Vice Admiral Herbert Sharples Rayner

DSC DSC may refer to: Academia * Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) * District Selection Committee, an entrance exam in India * Doctor of Surgical Chiropody, superseded in the 1960s by Doctor of Podiatric Medicine Educational institutions * Dalton State Col ...

& Bar, CD (16 January 1911 – 30 May 1976) was a Royal Canadian Navy officer who served as Chief of the Naval Staff from 01 August 1960 to 16 July 1964.

Career

Herbert Sharples Rayner joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1928.Rayner, Herbert Sharples
The Nauticapedia He served in the Second World War as Commanding Officer of the

destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...

and then of the destroyer HMCS ''St. Laurent'' during 1940, as Staff Officer Operations to the Commander Atlantic Coast from 1942 and as Commanding Officer of the destroyer from 1943 before becoming Director of Plans in 1944. He was awarded the

Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) *Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) *Distinguished Service Cross (U ...

for "courage and enterprise in action against enemy submarines in the Western Approaches" and a bar to his DSC for an action "against four German destroyers trying to break through to attack the Allied invasion fleet off Normandy".Herbert Rayner
Home from the War He went on to be Commanding Officer of the destroyer in 1946, Commanding Officer of the Naval Air Section at the shore establishment HMCS ''Stadacona'' in 1947 and Commandant of the Canadian Services College Royal Roads in 1948. After that he became Secretary to the Chiefs of Staff Committee in 1950, Commanding Officer of the

aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a ...

in 1953 and Naval Assistant to the Chief of the Naval Staff 1955. His last appointments were as Chief of Naval Personnel in 1955, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific in 1957 and as Chief of the Naval Staff from 1960 until retiring in 1964.

Awards and decorations

Rayner's personal awards and decorations include the following:

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rayner, Herbert Canadian admirals Canadian recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) Canadian military personnel of World War II 1911 births 1976 deaths Commanders of the Royal Canadian Navy Canadian military personnel from Ontario