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Henry St John Fancourt

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30: 81: 551:, however Lt Basil Boulding of 812 Sqn has a better claim as he landed Swordfish P4219 aboard the USS Wasp from RAF North Front, Gibraltar, eventually disembarking at RNAS Macrihanish prior to the USS Wasp's arrival at Scapa Flow and joining Force H. In 1942, Fancourt had been assigned to take command of the 707:
Fancourt married twice (Lillian Marion Osborne (née Parkin); in 1921, divorced in 1960) and Pauline Bettina Mosley (née Kimble; died 2001); he had two sons and two daughters. Both sons were in the Navy - Michael served in the Fleet Air Arm, and Rodney, who predeceased his father, was a captain in the
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was mistakenly reported as having been sunk. In reality she had been hit twice and was hit three more times later in the battle. Fancourt's action station was in the rear gun turret so he did not see much of the battle.
328:, to complete his interrupted education. On his return to the Navy he chose to specialise in aviation and qualified as a pilot in 1924 after attending No 1 Naval Pilots Course. The ongoing dispute between the 612:
This turned into a disaster when the commandos that landed on either side of Algiers failed to capture the Vichy artillery batteries. These heavily bombarded Fancourt's destroyers and
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due to his lack of "sea time", in other words insufficient experience aboard ship. He was embittered by being "bunged out" of the Navy (as he saw it), with just one month's notice.
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was involved in the initial engagement of the Battle of Jutland. Two of her sister ships were lost (with nearly 2,000 men) and the
325: 754: 855: 850: 540:, is claimed to have made the first landing of the war by a British plane on an American aircraft carrier when the 840: 835: 885: 860: 395:. Working ashore with the RAF, he flew in support of the Army and Navy and made demonstration flights over 267: 632: 624:
was sunk by French artillery later in the day but the crew and wounded were transferred to the destroyer
217: 199: 792: 561:, then under construction in the United States. This was cancelled, however, and he took command of the 591: 507: 491:. In January 1941, Fancourt was bady injured when German dive-bombers destroyed the control tower at 278: 688:, where he worked until his retirement in 1965. While there, he was chief of staff to Admiral Sir 410:
to catch landing aircraft. He was the first to land using the new system which is now standard on
499: 305: 203: 562: 514: 422: 137: 126: 658: 642:, now a training carrier. In September 1943, he was given command of the maintenance carrier 620:, with Fancourt, penetrated the defensive boom on her fourth attempt and landed her troops. 820: 815: 477: 418: 173: 116: 362:, he took part in the western military buildup in the Far East when European interests in 242:, he was one of the last, if not the last, survivor who had actively been involved in the 8: 800: 709: 587: 392: 385: 309: 717: 670: 603: 555: 643: 625: 573: 537: 492: 440: 378: 329: 243: 168: 148: 674: 713: 689: 522: 452: 411: 356: 141: 580: 566: 541: 518: 503: 367: 345: 186: 681: 552: 488: 426: 407: 391:
in 1929. In August of that year he took part in operations to restore order in
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later in the war for his efforts on flotilla escort and patrol duties from
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In April 1946, he was appointed deputy chief naval representative in the
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organising the recruitment and training of officers for the expanding
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after poor weather had prevented RAF reconnaissance. He also ordered
396: 274:, like most of his classmates he was sent to sea—in his case, on the 673:. He was retired from the Navy in 1951, not having been promoted to 270:, in January 1913 at the age of 12. In 1914, at the outbreak of the 421:, Fancourt became the first Commanding Officer of the newly formed 363: 696: 685: 595: 447:. In 1937 the Fleet Air Arm was handed back to the Navy from the 433: 259: 602:
from scuttling their ships or wrecking the port installations (
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and commanded London Division RNR. In 1943, Fancourt landed a
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was in 1956, by which time he had logged 1,317 flying hours.
724:. This was probably the first father-and-son deck landing. 638:
In January 1943, Fancourt was placed in command of the
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harbour on 8 November, land the troops and prevent the
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In June 1931, Fancourt was involved in trials, aboard
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had to withdraw after suffering engine room damage.
