice Admiral Commanding Royal Squadron for Royal Visit to Canada and USA (1939) Rear Admiral-in-Charge, Gibraltar (1 Nov 1939 – 9 Dec 1940) Flag Officer in Charge Great Yarmouth HMS Watchful (23 Dec 1942 - 1945)
Battles/wars	World War I - Heligoland Bight - Dogger Bank - Jutland World War II
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (1947) Companion of the Order of the Bath (1935) Companion of the Order of the Star of India (1922) Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (1919) Legion of Merit (30 Apr 1946) Commander of Order of St Stanislaus with swords Croix de Guerre with Palm Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd Class Order of the Nile, 2nd Class Order of Merit of Chile
Other work	Major, 1st Battalion Dorset Home Guard {1942} Younger Brother of Trinity House Extra Equerry to King George VI Deputy Lieutenant, Dorset (1952)

Naval career

North entered the Royal Navy as an acting sub lieutenant, and was confirmed in that rank 15 March 1901.[2] He became Director of Naval Operations in January 1930,[3] Chief of Staff, Home Fleet in December 1932[3] and Flag Officer Commanding, Royal Yachts in December 1934.[3] He was promoted vice-admiral on 19 June 1936.[4]

He went on to be Flag Officer Commanding Gibraltar and Mediterranean Approaches in November 1939[3][5] and was promoted admiral on 8 May 1940.[6] He was relieved of his command in December 1940 on the grounds of his failure to challenge a Vichy French naval squadron some three months previously; this after he had narrowly escaped replacement in response to his earlier objection to the attack on Mers-el-Kébir. He was later exonerated of blame.[7] Ludovic Kennedy considered the failure to challenge the squadron the fault of people in London, not North.[8]

Honours and decorations

• Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order 12 June 1947[9] (KCVO 1937[10])
• Companion of the Order of the Bath 1935[11]
• Companion of the Order of the Star of India 1922[12]
• Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George[13]
• Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States) 30 April 1946[14]

References

1. "North, Sir Dudley Burton Napier (1881-1961), naval officer". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
2. "No. 27425". The London Gazette. 15 April 1902. p. 2502.
3. "Senior Royal Navy appointments" (PDF). Retrieved 23 November 2016.
4. "No. 34287". The London Gazette. 23 June 1936. p. 4016.
5. Sutherland, Jonathan; Canwell, Diane (2011). Vichy Air Force at War: The French Air Force that Fought the Allies in World War II. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Casemate Publishers. p. 18. ISBN 9781848843363.
6. "No. 34849". The London Gazette. 14 May 1940. p. 2892.
7. "Royal Naval Attack on French Ships 1940". Retrieved 10 September 2011.
8. Kennedy, Ludovic Pursuit: The Sinking of the Bismarck
9. "No. 37977". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 June 1947. p. 2577.
10. "No. 34420". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 July 1937. p. 4734.
11. "No. 34166". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 May 1935. p. 3594.
12. "No. 13826". The Edinburgh Gazette (Supplement). 27 June 1922. p. 1089.
13. "No. 31398". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 June 1919. p. 7507.
14. "No. 37549". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 April 1946. p. 2087.

Military offices
Preceded by Norman Wodehouse	Flag Officer Commanding Gibraltar and Mediterranean Approaches 1939–1940	Succeeded by Sir Frederick Edward-Collins