Royal Indian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RINVR) Officers 1939-1945

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Royal Indian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RINVR) Officers
1939-1945

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Note. In naval circles it is custom to refer to the commander of a vessel as Captain. The Navy List bears the phrase "in command". Strictly out of
practical considerations CO (Commanding Officer) is used here on this site. Abbreviations and explanations can be found at the help page.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A
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Avey,
Edward William James
E.W.J. Avey (Photo courtesy of Mrs Margot Avey)
Son of Ernest Avey, and Winifred Richards.
Married (23.12.1943, Madras) an American-born missionary nurse from Assam.

Probably the same as:
E.W.J. Avery, Indian Army
27.12.1915
Swanmore, Droxford district,
Hampshire
-

T/S.Lt.
?

T/Lt.
17.05.1944 (reld > 04.1946)

Comdn
?
?

Battle of Britain 1939-1945 Star; Pacific Star with Burma clasp; Defence Medal; 1939-1945 War Medal with Oak Leaves

(07.1945)
-
(04.1946)
HMIS Khanjar *

* indexed, but not listed as such



B
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Bentley,
Allan Roger
A.R. Bentley
Youngest of seven children of ... Bentley, and ... Stafford.
Married; one son, two daughters.
06.05.1913
Leicester district, Leicestershire
-
04.09.1994
Yeovil, Somerset

T/S.Lt.
30.03.1941

T/Lt.
?

T/A/Lt.Cdr.
< 07.1945

MID
25.05.1943
actions with light forces against the Japanese in Burmese waters *

* The Leicester Mercury dated Thursday April 22nd 1943 says: "He was badly burned when in one of our latest corvettes which caught fire at a home base, and he has now been wounded in action with the Japanese when his ship rammed and sank their vessel."

already in the navy before the war

07.03.1944
-
(07.1945)
First Lieutenant [= Executive Officer], HMIS Cheetah (RIN coastal forces base, Bombay)

10.09.1945
-
(04.1946)
HMIS Akbar (RIN training establishment, Bombay)

For some years after leaving the RINVR he worked for Heinz, often travelling around Europe and then he went into the hotel trade.

Brierley,
Christopher Eustace Desmond
C.E.D. Brierley
Son of Eustace Carhill Brierley (1872-1964).
05.10.1903
-
09.1984
Newton Abbott district, Devon

Prob. T/Lt.
18.09.1939

T/Lt.
?, seniority 18.09.1939 (reld > 04.1946)

Education: Dartmouth College (?)

WW II

on vessel examination duties on the Quoin at the entrance of the Persian Gulf:

18.09.1939
-
(02.)1941
HMIS Hiravati

05.03.1941
-
09.1941
HMIS Dalhousie (additional) *

27.09.1941
-
(08.1942)
Commanding Officer, HMIS Barq

01.12.1942
-
(06.1944)
HMIS Sonavati **

(04.1946)

HMIS Feroze ***

* in the index of 12.1941 under HMIS Cornwallis
** in 07.1945 still indexed as such, but no longer listed
*** indexed, but not listed as such
Gained his second Mates certificate at age 52. Went on to gain his Masters certificate and gained his command with London and Overseas Freighters Ltd. Master of the London Majesty in 1962. Retired to the Paignton area.

C
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Carston,
William Albert
W.A. Carston
Son of Lt. A.C. Carston, RNR.
c. 1926 ?
-

Prob. T/Midsh.
28.01.1943

T/A/S.Lt.
1946?, seniority 25.08.1941

MID
01.08.1944
for courage, enterprise and leadership in Light Coastal Forces of the Royal Indian Navy in hazardous operations Arakan 11.43-03.44

(11.1943?)
-
(03.1944?)
HMI ML 476 (motor launch)

(10.1944)

HMIS Mahseer *

(07.1945)

HMIS Mahseer * / **

(04.1946)

HMI ML 421 (motor launch) *

* indexed, but not listed as such
** ship no longer listed

Cooke,
Arthur Lionel Kitchner
A.L.K. Cooke (Photo courtesy of Mr Darren Cooke)
Married (10.12.1942, Christ Church Byculla) Edith Nash.
15.10.1917
India
-
03.06.2001
Gold Coast, Qeensland, Australia

T/A/Lt.
10.08.1943

HMIS Cornwallis (sloop)

11.03.1943
-
(04.1946)
HMIS Yingchow (training ship) *

Emigrated to Australia, 1947.

