John Gregory Crace

Admiral SIR John Gregory Crace, C.B., K.B.E., Royal Navy, Retired (6 February, 1887 – 11 May, 1968) served in the Royal Navy.

As a young torpedo officer, he created a change of bearing instrument and an enemy torpedo calculator.

Life & Career

Crace was born in Gungahlin, New South Wales.

Crace was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 September, 1908.

He was appointed to Formidable as Lieutenant (T) on 7 September, 1912. On 18 November, the Admiralty expressed its appreciation for the skill shown in the design of a torpedo safe range indicator, which presumably was the device known as the Crace Enemy Torpedo Calculator. On 26 January, 1913, Crace transferred into the battlecruiser Australia to be her torpedo officer and to assist on staff of the Cruiser Squadron. He would be in her when the war broke out.

Crace was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 September, 1916. He would be discharged from Australia on 23 February, 1917 to go to the torpedo training school H.M.S. Vernon for torpedo duties. On 8 October, 1918, he was appointed to the new battlecruiser Hood, to take up as her torpedo officer upon commissioning.

Crace was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1920 while employed as Hood's torpedo officer. He was superseded in her on 15 January, 1921 to take up work with the Director of Torpedoes and Mining, vice Mackenzie.

In 1921, he was still helping devise new torpedo control tools, being mentioned in the Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1921 for a protractor he'd developed to help analyse tactical plots.

Crace was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1928.

World War II

Crace was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 1 August, 1939.

Crace was placed on the Retired List and promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 29 October, 1942.

Crace was advanced to the rank of Admiral on the Retired List on 25 September, 1945.

See Also

• Crace's Change of Bearing Instrument
• Crace Enemy Torpedo Calculator
• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Archibald R. J. Southby	Captain of H.M. T.B. 105 29 Oct, 1910 – 31 Jul, 1911	Succeeded by Edwin H. Neale
Preceded by New Command	Captain of A/S School H.M.S. Osprey 10 Nov, 1924 – 22 Nov, 1926	Succeeded by Hubert Vaughan-Jones as Commanding Officer, H.M.S. Osprey
Preceded by Henry H. Harwood	Fleet Torpedo Officer, Mediterranean Fleet 7 Jan, 1927 – Aug, 1928	Succeeded by Denis W. Boyd
Preceded by Frederic C. Bradley	Captain of H.M.S. Valhalla 26 Apr, 1929 – 24 Apr, 1930	Succeeded by Douglas A. Budgen
Preceded by Arthur J. L. Murray	Captain A/S 24 Apr, 1930 – 25 Apr, 1932	Succeeded by Douglas A. Budgen
Preceded by John W. Clayton	Captain of H.M.S. Emerald 11 Jun, 1934 – 15 Jan, 1937	Succeeded by Tom O. Bulteel
Preceded by The Hon. Alexander R. M. Ramsay	Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station 20 May, 1936 – 14 Jun, 1936	Succeeded by Sir James F. Somerville as Commander-in-Chief, East Indies
Preceded by Henry E. C. Blagrove	Naval Assistant to the Second Sea Lord 12 Apr, 1937 – 15 Aug, 1939	Succeeded by Claud B. Barry
Preceded by Wilfrid R. Patterson	Rear-Admiral Commanding, Royal Australian Navy Squadron 1 Nov, 1939 – 13 Jun, 1942	Succeeded by Victor A. C. Crutchley
Preceded by Sir Clinton F. S. Danby	Admiral Superintendent, Chatham Dockyard 15 Oct, 1942 – Jul, 1946	Succeeded by Gervase B. Middleton