View source for John Fenwick Hutchings

{{CaptRN}} (retired) '''John Fenwick Hutchings''', D.S.O., C.B.E. (17 May, 1885 &ndash; 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 {{UK-Britannia}} in May, 1901.  On the 28th, he was appointed to {{UK-Cressy}}.

Hutchings was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} on 31 December, 1906.<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>

In March 1909, Hutchings was appointed in command of {{UK-C24}}, one of twelve submarines of Section VII supporting the Third Division of Home Fleet under depot ship {{UK-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."{{NLApr11|p. 270}}<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>

On 25 November, 1913, Hutchings was appointed in command of the {{UK-C34|f=t}}.{{NLJan15|p. 277}}

Hutchings was promoted to the rank of {{LCommRN}} on 31 December, 1914.<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>

In March 1916, the Admiralty thanked Hutchings for designing a "torpedo turret" for submarines.

On 31 July, 1918, two stokers from {{UK-K5}}, 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."<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>{{KindellROH2|p. 520}}

==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 {{CommRN}} on 31 December, 1919.<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>

On 26 April, 1920, Hutchings was appointed in command of reserve submarine group "A" at Rosyth, comprised solely of the submarines {{UK-K2}} and {{UK-K10}}.{{NLJan21|p. 797}}

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.<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>

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 {{UK-L22}}.

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 {{CaptRN}} on 24 May, 1934.<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>

==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.

{{TBC}}

==See Also==
{{refbegin}}
* [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_rv=simple&_q=ADM+John+Fenwick+Hutchings Service Records]
{{WP|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fenwick_Hutchings}}
{{refend}}

<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
{{TabNaval}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[H.M.S. A 2 (1903)|Captain of H.M.S. ''A 2'']]'''<br>20 Aug, 1908<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>{{NLOct08|p. 345}} &ndash; 19 Mar, 1909<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Andrew Francis Gordon Tracy|Andrew F. G. Tracy]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[H.M.S. C 24 (1908)|Captain of H.M.S. ''C 24'']]'''<br>19 Mar, 1909<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>{{NLMar11|p. 395''a''}} &ndash; 25 Jul, 1911<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[George Pirie Thomson|George P. Thomson]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[John Graham Bower|John G. Bower]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. C 34 (1910)|Captain of H.M.S. ''C 34'']]'''<br>25 Nov, 1913<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>{{NLJan15|p. 277}} &ndash; 13 Nov, 1915<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Richard Douglas Sandford|Richard D. Sandford]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''New Command'''|'''[[H.M.S. G 4 (1915)|Captain of H.M.S. ''G 4'']]'''<br>13 Nov, 1915<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref> &ndash; 27 Apr, 1917<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Thomas Aislabie Powell|Thomas A. Powell]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''New Command'''|'''[[H.M.S. K 5 (1916)|Captain of H.M.S. ''K 5'']]'''<br>27 Apr, 1917<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref> &ndash; 12 Apr, 1920<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[John Austin Gaimes|John A. Gaimes]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Donald Irvine McGillewie|Donald I. McGillewie]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. K 10 (1916)|Captain of H.M.S. ''K 10'']]'''<br>26 Apr, 1920{{NLJan21|p. 797}} &ndash; 14 Feb, 1921<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''?'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Victor Essendene Ward|Victor E. Ward]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. K 2 (1916)|Captain of H.M.S. ''K 2'']]'''<br>26 Apr, 1920{{NLJan21|p. 797}} &ndash; 14 Feb, 1921<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Frederick Henry Taylor|Frederick H. Taylor]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[William Ibbett|William Ibbett]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. K 14 (1917)|Captain of H.M.S. ''K 14'']]'''<br>14 Feb, 1921<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref> &ndash; 22 May, 1922<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Henry Gray Higgins|Henry G. Higgins]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Cecil Ponsonby Talbot|Cecil P. Talbot]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Dolphin (1882)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Dolphin'']]'''<br>7 Mar, 1924{{NavAppts|Monday, March 17, 1924, Issue 43602, p.4}} &ndash; 15 Apr, 1924|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Max Kennedy Horton|Max K. Horton]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Charles Thomas Alexander Bunbury|Charles T. A. Bunbury]]'''<br><small>as '''Captain of H.M.S. ''Pandora'''''</small>|'''[[H.M.S. Pandora (1902)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Dolphin'']]'''<br>15 Oct, 1924<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref> &ndash; 15 Apr, 1924<ref>Hutchings Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/270.|D7604367}} f. 146.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Geoffrey Layton|Geoffrey Layton]]'''}}
{{TabEnd}}
</div name=fredbot:appts>

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hutchings, John}}

{{CatPerson|UK|1885|1968}}
{{CatSubmariner|UK}}
{{CatCapt|UK}}
{{CatBritannia|January, 1900}}
{{CatRN}}