Rear Admiral Ion Beauchamp Butler Tower, (14th of March 1889 – 14th of October 1940) was a British naval officer. A renowned Admiral who fought in the First and Second World Wars.

Early life and naval career

Tower was the third son of

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 ...

Commander Francis Fitzpatrick Tower (1859–1944) and his wife Laura, daughter of Thomas Butler. He was educated at Harrow School and entered the

through training on HMS ''Britannia''.Article, Tower of Weald Hall (Essex). He fought in 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 ...

, being decorated with 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) The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...

and the Russian Order of St Stanislas, 3rd Class with Swords. He was awarded the

Sea Gallantry Medal The Sea Gallantry Medal (SGM) (officially the 'Medal for Saving Life at Sea', and originally the ' Board of Trade Medal for Saving Life at Sea'), is a United Kingdom award for civil gallantry at sea. History The Merchant Shipping Act 1854 pro ...

for his part, as lieutenant commander aboard , in the rescue of survivors of the sinking of the '' Hong Moh'' in March 1921. Tower remained in the navy in the interwar period, and was promoted to rear admiral in June 1940.Career progression
/ref> While serving during 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 ...

as Chief Naval Liaison Officer to General Sir Alan Brooke, the Commander-in-Chief of Home Forces, Tower was killed during an air raid on London on 14 October 1940 at age 51. He was buried in

Kensal Green Cemetery Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in the Kensal Green area of Queens Park in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. Inspired by Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, it was founded by the barrister George Frederick ...

.
CWGC Casualty Record.

Personal life

He married in 1923 Sophia Maud, daughter of Robert Donner of Bowden,

Lacock Lacock is a village and civil parish in the county of Wiltshire, England, about 3 miles (5 km) south of the town of Chippenham, and about outside the Cotswolds area. The village is owned almost in its entirety by the National Trust ...

Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated Wilts) is a historic and ceremonial county in South West England with an area of . It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset to the southwest, Somerset to the west, Hampshire to the southeast, Gloucestershire ...

and had two children: one son, John Christopher, who was killed by enemy action in 1944 while serving as Supply Assistant in the Royal Navy,
CWGC Casualty Record. His rank is given as midshipman in the family's ''Burke's Landed Gentry'' article. and a daughter Lavinia.

References

1889 births 1940 deaths People educated at Harrow School Royal Navy personnel killed in World War II Burials at Kensal Green Cemetery Deaths by airstrike during World War II People educated at Stubbington House School Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) Recipients of the Order of Saint Stanislaus (Russian), 3rd class Recipients of the Sea Gallantry Medal Royal Navy admirals of World War II Royal Navy officers of World War I Military personnel from London {{UK-navy-bio-stub