St. John Cronyn DSO, RN

Born  20 May 1901Dublin, Ireland
Died  16 Mar 1973(71)Malta


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Ranks

15 Sep 1920 A/S.Lt.
15 May 1921 S.Lt.
15 May 1923 Lt.
15 May 1931 Lt.Cdr.
30 Jun 1937 Cdr.
 A/Capt.
30 Jun 1943 Capt.

Retired: 8 Jan 1953


Decorations

16 Aug 1940 Mentioned in Despatches (MID)
1 Jan 1941 DSO
20 Nov 1951 CBE

Warship Commands listed for St. John Cronyn, RN


ShipRankTypeFromTo
HMS Halcyon (J 42)Cdr.Minesweeper12 Oct 19398 Apr 1940
HMS Niger (i) (J 73)Cdr.Minesweeper8 Apr 194024 Sep 1940
HMS Revenge (06)A/Capt.Battleship1 Jan 19436 Mar 1943
HMS Revenge (06)Capt.Battleship23 Aug 194324 Oct 1943

Career information

We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.

Events related to this officer

Battleship HMS Revenge (06)


2 Jan 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
The battleship HMS Revenge (A/Capt. St.J. Cronyn, DSO, RN) conducted exercises off Kilindini during which she was escorted by the destroyers HMAS Nepal (Cdr. F.B. Morris, RAN) and HMS Hotspur (Lt. P. Bekenn, RN). (1)

19 Jan 1943
The battleship HMS Revenge (A/Capt. St.J. Cronyn, DSO, RN) conducted exercises off Kilindini during which she was escorted by the destroyer HMAS Nizam (Cdr. M.J. Clark, DSC, RAN) and the escort destroyer HMS Catterick (Lt. A. Tyson, RN).

On completion of these exercises they proceeded to Manza Bay arriving there the following day. The destroyers then retuned towards Kilindini to join ships of the Eastern Fleet during exercises. (1)

25 Jan 1943
The battleship HMS Revenge (A/Capt. St.J. Cronyn, DSO, RN) proceeded from Manza Bay to Kilindini. She was escorted by the destroyers HMS Foxhound (Cdr. C.J. Wynne-Edwards, DSC and Bar, RN) and HMAS Nizam (Cdr. M.J. Clark, DSC, RAN). The destroyers had come from Kilindini earlier in the day. (1)

3 Feb 1943
The battleships HMS Warspite (Capt. H.A. Packer, RN, flying the flag of Admiral J.F. Somerville, KCB, KBE, DSO, RN, C-in-C Eastern Fleet), HMS Resolution (Capt. J.W. Durnford, RN), HMS Revenge (A/Capt. St.J. Cronyn, DSO, RN), light cruiser HMS Mauritius (Capt. W.D. Stephens, RN) and destroyers HMS Rotherham (Capt. F.S.W. de Winton, RN), HMS Quilliam (Capt. S.H. Carlill, DSO, RN), HMAS Nepal (Cdr. F.B. Morris, RAN), HMAS Nizam (Cdr. C.H. Brooks, RAN), HMAS Norman (Cdr. H.M. Burrell, RAN) and HMS Foxhound (Cdr. C.J. Wynne-Edwards, DSC and Bar, RN) departed Kilindini for operations in the Indian Ocean. The main object of their sortie was to provide cover for the Pamplet troop convoy transporting 30000 men of the Australian 9th Division from Suez to Melbourne and Sydney.

They fuelled at Port Victoria, Seychelles on 6 February 1943 departing from there for Addu Atoll later the same day.

They arrived on Addu Atoll on 11 February 1943. Destroyers conducted A/S patrol several at a time off Addu Atoll duing the time the fleet was there.

On 13 February 1943, they, less HMS Mauritius, departed Addu Atoll to return to Kilindini via the Seychelles.

They fuelled at Port Victoria, Seychelles on 17 February 1943.