* (07.1945) indexed as HMIS Madura & (04.1946) as HMIS Dalhousie, but both times listed under HMIS Yingchow



D
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Donaldson,
Allan Anderson
A.A. Donaldson ?
-

T/Paym.Lt. = T/Lt. (S)
29.10.1941

stationed at Bombay for most of the war:

(10.1944)

no appointment listed

(07.1945)

no appointment listed

(04.1946)

no appointment listed

E
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Elliott,
Edward Victor
N.J. Elliott
Son of Victor Elliott, and Florence M. Oldham.
Married; ... children (one son?).
16.12.1920
Jacksdale, Basford district, Nottinghamshire
-
01.09.2003
Stafford Hospital, Staffordshire (heart attack)

T/A/S.Lt. (E)
17.09.1944

T/S.Lt. (E)
17.03.1945

T/Lt. (E)
1946?

11.1942

torpedoed on the SS City of Cairo off St Helena, returning home 5 months later, en route from India to UK

(07.1945)

no appointment listed

18.06.1945
-
(04.1947)
HMIS Investigator (surveying ship) (surveying the Baluchi coast and the Shatt al Arab area)

1947?
-
1948?
instructor, Indian Navy

Elliott,
Neville John
N.J. Elliott ?
-

T/S.Lt.
04.09.1942

26.12.1943
-
(10.1944)
HMIS Dalhousie (RIN Depot, Bombay)

(07.1945)

HMIS Dalhousie (RIN Depot, Bombay) *

(04.1946)

HMIS Feroze (RIN demobilisation centre, Bombay) *

* indexed, but not listed as such

Elshaw,
John Gerald
J.G. Elshaw
Son of J.A. Elshaw, and ... Shaw.
Married Nancy E. Elshaw of Elton, Derbyshire.
(09?).1915
Ecclesall Bierlow district, Derbyshire / Yorkshire - West Riding
-
02.03.1946
[age 31]
[Kirkee War Cemetery near Bombay, India, 6.E.1]

T/Lt. (E)
09.05.1944

(07.1945)

HMIS Hamla (HQ Landing Craft Wing, Versova) *

?
-
02.03.1946
HMIS Dalhousie (RIN Depot, Bombay) **

* indexed, but not listed as such
** (04.1946) indexed as HMS Saunders (Combined Operations base, Kabret, Egypt), but not listed as such

F
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Farthing,
Benjamin Clifford
B.C. Farthing
Married; at least one son.
1914/15 ?
-
?

T/A/Lt.
28.06.1944

T/Lt.
1945?, seniority 28.06.1944

T/2nd Lt. RM
1945?

T/Lt. RM
29.12.1945

MID
10.07.1945
operations Arakan coast 11.44-03.45

(10.1944)
-
(07.1945)
HMS Salsette (Combined Operations base, Bombay) *

1944
-
1945
"A" RN Beach Commando (Arakan)

late 1945

transferred, Royal Marines

(04.1946)

both listed under RINVR (HMS Saunders (Combined Operations base, Kabret, Egypt) & RM (HCO (Lt.) [= Holding Company O.... (Light) ??]) *

* indexed, but not listed as such



G
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Garriock,
Ronald John
R.J. Garriock
?
-
1960s ?
Adeldaide, Australia ?

T/S.Lt. (Sp.Br.)
01.03.1943

T/Lt. (Sp.Br.)
01.03.1944

13.09.1943
-
(10.1944)
HMIS Dalhousie (RIN depot, Bombay) (for depot)

(07.1945)

HMIS Dalhousie (RIN depot, Bombay) *

(04.1946)

HMIS Feroze (RIN officers' demobilisation centre, Bombay) *

Accountant in government service.
* indexed, but not listed as such

Gough,
Frederick Arthur
"John"
F.A. Gough
Married Gladys Irene "Mollie" Bloxham; one son, one daughter.
20.10.1907
Hanwell, Brentford
-
24.01.2004
Melbourne, Australia
[age 96]

T/Lt. (Sp.Br.)
05.08.1941 (reld < 04.1946)

24.11.1941
-
01.12.1942
Physical and Recreational Training Officer, HMIS Dalhousie (RIN depot, Bombay)

01.12.1942
-
(12.1943)
HMIS Dalhousie (RIN depot, Bombay) (for depot)

21.12.1943
-
(07.1945)
HMIS Circars (RIN base, Vizagapatam)

Worked as Industrial Chemist in Bombay until 1955, after which he emigrated to Australia. Developement Manager for perfume and food flavouring company. Keen sailor,
designed, built and sailed ocean racers.
His son writes: "During one of his last talks he mentioned his involvment in secret communications out posts down the Burma coastline with an Intelligence unit. He said they were similar size to MTB's [but Indian built]."



