Denis Boyd
Sir Denis Boyd | |
|---|---|
 Rear Admiral Boyd at his desk asFifth Sea Lord | |
| Born | 6 March 1891 Manchester,England |
| Died | 21 January 1965(aged 73) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1906–1949 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held | Far East Fleet(1946–49) Eastern Fleet Aircraft Carriers (1942) Mediterranean Aircraft Carriers (1941) HMSIllustrious(1941) HMSVernon(1938–39) 2nd Destroyer Flotilla(1936–37) HMSHardy(1936–37) HMSValentine(1932) |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Cross Mentioned in Despatches |
AdmiralSir Denis William Boyd,KCB,CBE,DSC(6 March 1891 – 21 January 1965) was aRoyal Navyofficer who served asFifth Sea Lordfrom 1943 to 1945, and asCommander-in-Chief, Far East Fleetfrom 1946 to 1949.
Naval career
[edit]Early career
[edit]Boyd joined theRoyal Navyas amidshipmanin 1906 and was commissioned in 1910.[1]After serving as Torpedo Officer inHMSFearlessduringWorld War I,[1]he set off on a journey around the world aboardHMSHoodin 1922. He returned in 1923 and was then attached to theRoyal Australian Navyfrom 1926.[1]He was appointed Fleet Torpedo Officer in theMediterranean Fleetin 1928 and, while serving with theNaval Equipment Department,he was promoted tocaptainin 1931. He was briefly Commanding Officer of the destroyerHMSValentinein 1932,[1]before joining the Tactical Division of the naval Staff in 1933 and becoming its Director in 1934.[1]
Boyd became Commanding Officer ofHMSHardyand Captain (D) of the2nd Destroyer FlotillaatMaltain 1936; a post that included responsibility for patrols off Spain during theSpanish Civil War.[2]He was then made commanding officer of the Torpedo SchoolHMSVernonin 1938, serving there until the outbreak ofWorld War II.[1]
World War II
[edit]During the Second World War, Boyd captained theaircraft carrierHMSIllustriousfrom 1940, seeing action at theBattle of Taranto.[2]Promoted torear admiralin August 1941, he became admiral commanding aircraft carriers in theMediterranean Fleet.[1]He moved to theEastern Fleetin 1942 as admiral commanding aircraft carriers withHMSIndomitableas his flagship.[1]He was appointedFifth Sea Lordand Chief of Naval Air Equipment in 1943, and was promoted tovice admiralin August 1944. He then became Admiral (Air) atRNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus)in January 1945.[1][2]
Post-war service
[edit]Boyd became Commander-in-Chief of theFar East Fleetin 1946.[3]He was promoted toadmiralin 1948 and retired in 1949.[2]
Later life
[edit]In retirement, Boyd became Principal ofAshridge College.[1]He died, aged 73, on 21 January 1965.[1]
References
[edit]- ^abcdefghijkRoyal Navy (RN) Officers 1939–1945
- ^abcdSir Denis William BoydLiddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
- ^"HMS London's War Service".Archived fromthe originalon 29 September 2009.Retrieved19 November2010.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
- 1891 births
- 1965 deaths
- Royal Navy admirals of World War II
- Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
- Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
- Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
- Lords of the Admiralty
- Admiralty personnel of World War II
- Military personnel from Manchester
- Royal Navy officers of World War I