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People educated at the Royal Naval College, Osborne
366:were threatened by fighting between the forces of 881:Military personnel from Birmingham, West Midlands 807: 826:Alumni of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge 529:should she come within range, but she did not. 287: 249: 831:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order 653:in December 1943 with reinforcements for the 536:in Orkney in April 1942 Fancourt, flying a 314:scuttling of the German fleet at Scapa Flow 680:Fancourt joined the aircraft manufacturer 487:, the naval air station at Hatston in the 28: 846:Fleet Air Arm personnel of World War II 692:, a colleague from No 1 Pilots Course. 439:After this assignment he worked in the 808: 779:Pilot's Flying Log of Basil E Boulding 319: 312:. In June 1919, he was present at the 340:meant that he held the dual ranks of 326:Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge 749: 747: 745: 743: 741: 739: 737: 871:Royal Navy officers of World War II 866:Royal Navy personnel of World War I 565:which consisted of two destroyers, 13: 664: 417:In April 1933, after promotion to 406:, of a new system of athwartships 34:Fancourt (third from left) in 1942 14: 897: 786: 734: 716:with Michael, then a 16-year-old 476:In December 1940 he was promoted 324:After the war, Fancourt attended 755:"Captain Henry St John Fancourt" 506:aircraft to reconnoitre for the 502:for his initiative in sending a 262:St John Fancourt. He joined the 79: 471: 214:Henry Lockhart St John Fancourt 773: 720:cadet, as a passenger, on HMS 695:The final entry in his flight 594:. The assignment was to enter 1: 801:Imperial War Museum Interview 727: 657:, later transferring to the 635:for his part in the battle. 268:Royal Naval College, Osborne 238:. When Fancourt died at the 7: 631:. Fancourt was awarded the 288:The Battle of Jutland, 1916 250:Early life and naval career 10: 902: 682:Short Brothers and Harland 425:. The squadron, formed at 355:In 1927, while serving on 702: 586:, the allied invasion of 195: 157: 122: 112: 104: 92: 74: 62: 39: 27: 20: 856:Royal Air Force officers 851:British men centenarians 525:, ready for a strike on 649:, which sailed for the 500:Mentioned in Despatches 306:mentioned in dispatches 204:Mentioned in despatches 841:Fleet Air Arm aviators 563:4th Destroyer Flotilla 515:828 Naval Air Squadron 138:4th Destroyer Flotilla 659:British Pacific Fleet 480:and given command of 458:, then commanded the 384:, he was assigned to 258:, and was the son of 254:Fancourt was born in 226:, and held important 105:Years of service 836:English centenarians 547:was passing through 498:In May 1941, he was 419:Lieutenant-Commander 292:On 31 May 1916, the 236:the Second World War 886:Royal Navy captains 861:Royal Navy officers 759:The Daily Telegraph 710:Royal Naval Reserve 588:French North Africa 521:torpedo bombers to 320:Interwar activities 310:Queenstown, Ireland 718:Air Training Corps 671:Ministry of Supply 508:German battleship 230:commands with the 761:. 13 January 2004 538:Gloster Gladiator 493:Lee-on-the-Solent 412:aircraft carriers 244:Battle of Jutland 210: 209: 893: 780: 777: 771: 770: 768: 766: 751: 714:Fairey Swordfish 690:Matthew Slattery 377:After a tour in 370:and the warlord 266:and entered the 221: 206:(1918; May 1941) 94: 85: 83: 82: 69: 49: 47: 32: 18: 17: 901: 900: 896: 895: 894: 892: 891: 890: 806: 805: 789: 784: 783: 778: 774: 764: 762: 753: 752: 735: 730: 705: 667: 665:Post-war career 474: 408:arrester cables 368:Chiang Kai-shek 346:Royal Air Force 322: 290: 272:First World War 252: 216: 202: 184: 178: 171: 166: 147: 140: 136: 129: 80: 78: 70:(aged 103) 67: 51: 45: 43: 35: 23: 12: 11: 5: 899: 889: 888: 883: 878: 873: 868: 863: 858: 853: 848: 843: 838: 833: 828: 823: 818: 804: 803: 798: 788: 787:External links 785: 782: 781: 772: 732: 731: 729: 726: 704: 701: 666: 663: 579:, assigned to 553:escort carrier 489:Orkney Islands 473: 470: 