H
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Herd,
Kenneth Morrison
G.W. Hobbs
Son of Charles Grant Herd, and Victoria Evangeline Embleton.
Married (at Peshawar) Olivia Kathleen Burton (1918-2002); four sons, two daughters.
27.04.1914
-
08.1998
Manchester district, Lancashire

T/Sg.Lt.
17.07.1944

Education: D.Sc. (Madras), MRCS, LRCP (London)

probably served in the Army first

served in the Coral Sea with a fleet of corvettes

10.12.1944
-
(04.1946)
HMIS Dalhousie (RIN depot, Bombay)
[during the 1946 mutiny administering medical attention with some Indian nurses to the mutineers]

Hobbs,
George William
G.W. Hobbs ?
-

T/S.Lt.
08.09.1942

T/A/Lt.
08.03.1945

(07.1945)
-
(04.1946)
HMIS Dalhousie (RIN depot, Bombay) *

* indexed, but not listed as such

I
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J
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Jenner,
Peter Ernest

Youngest child of Ernest Jenner, and Alice Jenner (née Johnson).
Married; ... children (one daughter?).

26.06.1923
Lambeth district, South London
-
03.04.1998
Bungay, Waveney district, Suffolk

T/S.Lt.
10.07.1944 (reld 1946)

1941

joined RNVR

(1943?)
-
(1944?)
HMS Berry (frigate)

26.11.1944
-
(04.)1946
HMIS Madras (minesweeper)



K
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Kerr,
Stanley Walsh
S.W. Kerr
Married; ... children.
?
-

T/S.Lt. (E)
23.04.1941

T/Lt. (E)
1944?, seniority 03.08.1942

MBE
13.02.1945
firefighting Bombay docks 04.44

(10.1944)
-
(04.1946)
HMIS Dalhousie (RIN depot, Bombay) *

* indexed, but not listed as such

L
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Lawson,
Arthur William
A.W. Lawson ?
-

T/S.Lt. (E)
04.06.1944 (reld 1946?)

(07.1945)

no appointment listed

(04.1946)

HMIS Malwa (minesweeper) *

* indexed, but not listed as such

Lochner,
Adrian Malcolm Purva
A.M.P. Lochner 03.05.1925
-
1970
car accident

T/Midsh.
02.06.1944

T/A/S.Lt.
1946? (reld > 07.1946)

(10.1944)

no appointment listed

(07.1945)

no appointment listed

(04.1946)

HMIS Karachi (minesweeping trawler) *

* indexed, but not listed as such

M
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N
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Nanda,
Sardari[lai] Mathradas
"Charles"
S.M. Nanda
1915
-

T/S.Lt.
11.10.1941

T/A/Lt.
1942?

T/Lt.
11.10.1942

Lt. RIN
?, seniority 10.10.1940

A/Lt.Cdr. RIN
< 05.1949

Lt.Cdr. RIN
1949?, seniority 10.10.1948

A/Cdr. RIN
< 05.1950

Cdr. IN
31.12.1950

A/Capt. IN
< 07.1954

Capt. IN
31.12.1954
?, senioroty 30.06.1955

A/R.Adm. IN
< 02.1963

R.Adm. IN
16.06.1964

V.Adm. IN
01.03.1968

Adm. IN
? (retd 1973)

PVSM, AVSM

Served with the Port Trust, Karachi.

11.10.1941

joined RINVR

01.12.1942
-
(10.1944)
signal school, HMIS Dalhousie (RIN Depot, Bombay)

(07.1945)
-
(04.)1946
HMIS Talwar (RIN signal school) [indicated as from 09.11.1942]

28.06.1946
-
(10.1947)
HMIS Narbada

05.07.1948
-
(05.1949)
HMIS Delhi

(05.1950)

HMIS India (naval HQ, New Delhi) *

11.10.1951
-
(05.1953)
Commanding Officer, INS Ranjit

15.03.1954
-
(07.)1954
Commanding Officer, INS Angre

10.03.1954
-
(01.)1957)
[from 20.09.1954 Chief of Personnel], Personnel Branch, Naval HQ, Indian Navy (New Delhi) [INS India]

29.08.1957
-
(01.1959)
Commanding Officer, INS Mysore

(07.1961)

