Biographical Data

Charles, John Alexander

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Title Rear-Admiral (RCN)
Official Number (nk)
 
Birth 27/03/1918 Death 25/09/2010
Place Rouleau Place Victoria
Area SK Area BC
Country Canada Country Canada
 
Titles
Honours CMM. M.I.D.
Awards DMilSc (Hon).
Qualifications ndc. jssc.
 
Biography
 
 
Military Service
He was appointed as an Officer Cadet 1937. He served in the Royal Military College of Canada 1937. He was appointed as a Naval Cadet RCN (With seniority dated 20/08/1937). He served in H.M.S. Erebus for Training (Special Entry No. 43) 1937. He was appointed as a Midshipman RCN (With seniority dated 01/09/1938). In 1938 he served in H.M.S. Vindictive. He served in H.M.S. Royal Sovereign. He served in H.M.S. Berwick. He was appointed as an A/Sub-Lieutenant RCN (With seniority dated 01/05/1940. He served in HMCS Restigouche (Clyde Escort Force) 1940. He was appointed as a Lieutenant RCN (Appointed 01/01/1941) (With seniority dated 01/07/1939). He served in H.M.S. Mercury for Long Signals Course 1941. He served in H.M.S. Laforey as Flotilla Signals Officer 19th Destroyer Flotilla 1942. He served in HMCS St. Hyacinthe as Administrator and Instructor 1944. He served in HMCS Givenchy as Staff Communication Officer 1945. He served in HMCS Burrard as Staff Communication Officer 1945. He was appointed as an A/Lieutenant-Commander RCN (With seniority dated 20/09/1945). He served in HMCS Givenchy as Staff Communications Officer to Commanding Officer Pacific Coast 1945. He served in HMCS Bytown on Staff of Director of Signals Division 1946. He was appointed as a Lieutenant-Commander RCN (With seniority dated 01/07/1947). He served as Staff Signal Officer Washington to Member of Combined Communications Board 1947. He served in HMCS Crescent (In command) 1948. He served in HMCS Bytown on Staff of Director Naval Communications 1948. He served in the Royal Naval Staff Course Greenwich 1949. He served as Canadian Joint Staff London as Communications Officer 1949. He was appointed as a Commander RCN (With seniority dated 01/07/1950). He served on the Joint Services Staff Course Chesham UK 1950. He served in HMCS Magnificent as Communications Officer 1950. He served in HMCS Stadacona as Officer-in-Charge Communications School 1951. He served as Director Naval Communications 1952. He served in HMCS Haida (I) (in command) and Commander Canadian Destroyers Far East 1953. He was appointed as a Captain RCN (With seniority dated 01/07/1954). He served as Commandant Canadian Services College Royal Roads 1954. He served as Director Naval Plans and Operations 1957. He served in HMCS Assiniboine (II) (In command) and Commander 2nd Canadian Escort Squadron and Senior Officer-in-Command 1960. He was appointed as a Commodore RCN (With seniority dated 23/08/1961). He served as the Commodore of the RCN Barracks Esquimalt and and Officer-in-Charge RCN Depot 1961. He was appointed as a Hon AdC to Governor General 1961. He served in the National Defence College of Canada (Course 17) 1963. He served in CFHQ as Director General Force Development 1964. He served as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air and Warfare) 1965, Rear-Admiral RCN (With seniority dated 01/08/1966). He served in CFHQ as Director General Maritime Forces 1966. He served as Deputy Maritime Commander and Maritime Commander (Pacific) 1966. He served in CFHQ as Deputy Comptroller General 1969. He served in NDHQ as Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Force Development) 1970. He served in NDHQ as Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Plans) 1971. He served in NDHQ as Chief of Maritime Operations 1972. He served as Deputy Chief of Defence Staff 1973. (He was retired 1974.) (After his retirement he was the Commander of a Fast Trans-Atlantic Convoy under SACLANT for Exercise Ocean Express in 1976.)
 
Vessels Owned
Aircraft Flown
Named Features
 
Anecdotes
Christopher Cole reports (British Columbia Nautical History Facebook Group 28/01/2015) that "He was a friend to many in Sooke and very active in the community (my wife interacted with him on local park matters). His property, overlooking the Juan de Fuca, was known to many as the "Admirals Forest". If you asked, he would welcome you to walk the many trails on his property. From his house perched on the top of his property, he would use his Aldis signal lamp to send messages to naval ships operating in the Strait of Juan de Fuca."
 
References
Government of Canada The Canadian Navy List Ottawa ON; MacFarlane, John M. (1994)
Last update
2015-10-08 00:00:00

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