John Fenwick Hutchings
Captain (retired) John Fenwick Hutchings, D.S.O., C.B.E. (17 May, 1885 – 20 September, 1968) was an officer in the Royal Navy.
Life & Career
Born in Christchurch, Hants, Hutchings gained three and a half months' time on passing out of Britannia in May, 1901. On the 28th, he was appointed to Cressy.
Hutchings was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1906.[1]
In March 1909, Hutchings was appointed in command of C 24, one of twelve submarines of Section VII supporting the Third Division of Home Fleet under depot ship Vulcan. In July 1911, Captain Robert Warren Johnson evaluated Hutchings as being "of distinctly inventive turn of mind" but having a "rather unpleasant manner requires firm hand on him."[2][3]
On 25 November, 1913, Hutchings was appointed in command of the submarine C 34.[4]
Hutchings was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 31 December, 1914.[5]
In March 1916, the Admiralty thanked Hutchings for designing a "torpedo turret" for submarines.
On 31 July, 1918, two stokers from K 5, George Booker and Michael Jordan, drowned. Hutchings was blamed to "a certain extent" for not having had them "put on and blow up life belts in view that the rails were unshipped."[6][7]
Post-War
Hutchings was awarded a D.S.O. for "distinguished services in command of submarines throughout the war." It would be invested upon him in April, 1920 at Buckingham Palace.
Hutchings was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1919.[8]
On 26 April, 1920, Hutchings was appointed in command of reserve submarine group "A" at Rosyth, comprised solely of the submarines K 2 and K 10.[9]
On 4 January, 1921, admitted to Queensferry Hospital with sycosis, an inflammation of the hair follicles in the bearded part of the face, caused by bacterial infection. The next month, he was awarded a patent and a cash gratuity of 25£ for a range-estimating device for submarines. A further 50£ would be granted for this device in 1925. In 1923, Hutchings was thanked for a suggestion about tubular masts for submarines.[10]
In 1924, Hutchings had a series of appointments in Dolphin for experimental submarine work.
In 1928, Hutchings developed a self-propelled model of a device which could be incorporated into a submarine's hull to permit it to penetrate net defenses. It performed well against nets at the Firth of Forth on L 22.
In 1932-33, Hutchings was again back in Dolphin on the staff of R/A (S), helping with the Haslar Experimental Tank and for duty Class I with submarines.
Hutchings was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Captain on 24 May, 1934.[11]
World War II
In command of a base in Falmouth in 1939.
In mid 1940, work on staff of C-in-C Western Approaches as defence liaison officer Plymouth and Falmouth Aras.
In November 1940, Hutchings was appointed N.O.I.C. Lamlash. He was superseded in mid 1942 by Ralph Elliot.
Awarded C.B.E. for distinguished services in operations which led to the landing of Allied Forces in Normandy, gazetted 28 November, 44.
[TO BE CONTINUED - TONE]
See Also
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by ? |
Captain of H.M.S. A 2 20 Aug, 1908[12][13] – 19 Mar, 1909[14] |
Succeeded by Andrew F. G. Tracy |
| Preceded by ? |
Captain of H.M.S. C 24 19 Mar, 1909[15][16] – 25 Jul, 1911[17] |
Succeeded by George P. Thomson |
| Preceded by John G. Bower |
Captain of H.M.S. C 34 25 Nov, 1913[18][19] – 13 Nov, 1915[20] |
Succeeded by Richard D. Sandford |
| Preceded by New Command |
Captain of H.M.S. G 4 13 Nov, 1915[21] – 27 Apr, 1917[22] |
Succeeded by Thomas A. Powell |
| Preceded by New Command |
Captain of H.M.S. K 5 27 Apr, 1917[23] – 12 Apr, 1920[24] |
Succeeded by John A. Gaimes |
| Preceded by Donald I. McGillewie |
Captain of H.M.S. K 10 26 Apr, 1920[25] – 14 Feb, 1921[26] |
Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by Victor E. Ward |
Captain of H.M.S. K 2 26 Apr, 1920[27] – 14 Feb, 1921[28] |
Succeeded by Frederick H. Taylor |
| Preceded by William Ibbett |
Captain of H.M.S. K 14 14 Feb, 1921[29] – 22 May, 1922[30] |
Succeeded by Henry G. Higgins |
| Preceded by Cecil P. Talbot |
Captain of H.M.S. Dolphin 7 Mar, 1924[31] – 15 Apr, 1924 |
Succeeded by Max K. Horton |
| Preceded by Charles T. A. Bunbury as Captain of H.M.S. Pandora |
Captain of H.M.S. Dolphin 15 Oct, 1924[32] – 15 Apr, 1924[33] |
Succeeded by Geoffrey Layton |
Footnotes
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 270.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 277.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ Kindell. Royal Navy Roll of Honour Part 2. p. 520.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 797.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 345.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ The Monthly Navy List. (March, 1911). p. 395a.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 277.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 797.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 797.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Monday, March 17, 1924, Issue 43602, p.4.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
- ↑ Hutchings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 146.
