John Allan Gregory

Commander (retired) John Allan Gregory (9 September, 1874 – 13 July, 1931) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Gregory gained seven months' time on passing out of Britannia in July 1890 and receiving a temporary appointment to join Northumberland for manoeuvres. This lasted just three days before he was sent to Triumph. On 5 September he was sent to join the corvette Garnet in the Pacific. He remained in her nearly five years, being next appointed to Thames, additional on 24 July 1895.

In February 1897, Gregory participated in the Benin Expedition where he "did good work" and was mentioned in despatches. He was noted as having some command of Spanish.

Gregory was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 April, 1897.

On 13 February, 1902 he was permitted 22 days of full-paid leave to travel back to England to attend to his father, who was dangerously ill. On 1 April, 1902, he was appointed in command of the "B" Class destroyer Griffon.

On 21 October 1902, he was allowed to proceed to England overland without awaiting relief. He left Griffon when he was appointed to Excellent on 3 January, 1903.

Gregory was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 1 April, 1905. He was appointed in command of Itchen on 28 May, 1906.

On 15 May 1909, he grounded Itchen and was blamed for having failed to occasionally check her position. A Court of Enquiry was convened in May 1909 and determined that Gregory should be superseded in command and placed on half-pay.

On 1 February 1910, Gregory was appointed to the Kinsale Coast Guard. On 1 September 1912, his posting was altered to Aldeburgh.

When war erupted, Gregory was appointed to Leander for command of a destroyer on 6 September 1914. On 10 September, this was refined to command of the destroyer Vixen.

On 17 January 1915, Gregory was appointed as Acting Commander to the Captain Superintendent of T.B.Ds. Building by Contractors. This administrative post would provide him work until 31 July, 1917. On the 19th of July, 1917 he was appointed in command of the seaplane carrier Nairana. He was chastised for a "lack of care" when Nairana struck a submerged object (possibly on 8 February 1918). Gregory was superseded on 24 May 1918 and directed to report to the Admiralty.

On 20 June 1918, Gregory was appointed to Egmont, additional, for duty with the Greek Naval Mission as Acting Commander.

Post-War

On 31 March, 1919, Gregory was placed in temporary charge of the Naval Mission while Captain Brown went on leave in England.

Gregory was placed on the Retired List with the rank of Commander on 9 September, 1919.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by The Hon. Hubert G. Brand	Captain of H.M.S. Griffon 15 Sep, 1900 – 1 Apr, 1902	Succeeded by Harry C. J. R. West
Preceded by Edgar R. Morant	Captain of H.M.S. Quail 28 Feb, 1903 – 1 Aug, 1903	Succeeded by Charles M. Forbes
Preceded by George C. Hardy	Captain of H.M.S. Hart 8 Sep, 1903 – 28 Oct, 1903	Succeeded by Spencer R. S. Richards
Preceded by Clarence W. E. Trelawny	Captain of H.M.S. Virago 29 Oct, 1903 – 4 Apr, 1904	Succeeded by John A. Gregory
Preceded by Cyril Asser	Captain of H.M.S. Janus 4 Apr, 1904 – 9 Jan, 1905	Succeeded by William H. Darwall
Preceded by John A. Gregory	Captain of H.M.S. Virago 9 Jan, 1905 – 6 Dec, 1905	Succeeded by Spencer R. S. Richards
Preceded by Walter Hose	Captain of H.M.S. Kale 1 Jan, 1906 – 28 May, 1906	Succeeded by Alan C. Bruce
Preceded by Claude Seymour	Captain of H.M.S. Itchen 28 May, 1906 – 9 Jun, 1909	Succeeded by John M. D. E. Warren
Preceded by Ernest H. B. Williams	Captain of H.M.S. Vixen 10 Sep, 1914 – 17 Jan, 1915	Succeeded by Basil W. L. Owen
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Nairana 19 Jul, 1917 – 24 May, 1918	Succeeded by Charles F. R. Cowan