They arrived at Kilindini on 20 February 1943. (2)

24 Aug 1943
The battleships HMS Resolution (Capt. J.W. Durnford, RN), HMS Revenge (Capt. St.J. Cronyn, DSO, RN), transports Aorangi (British, 17491 GRT, built 1924), Dempo (Dutch, 17024 GRT, built 1931), Dominion Monarch (British, 27155 GRT, built 1939) departed Freetown for Gibraltar. They were escorted by the destroyers HMS Foxhound (Cdr. C.J. Wynne-Edwards, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Boadicea (Lt.Cdr. F.C. Brodrick, RN), HMS Bulldog (Lt.Cdr. E.J. Lee, RN), escort destroyer HMS Catterick (Lt.Cdr. A. Tyson, RN) and the frigate HMS Ness (A/Cdr. T.G.P. Crick, DSC, RN).

Around 0655Z/26, the destroyers HMS Brilliant (Lt.Cdr. J. Smallwood, RN) and HMS Witch (Lt.Cdr. S.R.J. Woods, RNR) joined. HMS Bulldog and HMS Catterick were then detached to fuel at Dakar.

Around 1000Z/26, the Aorangi was detached and joined the French transport Canada (9684 GRT, built 1912) that had sailed from Dakar on the 25th escorted by the frigates HMS Bazely (Lt.Cdr. J.V. Brock, RCNVR), HMS Blackwood (Lt.Cdr. L.T. Sly, RD, RNR), HMS Drury (Lt.Cdr. N.J. Parker, RN) and HrMs Johan Maurits van Nassau (Cdr. A. de Booy, RNethN).

Around 1115Z/27, HMS Bulldog and HMS Catterick rejoined and HMS Boadicea was detached to Dakar. (3)

31 Aug 1943
The battleships HMS Resolution (Capt. J.W. Durnford, RN), HMS Revenge (Capt. St.J. Cronyn, DSO, RN), transports Dempo (Dutch, 17024 GRT, built 1931), Dominion Monarch (British, 27155 GRT, built 1939), destroyers HMS Foxhound (Cdr. C.J. Wynne-Edwards, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Brilliant (Lt.Cdr. J. Smallwood, RN), HMS Bulldog (Lt.Cdr. E.J. Lee, RN), HMS Witch (Lt.Cdr. S.R.J. Woods, RNR) and escort destroyer HMS Catterick (Lt.Cdr. A. Tyson, RN) and the frigate HMS Ness (A/Cdr. T.G.P. Crick, DSC, RN) arrived at Gibraltar. (3)

1 Sep 1943
The battleships HMS Resolution (Capt. J.W. Durnford, RN), HMS Revenge (Capt. St.J. Cronyn, DSO, RN) departed Gibraltar for the U.K.

They joined convoy MKF 22 for the passage. [Details on the composition of this convoy will have to be researched in the future, information currently available to us is incomplete.] (4)

9 Sep 1943
HMS Revenge (Capt. St.J. Cronyn, DSO, RN) arrived in the Clyde with convoy the Clyde Section of convoy MKF 22. (5)

20 Oct 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0500A/20, the battleship HMS Revenge (Capt. St.J. Cronyn, DSO, RN) departed Greenock for Southampton. She is escorted by the AA ship HMCS Prince Robert (Cdr. A.M. Hope, RCN) and the destroyer HMS Saladin (Lt. A.A. Diggens, DSC, RN).

Around 1110A/20, HMS Saladin is detached.

Around 0715A/21, the escort destroyers HMS Limbourne (A/Cdr. W.J. Phipps, MVO, RN), HMS Melbreak (Lt. G.J. Kirkby, DSC and Bar, RN) and HMS Stevenstone (Lt.Cdr. P.B.N. Lewis, DSC, RN) joined coming from Plymouth and HMCS Prince Robert was detached.

HMS Revenge arrived at Portsmouth around 1615A/21. The escort destroyers then set course to return to Plymouth. (6)

24 Oct 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Revenge (Capt. St.J. Cronyn, DSO, RN) is decommissioned at the Portsmouth Dockyard and reduced to care and maintenance. (5)

Sources

  1. ADM 53/118460
  2. ADM 53/117895 + ADM 53/118439 + ADM 53/118461 + ADM 53/118710 + ADM 199/643
  3. ADM 53/118445 + ADM 118467 + ADM 199/2275
  4. ADM 53/118446 + ADM 53/118468
  5. ADM 53/118468
  6. ADM 53/118468 + ADM 199/2280

ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.


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