372:Sun Chuan Fang 352:, Royal Navy. 342:Flying Officer 338:naval aviation 321: 318: 298:Princess Royal 294:Princess Royal 289: 286: 281:Princess Royal 251: 248: 208: 207: 197: 193: 192: 159: 155: 154: 124: 120: 119: 114: 110: 109: 106: 102: 101: 96: 90: 89: 87:United Kingdom 76: 72: 71: 66:8 January 2004 64: 60: 59: 41: 37: 36: 33: 25: 24: 22:Henry Fancourt 21: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 898: 887: 884: 882: 879: 877: 874: 872: 869: 867: 864: 862: 859: 857: 854: 852: 849: 847: 844: 842: 839: 837: 834: 832: 829: 827: 824: 822: 819: 817: 814: 813: 811: 802: 799: 797: 796: 791: 790: 776: 760: 756: 750: 748: 746: 744: 742: 740: 738: 733: 725: 723: 719: 715: 711: 700: 698: 693: 691: 687: 683: 678: 676: 672: 662: 660: 656: 655:Eastern Fleet 652: 648: 647: 641: 636: 634: 630: 629: 623: 619: 615: 610: 608: 607: 601: 597: 593: 589: 585: 584: 578: 577: 571: 570: 564: 560: 559: 554: 550: 546: 545: 539: 535: 530: 528: 524: 520: 516: 512: 511: 505: 501: 496: 494: 490: 486: 485: 479: 469: 467: 466: 461: 457: 456: 450: 446: 445:Fleet Air Arm 442: 437: 435: 432: 428: 424: 420: 415: 413: 409: 405: 400: 398: 394: 390: 389: 383: 382: 375: 373: 369: 365: 361: 360: 353: 351: 347: 343: 339: 335: 331: 327: 317: 315: 311: 307: 304:Fancourt was 302: 299: 295: 285: 283: 282: 277: 276:battlecruiser 273: 269: 265: 261: 257: 247: 245: 241: 237: 233: 232:Fleet Air Arm 229: 225: 224:naval aviator 219: 215: 205: 201: 198: 194: 191: 190: 183: 182: 176: 175: 170: 165: 164: 160: 156: 153: 152: 146: 145: 139: 135: 134: 128: 125: 121: 118: 115: 111: 107: 103: 100: 97: 91: 88: 77: 73: 65: 61: 58: 54: 42: 38: 31: 26: 19: 16: 794: 793:Obituary in 775: 765:14 September 763:. Retrieved 758: 721: 706: 694: 679: 668: 651:Indian Ocean 645: 639: 637: 627: 621: 617: 613: 611: 605: 600:Vichy French 582: 575: 568: 557: 543: 531: 526: 509: 497: 483: 475: 472:World War II 464: 454: 449:Air Ministry 438: 423:822 Squadron 416: 403: 401: 387: 380: 376: 358: 354: 334:Air Ministry 323: 303: 297: 293: 291: 280: 253: 213: 211: 188: 181:World War II 179: 172: 161: 158:Battles/wars 150: 143: 132: 127:822 Squadron 68:(2004-01-08) 50:1 April 1900 15: 821:2004 deaths 816:1900 births 534:RAF Hatston 484:Sparrowhawk 431:Fairey IIIF 163:World War I 133:Sparrowhawk 810:Categories 728:References 604:Operation 581:Operation 549:Scapa Flow 427:Netheravon 404:Courageous 388:Courageous 350:Lieutenant 264:Royal Navy 256:Birmingham 240:age of 103 187:Operation 99:Royal Navy 75:Allegiance 53:Birmingham 46:1900-04-01 795:The Times 675:flag rank 644:HMS  532:While at 441:Admiralty 397:Jerusalem 393:Palestine 379:HMS  330:Admiralty 174:Palestine 149:HMS  108:1914–1949 606:Terminal 558:Searcher 527:Bismarck 523:Sumburgh 519:Albacore 510:Bismarck 504:Maryland 434:biplanes 364:Shanghai 332:and the 228:aviation 212:Captain 123:Commands 93:Service/ 697:logbook 686:Belfast 646:Unicorn 628:Zetland 614:Malcolm 596:Algiers 592:Rangers 576:Malcolm 478:Captain 455:Neptune 429:, flew 260:general 234:during 169:Jutland 151:Unicorn 117:Captain 703:Family 465:Weston 381:Renown 336:about 196:Awards 177:(1929) 95:branch 84:  722:Argus 640:Argus 622:Broke 618:Broke 583:Torch 569:Broke 460:sloop 359:Argus 220: 189:Torch 144:Argus 767:2010 626:HMS 574:HMS 572:and 567:HMS 556:HMS 544:Wasp 542:USS 482:HMS 463:HMS 453:HMS 386:HMS 357:HMS 348:and 279:HMS 142:HMS 131:HMS 113:Rank 63:Died 40:Born 684:in 633:DSO 609:). 517:'s 218:DSO 200:DSO 812:: 757:. 736:^ 661:. 495:. 468:. 436:. 414:. 399:. 374:. 344:, 316:. 284:. 246:. 185:- 167:- 57:UK 55:, 769:. 48:) 44:(

Index


Birmingham
UK
United Kingdom
Royal Navy
Captain
822 Squadron
HMS Sparrowhawk
4th Destroyer Flotilla
HMS Argus
HMS Unicorn
World War I
Jutland
Palestine
World War II
Operation Torch
DSO
Mentioned in despatches
DSO
naval aviator
aviation
Fleet Air Arm
the Second World War
age of 103
Battle of Jutland
Birmingham
general
Royal Navy
Royal Naval College, Osborne
First World War

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