John Tovey, 1st Baron Tovey
| The Lord Tovey | |
|---|---|
Admiral of the Fleet Sir J C Tovey at his desk, most likely while serving as Commander in Chief Nore, at Chatham, Kent
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| Nickname(s) | Jack |
| Born |
7 March 1885 Rochester, Kent |
| Died | 12 January 1971 (aged 85) Funchal, Madeira |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1900–1946 |
| Rank | Admiral of the Fleet |
| Commands held |
Commander-in-Chief, The Nore (1943–46) Home Fleet (1940–43) 1st Battle Squadron (1940) 7th Cruiser Squadron (Mediterranean) (1940) Destroyer Flotillas, Mediterranean Fleet (1938–40) RN Barracks, Chatham (1935–37) HMS Rodney (1932–34) 6th Destroyer Flotilla (1926–27) HMS Campbell (1926–27) 8th Destroyer Flotilla (1924–26) HMS Bruce (1924–26) HMS Seawolf (1922–24) HMS Wolfhound (1918–19) HMS Ursa (1917–18) HMS Onslow (1916–17) HMS Jackal (1915–16) |
| Battles/wars |
First World War Second World War |
| Awards |
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in Despatches |
Admiral of the Fleet John Cronyn Tovey, 1st Baron Tovey, GCB, KBE, DSO (7 March 1885 – 12 January 1971), sometimes known as Jack Tovey, was a Royal Navy officer. During the First World War he commanded the destroyer HMS Onslow at the Battle of Jutland and then commanded the destroyer HMS Ursa at the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight. During the Second World War he initially served as Second-in-Command of the Mediterranean Fleet in which role he commanded the Mediterranean Fleet's Light Forces (i.e. cruisers and destroyers). He then served as Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet and was responsible for orchestrating the pursuit and destruction of the Bismarck. After that he became Commander-in-Chief, The Nore with responsibility for controlling the east coast convoys and organising minesweeping operations.
Tovey was born on 7 March 1885 at Borley Hill, Rochester, Kent, the youngest child (of eleven) of Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton Tovey, RE, and Maria Elizabeth Goodhue. He was educated at Durnford School, Langton Matravers (joining the school shortly before another future British admiral, Geoffrey Oliver) and as a naval cadet in the training ship Britannia at Dartmouth (15 January 1900 – 15 May 1901). Tovey's parents spent much time abroad and as a result, Durnford and its headmaster, Thomas Pellatt, were a significant and happy influence upon the young Tovey. He excelled at sports, playing well at cricket for Durnford and he was a schoolboy international footballer and later played golf for the Royal Navy.
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