INS India (naval HQ, New Delhi) *

(02.1963)
-
(02.1964)
no appointment listed

01.01.1966
-
(02.)1968
Flag Officer commanding Indian Fleet [INS Vikrant]

16.02.1968
-
(02.1969)
Flag Officer, Bombay [INS Angre]

28.02.1970
-
28.02.1973
Chief of Naval Staff, Indian Navy

Published: The man who bombed Karachi : a memoir (2004)

O
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P
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Percival,
Harold George Reginald
"Harry"
H.G.R. Percival
Married ; ... children (one daughter?).
16.02.1919
-
01.1987
Richmond upon Thames district, Surrey

T/S.Lt.
17.04.1941

T/Lt.
17.10.1943 (reld > 04.1946)

after a brief spell in submarines joined the RINVR and spent the next 7 years in India (based mainly in and around Calcutta)

(12.1941)

no appointment listed

(10.1944)
-
(04.1946)
HMI ML 419 (motor launch) (ML 56th Flotilla)

Pritchard-Davies,
Anthony Raymond Southwell
"Tony"
A.R.S. Pritchard-Davies
Son of ... Pritchard-Davies, and ... Southwell.
Married; ... children (one daughter?).
(06?).1920
Wandsworth district, Greater London
-

Burford, Oxfordshire

T/S.Lt.
17.04.1941

T/Lt.
17.10.1943 (reld > 04.1946)

(12.1941)

no appointment listed

(10.1944)
-
(04.1946)
HMI HDML 1115 (harbour defence motor launch) *

* indexed, but not listed as such

Purchase,
Warwick Stuart Etherington
W.S.E. Purchase
Son of ... Purchase, and ... Squibb.
Married Julia Rees; two daughters, one son.
21.05.1923
Grantham district, Leicestershire / Lincolnshire
-
26.07.2007

T/S.Lt.
12.08.1943 (reld > 04.1946)

29.02.1944
-
(10.1944)
HMIS Circars (RIN base, Vizagapatam)

05.04.1945
-
(04.1946)
HMI ML 439 (motor launch)

Chartered Surveyor and Chartered Land Agent.

Q
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R
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Riddell,
Robert Vardy
"Jimmy"
R.V. Riddle ?
-

Prob. T/S.Lt. (E)
12.05.1943

T/Lt. (E)
21.02.1945 (reld > 04.1946)

(07.1945)

HMS Salsette (Combined Operations base, Bombay) *

(04.1946)

HMS Saunders (Combined Operations base, Kabret, Egypt) *

* indexed, but not listed as such

S
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Sargeant,
Vivian Laurence
V.L. Sargeant 05.04.1906
Edmonton district, Essex
-
01.1986
North Walsham district, Norfolk

T/Lt.
24.08.1940

T/A/Lt.Cdr.
31.03.1944

(02.1941)

HMS Falcon (river gunboat) *

07.09.1943
-
(08.1944)
First Lieutenant, HMS Vindex (escort carrier)

(07.1945)

no appointment listed

07.03.1945
-
(04.1946)
Sea Transport Establishment, Naval Base Calcutta [HMIS Hooghly]

* indexed, but not listed as such

Seabrooke-Spencer,
Frederick John
R.K. Scott
Married; at least one son.
02.11.1908
-
23.08.2004
Pyrford, Surrey Northern district, Surrey

Prob. T/Lt. (S)
27.05.1945 (reld > 04.1946)

(07.1945)
-
(04.1946)
no appointment listed

Chartered accountant & company secretary.

Stewart,
Hugh Harvie
H.H. Stewart
Married (14.10.1944, Bombay Cathedral) Sheila Norma Dare.
11.07.1911
-
23.06.2000

T/Lt.
08.09.1942 (reld 1946/47)

(07.1945)

HMIS Patunga (RIN local naval defence base, Chittagong) *

19.02.1945
-
(04.1946)
HMIS Circars (RIN base, Vizagapatam)

?
-
?
HMIS Cheetah (RIN Coastal Forces base, Bombay)

* indexed, but not listed as such (possibly appointment before HMIS Circars)

T
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Tait,
Gordon Turron
G.T. Tait ?
-

Prob. T/Lt.
16.07.1940

T/Lt.
1942?, seniority 16.07.1940

T/A/Lt.Cdr.
< 07.1945

12.03.1941
-
(12.1941)
HMIS Dalhousie (RIN depot, Bombay) (additional)

(08.1942)

HMIS Dalhousie (RIN depot, Bombay) *

01.09.1944
-
(07.)1945
HMIS Rajputana (Bangor class minesweeper)

