Biographical Data
Hennessy, Ralph Lucien Photo Credit: Unknown

 

Title	Vice-Admiral (RCN)
Official Number	(nk)

 

Birth	05/09/1918	Death	13/06/2014
Place	Edinburgh	Place	Ottawa
Area	Scotland	Area	ON
Country	UK	Country	Canada

 

Titles
Honours	DSC. KStLJ.
Awards
Qualifications	psa. ndc.

 

Biography

He arrived in Canada from the UK (aged two years) when his father, a decorated officer in the Canadian Army, was transferred back to Winnipeg after serving in the First World War. (Colonel Patrick Hennessy would be killed in action during the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong in December 1941.) After his naval service he was appointed as the Executive Director Standards Council of Canada in 1971. He was appointed as the Vice-President International Organization for Standardization 1976. He was appointed as the Chairman Board of Governors (Ottawa Division) Canadian Corps of Commissionaires in 1985.

 

Military Service

He was appointed as a Naval Cadet RCN 1936. He served in H.M.S. Frobisher for Training (Special Entry No. 40) 1936. He was appointed as a Midshipman RCN 1937. He served in H.M.S. Resolution 1937. He served in H.M.S. Neptune 1937-1939 (He served on the Non-Intervention Patrol in the Spanish Civil War). He was appointed as an A/Sub-Lieutenant RCN (With seniority dated 01/05/1939). He was appointed to Portsmouth UK for RN Sub-Lieutenant's Technical Courses. He was appointed as a Sub-Lieutenant RCN (With seniority dated 01/10/1939). He served in HMCS Assiniboine (I) 1939-43. He was appointed as a Lieutenant RCN (With seniority dated 01/02/1940). He served in HMCS Assiniboine as First Lieutenant 1941. He served in HMCS Assiniboine (I) (In temporary command) 1942, (He was awarded the DSC 03/12/1942 for "gallantry and distinguished services before the enemy". He served in HMCS Assiniboine, in which he had served since 1939 had sunk U-210 by ramming during a gun duel while he was First Lieutenant.) He served in HMCS Restigouche as First Lieutenant 1943. He was appointed as an A/Lieutenant-Commander RCN. He served in HMCS Kings (Officer Training Establishment) as Executive Officer 1943. He was appointed as an A/Commander 1944. He served as Commanding Officer of HMCS Kings (Officer Training Establishment) 1944. He served in HMCS Gatineau (I) (In command) 1944. He served in HMCS Assiniboine (I) (In command) 1944. He served in HMCS Micmac (In command) 1945-47. He was appointed as a Lieutenant-Commander RCN (With seniority dated 01/02/1947). He served in RCAF Staff College Course 1947. He served in NHQ as Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel. He was appointed as a Commander RCN (With seniority dated 01/01/1948). He served in the RCN Barracks Halifax as Officer-in-Charge Junior Officers' Technical and Leadership Courses 1949. He served in HMCS Quebec as Executive Officer 1951. He was appointed as a Captain RCN (With seniority dated 01/07/1953). He served in HMCS Quebec (In command) 1953. He served in National Defence College of Canada (Course 7) 1953. He served in HMCS Algonquin (I) (In command) 1954. He served as Commanding Officer First Canadian Escort Squadron 1954. He served in HMCS Niobe as Deputy Naval Member of Canadian Joint Liaison Staff London and Chairman NATO Military Agency for Standardization 1956. He served in NHQ as Director of Naval Training 1958. He was appointed as a Commodore RCN (With seniority dated 30/06/1960). He served in NHQ as Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel 1960. He served as Commodore Personnel Atlantic Coast 1963. He served in NDHQ as Member and Chairman Military Manpower Studies 1964. He was appointed as a Vice-Admiral RCN (With seniority dated 16/07/1966). (He jumped the rank of Rear-Admiral passing over the seniority of the Rear-Admirals serving at the time.) He served as NDHQ as Comptroller-General Canadian Armed Forces 1966. He served as NDHQ as Chief of Personnel 1969. (He was retired 1970.)

 

Vessels Owned
Aircraft Flown
Named Features

 

Anecdotes

 

References
Government of Canada The Canadian Navy List Ottawa ON; Blatherwick, John (1992); MacFarlane, John M. (1994);
Last update
2014-07-24 00:00:00

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