Birth Date | 1887-02-06 |
---|---|
Birth Place | Australia: New South Wales |
Death Date | 1968-05-11 |
Death Place | United Kingdom: England, Hampshire |
Places | |
Conflicts/Operations |
|
Gazettes |
Biographical information The Oxford companion to Australian military history in 1995 |
John Gregory Crace
John Crace was a senior Australian naval officer during the Second World War. He was born on 6 February in the area of New South Wales that later became Gungahlin in the Australian Capital Territory. He began his schooling at the Kings School at Parramatta in Sydney but completed his education in England before joining the Royal Navy's training ship HMS Britannia in May 1902.
In the first decade of his naval career, Crace specialised as a torpedo officer and made several returns to Australia on postings. He married Carola Baird in Glasgow in April 1920 and between then and the beginning of the Second World War, he served on both shore and sea postings, all the while rising steadily through the ranks. By September 1939 he had been promoted to rear admiral and appointed to command the Australian Squadron. On arriving in Sydney he found, however, that most of Australia's naval vessels were operating far from Australia's shores.
Frustrated at the lack of activity and annoyed at the Naval Board's perceived interference in operational matters, Crace tried to resign after two years in the post. However, when the war against Japan began he became commander of the Allied Naval Squadron, ANZAC Force. He served on operations in the waters around New Guinea but was unhappy that his ships were given a minor role compared to those of the United States Navy. He then served during the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942 but was in a position peripheral to the main action.
He returned to England in June 1942 having handed over his command. Crace then became Superintendent of Chatham Naval Dockyard; he held that position until July 1946. He retired to Hampshire where he died on 11 May 1968.
Timeline
Date of birth | 06 February 1887 | NSW. |
---|---|---|
Date and unit at enlistment (ORs) | 1902-05 | Entered the Royal Navy's midshipman training college in England and joined the training ship HMS Britannia. |
Other | 1904 | Graduated from Royal Navy's midshipman training college. |
Date and unit at enlistment (ORs) | 26 January 1913 | Joined Royal Australian Navy. |
Date promoted | 1939-07 | Promoted Rear Admiral and appointed to command the Australian Squadron. |
Other | 1942-05 | Served in the battle of the Coral Sea. |
Other | 1942-06 | Returned to England having handed over his command. |
Date of discharge | 04 October 1942 | Left the RAN. |
Date of death | 11 May 1968 | Hampshire, England. |
Related information
Places
Objects
Related Objects
- SYDNEY, NSW. COMMANDER CAVAYE (LEFT) AND A VISITOR CHAT WITH REAR ADMIRAL SIR JOHN CRACE AT THE ...
- Cockatoo Dockyard, Sydney. Keel laying ceremony of the second Tribal Class Destroyer HMAS ...
- COCKATOO DOCKYARD, SYDNEY. REAR ADMIRAL CRACE, ROYAL NAVY, MR MENZIES AND ADMIRAL SIR RAGNAR ...
- COCKATOO DOCKYARD, SYDNEY. REAR ADMIRAL CRACE AT THE LAUNCHING OF THE SLOOP HMAS WARREGO.
- Arrival of HMAS Perth. Rear Admiral J. G. Crace, Rear Admiral commanding the Australian Squadron ...
- SYDNEY, NSW. OFFICIAL PARTY AT THE TOWN HALL SALUTING BASE ON THE OCCASION OF A MARCH PAST BY ...
- SYDNEY - HMAS PERTH. REAR ADMIRAL CRACE, ADMIRAL SIR RAGNAR COLVIN, AND PAY MASTER CAPTAIN FOLEY.
- SYDNEY, NSW. HMAS GOULBURN MOVING DOWN THE SLIPWAY AFTER MRS. J.G. CRACE, WIFE OF REAR ADMIRAL ...
- McWilliam, Henry Hastings (Captain, b.1894 - d.?)
- 1940. SIGNED STUDIO PORTRAIT OF REAR ADMIRAL J. G. CRACE RN, REAR ADMIRAL COMMANDING AUSTRALIAN ...