23.08.1945
-
(04.1946)
Commanding Officer, HMIS Oudh (Bangor class minesweeper)

* indexed, but not listed as such

Turner,
Peter Ernest
P.E. Turner in 1940. Photo courtesy of Charles and Janet Flawn.
Brother of Lt.Cdr. J.F. Turner, RNVR.
16.04.1916
Ealing, London
-
1994

T/Lt.
07.02.1942

Education: Radley Public School

07.02.1942

joined RNVR

02.1942
-
(10.1943)
HMS Ceres (cruiser)

transferred to RINVR

(07.1945)
-
(04.1946)
no appointment listed

U
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V
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W
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Webb,
John Urquhart
J.U. Webb (12?).1904
Exeter district, Devon
-

T/Lt.
06.09.1940 (reld > 04.1946)

19.04.1927
-
06.02.1929
2nd Lieutenant, Army in India Reserve of Officers

11.03.1941
-
(12.1941)
HMIS Dalhousie (additional)

(08.1942)

HMIS Dalhousie *

(10.1944)

no appointment listed

(07.1945)

no appointment listed

(04.1946)

no appointment listed

* indexed, but not listed as such

Williamson,
Henry Brainerd McIlree
H.B.M. Williamson (Photo courtesy of Terry Williamson) 17.01.1910
Kandy, Ceylon
-
11.01.1957
Ceylon

Prob. T/Lt.
28.10.1940

T/Lt.
28.04.1941, seniority 28.10.1940 (reld 19.12.1945)

Cadet, HMS Conway, 1924-1926. Sea service, Merchant Navy, 1927-1930.

28.10.1940

commissioned, RINVR (Colombo)

31.10.1940
-
03.11.1940
Depot, Bombay (additional)

04.11.1940
-
21.11.1940
HMIS Dipavati (auxiliary patrol vessel) (additional)

22.11.1940
-
03.03.1941
Depot, Bombay (additional)

06.03.1941
-
22.06.1941
HMIS Satyavati (auxiliary patrol vessel) (Karachi)

23.06.1941
-
31.07.1941
Naval Control Service duty

01.08.1941
-
09.11.1941
HMIS Satyavati (auxiliary patrol vessel) (Karachi) (13-20.08.1941 & 02-05.10.1941 sick)

10.11.1941
-
16.12.1941
service with Naval Control Service Officer, Karachi (temporary)

18.12.1941
-
19.12.1941
HMIS Dalhousie (RIN depot, Bombay) (additional)

20.12.1941
-
21.01.1942
CO HMIS Ramdas (auxiliary patrol vessel)

22.01.1942
-
20.02.1942
CO HMIS Satyavati (auxiliary patrol vessel)

21.02.1942
-
18.04.1942
Naval Control Service duties under Naval Officer-in-Charge, Karachi [HMIS Monze (RIN base, Karachi)]

19.04.1942
-
27.05.1942
CO HMIS Hiravati (auxiliary patrol vessel) (temporary)

29.05.1942
-
06.06.1942
HMIS Dalhousie (RIN depot, Bombay) (additional) (Bombay)

08.06.1942

07.12.1942
Executive Officer, HMIS Kalavati (auxiliary minesweeper) (Calcutta) (30 days' war leave 22.07-20.08.1942)

08.12.1942
-
12.07.1943
Executive Officer, HMIS Victoria Marie (auxiliary patrol vessel) (30 days' war leave 28.03-26.04.1943)

13.07.1943
-
11.08.1943
CO HMIS Chandbali (auxiliary patrol trawler)

12.08.1943
-
20.08.1943
CO HMIS Madura (armed trawler)

21.08.1943
-
18.10.1943
CO HMIS Chandbali (auxiliary patrol trawler)

19.10.1943
-
16.03.1944
CO HMIS Rukmavati (auxiliary patrol vessel)

17.03.1944
-
21.06.1944
HMIS Nautilus (auxiliary minesweeping trawler)

08.05.1944
-
11.05.1944
Executive Officer, HMIS Kumaon (minesweeping sloop) (temporary)

22.06.1944
-
21.01.1945
CO HMIS Satyavati (auxiliary patrol vessel) (31 days' war leave 23.12.1944-21.01.1945)

22.01.1945
-
24.01.1945
HMIS Feroze (RIN officers' demobilisation centre, Bombay) (additional) (Madras)

25.01.1945
-
02.03.1945
HMIS Ramdas (auxiliary patrol vessel)

03.03.1945