Michael Denny

Educated at Queen Elizabeth's School, Wimborne Minster,[1] the Royal Naval College, Osborne and the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, Denny joined the Royal Navy in 1909.[2] He served in World War I and, after the War, specialised in gunnery.[2] In 1932 he joined the staff of the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet. He spent two years at sea as an executive officer before becoming assistant director of Naval Ordnance at the Admiralty in 1937.[2] He was appointed deputy director of Naval Ordnance in 1938.[2]

He served in World War II as Senior Naval Officer for the Åndalsnes landing and then as Chief Staff Officer for the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940.[2] In 1942 he was given command of the cruiser HMS Kenya.[2] He became Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet later that year.[2] In 1943 he took command of the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious from which he conducted air strikes against Okinawa in Japan.[2]

After the War he became Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel and Director of Personal Services and then, from 1947, Flag Officer (Destroyers) for the Mediterranean Fleet.[2] In 1949 he became Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy and in 1954 he was made Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet and Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Atlantic.[2] He was appointed Chairman of the British Joint Services Mission to Washington, D.C., and UK Representative on the NATO Standing Group in 1956.[2] He retired in 1959.[2]

In retirement he became a Director of Cammell Laird.[1]

In 1923 he married Sara Annie Esme Welman.[1]