Ralph Heathcote DSO, RN

Born  1 Mar 1901Manchester, England
Died   1990(88)Gressingham, Lancaster

Ranks

15 Sep 1921 S.Lt.
15 Dec 1922 Lt.
15 Dec 1930 Lt.Cdr.
31 Dec 1936 Cdr.
30 Jun 1943 Capt.

Retired: 8 Jul 1952


Decorations

1 Jan 1943 DSO

Warship Commands listed for Ralph Heathcote, RN


ShipRankTypeFromTo
HMS Reading (G 71)Cdr.Destroyer26 Nov 19401 Mar 1941
HMS Ajax (22)Cdr.Light cruiser26 May 19422 Jul 1942
HMS Fame (H 78)Cdr.Destroyer10 Aug 194214 Jul 1943
HMS Orion (85)Capt.Light cruiser25 Jun 1945late 1946

Career information

Born 1901 Manchester, Died 1990 Gressingham, Lancaster. Educ: Marlborough. Joined Royal Navy as Midshipman in 1919. Final command HMS Gamecock (RNAS station in Warwickshire) till retirement in 1952. Painting is by Dring and is in Imperial War Museum: Heathcote said that it was done whilst he was in Belfast Loch waiting for a convoy to set off, but that his concern was more as to whether he'd get his captaincy or not: Dring added the relevant stripe when it was gazetted.

Events related to this officer

Destroyer HMS Fame (H 78)


16 Oct 1942 (position 53.54, -29.30)
German U-boat U-353 was sunk in the North Atlantic, in position 53°54'N, 29°30'W, by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Fame (Cdr. R. Heathcote, RN).

17 Feb 1943 (position 50.36, -41.07)
German U-boat U-69 was sunk in the North Atlantic east of Newfoundland in position 50°36'N, 41°07'W by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Fame (Cdr. R. Heathcote, DSO, RN).


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