Dudley Vivian Peyton-Ward (8 October 1893 – 6 July 1976) was a

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

officer who served in both the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and during and after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

Life

Peyton-Ward was best known for his work as Naval Liaison Officer to

RAF Coastal Command RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was founded in 1936, when the RAF was restructured into Fighter, Bomber and Coastal Commands and played an important role during the Second World War. Maritime Aviation ...

.Hendrie 2006, p. 50. The work he performed in this capacity was of utmost importance to the smooth functioning of Coastal Command operations, tactics and weapons (see: Coastal Command weapon development. Among other things, he personally championed and facilitated the increased use of Very Long Range aircraft, such as the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. These aircraft allowed continual air cover over the Atlantic and closed the notorious

Mid-Atlantic gap The Mid-Atlantic gap is a geographical term applied to an undefended area beyond the reach of land-based RAF Coastal Command antisubmarine (A/S) aircraft during the Battle of the Atlantic in the Second World War. It is frequently known as The Bla ...

, where Axis

U-boats U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare rol ...

could freely operate against Allied convoys. It was said of him that he was the only person of lower than Air Marshal rank whose portrait appeared in the mess at Coastal Command. After the war he wrote an eight-volume internal history for the Royal Navy, entitled ''The R.A.F. in the Maritime War'', a copy of which resides at

The National Archives National archives are central archives maintained by countries. This article contains a list of national archives. Among its more important tasks are to ensure the accessibility and preservation of the information produced by governments, both ...

Kew Kew () is a district in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Its population at the 2011 census was 11,436. Kew is the location of the Royal Botanic Gardens ("Kew Gardens"), now a World Heritage Site, which includes Kew Palace. Kew is a ...

, London. The preface to the British

Official history An official history is a work of history which is sponsored, authorised or endorsed by its subject. The term is most commonly used for histories which are produced for a government. The term also applies to commissions from non-state bodies includin ...

of the RAF in the Second World (a supplemental work to the ''

History of the Second World War The ''History of the Second World War'' is the official history of the British contribution to the Second World War and was published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO). The immense project was sub-divided into areas to ease publication ...

'') says "Our debt is especially heavy to the

Air Historical Branch The Air Historical Branch (AHB) is the historical archive and records service of the Royal Air Force. First established in 1919, the AHB was responsible for creating the ''Official History of British Air Operations in the First World War''. The ...

: to its narrators—among them Captain D. V. Peyton-Ward, C.B.E., R.N. (retd.), perhaps more than any".

Life

In May 1914 he was his sub-Lieutenancy was confirmed. While a

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

he was mentioned in dispatches in 1917 for "recognition of their services in submarines in enemy waters" during the First World War. In 1944, he was named as a Commander of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

. After the war he was named officer of the American Legion of Merit for his contribution to the Allied cause during the war.

References

*Hendrie, Andrew. ''The Cinderella Service: RAF Coastal Command 1939–1945''. Pen & Sword Aviation. 2006. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Peyton-Ward, D. V. 1893 births 1976 deaths Royal Navy officers Royal Navy personnel of World War II Royal Navy personnel of World War I British military writers Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Recipients of the Legion of Merit Royal Navy captains