Raymond Jocelyn Harris-St. John

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Captain Raymond Jocelyn Harris-St. John, D.S.O., R.N., Retired (9 May, 1884 – ) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Born with the last name of "Harris", the St. John appendage was reported in the Gazette on 12 April, 1907. In some Navy Lists, his name is given as Raymond Jocelyn Harris St. John, with no hyphenation.

Life & Career

Harris was born in Rotherwick, the son of C. E. Harris, Esquire. He gained three and a half months' time on passing out of Britannia on 15 September, 1900. His first appointments were a brief one in Renown, in the Mediterranean that was abbreviated when on 13 October, 1900 his father informed the Admiralty that his Raymond had been infected by German Measles. In 1902, he was to be sent back to England, possibly over health issues, but it is not clear. In mid-1902, he was appointed to the Hannibal in the Channel. On 13 October, Harris was to be permitted to withdraw from the service, but he withdrew this request. On 19 January, 1904 he joined college.[1]

Harris was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 26 February, 1906.[2]

In April, 1912, T.B. 27's dinghy was swamped and two men died. The Admiralty found this was due to carelessness on Harris-St. John's part and he incurred their severe displeasure.[3]

Harris-St. John was appointed to the Roxburgh, operating as part of the Third Cruiser Squadron, on 12 February, 1913. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 28 February, 1914 while still in the cruiser.

Harris-St. John was appointed in command of the destroyer Archer on 26 November, 1914.[4]

When a temporary stint in command of Beaver ended on 1 April, 1915, Harris-St. John enjoyed twelve days of leave from Portsmouth. On 12 April, he was appointed as first officer in the armed merchant cruiser India. On 25 May 1915, he applied for command of a T.B.D., and on 2 June was appointed once again to command Archer.[5]

Harris-St. John was appointed in command of the destroyer Penn on 19 May, 1916. Though she operated with the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla, she was not one of the ten destroyers of that formation that participated in the Battle of Jutland. Harris-St. John was recommended for promotion, however, when on 19 August 1916 Penn picked up men from the torpedoed light cruiser Nottingham.[6]

Harris-St. John was appointed in command of the destroyer Vectis in December, 1917.[7] He was awarded a D.S.O. for his services in destroyer and torpedo boat flotillas in the period ending 31 December 1917.[8]

Harris-St. John was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1918. On 11 July, he was admitted to Granton Hospital with influenza. He was sent to Haslar Hospital before being declared fit on 20 August, 1918.[9]

Post-War

On 21 January, 1921, he was admitted to Queensferry Hospital with bronchitis. Though discharged fit on 2 February, on 19 September he was readmitted with a perineal cyst. He was discharged, fit on 6 October, 1921 though he would be back with a glandular cyst in 1927. He was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 16 December, 1921, to be granted a step in rank upon reaching the age of 45.[10]

Harris-St. John was promoted to the rank of Captain on the Retired List on 9 May, 1929.[11]

World War II

In August, 1939, Harris-St. John was made a Consular Shipping Adviser with Naval Control Service duties, based in Bergen. He was able to escape Norway ahead of the German invaders, making his way to Stockholm where he was able to ask for instructions and was apparently not subjected to internment.

In October, 1941 after suffering some pneumonia due to climate, he returned to the U.K. when fit to travel. Soon thereafter, he was sent to Iceland as N.C.S. Officer, Iceland vice Constable.

At the end of July, 1942, he was appointed to Beaver, additional, as Royal Naval Officer, Boston vice Cracroft-Amcotts.[12]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Angus W. Rutherford
Captain of H.M. T.B. 59
12 Jan, 1906[13][14] – 21 May, 1906[15]
Succeeded by
Henry B. B. Denniss
Preceded by
Herbert R. Stokes
Captain of H.M.S. Porcupine
26 Jan, 1910[16] – 15 Aug, 1910[17]
Succeeded by
Francis S. McGachen
Preceded by
Valentine D. English
Captain of H.M. T.B. 27
15 Aug, 1910[18][19] – 12 Feb, 1913[20]
Succeeded by
Theodore E. J. Bigg
Preceded by
Herbert F. Littledale
Captain of H.M.S. Archer
26 Nov, 1914[21][22] – 4 Mar, 1915[23]
Succeeded by
Raymond J. Harris-St. John
Preceded by
Kenneth A. Beattie
Captain of H.M.S. Beaver
13 Mar, 1915[24] – 1 Apr, 1915[25]
Succeeded by
Joseph B. Newill
Preceded by
Raymond J. Harris-St. John
Captain of H.M.S. Archer
2 Jun, 1915[26][27] – 19 May, 1916[28]
Succeeded by
Bryan F. Adams
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Penn
19 May, 1916[29][30] – Dec, 1917[31]
Succeeded by
Eric J. Shelley
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Vectis
Dec, 1917[32][33] – 27 Aug, 1920[34]
Succeeded by
Alfred E. Evans

Footnotes

  1. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  2. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  3. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  4. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 275.
  5. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  6. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  7. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p.924.
  8. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  9. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  10. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  11. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  12. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  13. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  14. The Navy List. (June, 1906). p. 400.
  15. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  16. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  17. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  18. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  19. The Navy List. (August, 1912). p. 399.
  20. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  21. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  22. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 275. His name is given there without the hyphen.
  23. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  24. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  25. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  26. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  27. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 392c.
  28. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  29. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  30. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 396k.
  31. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  32. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.
  33. The Navy List. (August, 1920). p. 879b.
  34. Harris-St. John Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/131. f. 71.