John Morley Holford, CB,

OBE 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 ...

(10 January 1909 – 4 November 1997) was a medical officer in the

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 F ...

Life

Born the son of the reverend William James Holford and Amy Finnemore Lello, Holford was educated at Kingswood School, Bath, and

Trinity Hall, Cambridge Trinity Hall (formally The College or Hall of the Holy Trinity in the University of Cambridge) is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is the fifth-oldest surviving college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by ...

. He then went on to St George's Hospital Medical School where he qualified in 1933. He joined the Royal Navy as a surgeon-lieutenant in April 1935.Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
/ref> He became second medical officer in

HMS Valiant Seven vessels of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS ''Valiant''. * , a schooner launched at Oswego, New York, Thirteen Colonies and captured by the French in 1756. * , launched in 1759 at Chatham, Kent, Chatham, was a third-rate ship of t ...

on the

Mediterranean Station The British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a military formation, formation of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vita ...

before becoming flotilla medical officer in HMS Grenville in December 1936 and then being posted to HMS Ganges in 1938. He joined HMS Nelson in April 1940, initially as medical officer and then as principal medical officer. He became a medical specialist at RNH Plymouth in March 1942 and maintained an interest in the use of mass miniature radiography in the diagnosis of diseases of the chest. He was appointed medical specialist at RNH Simonstown, Cape of Good Hope, in 1944. He won the

South African Chess Championship The South African Chess Championship was first organised in 1892 by the Cape Town Chess Club. It is now organised by Chess South Africa (CHESSA), the governing body of chess in South Africa. The tournament is normally held every two years. It is r ...

in 1946 and was awarded the

King Haakon VII liberty medal King Haakon VII's Medal of Liberty ( no, Haakon VIIs Frihetsmedalje) was established on 18 May 1945. The medal is awarded to Norwegian or foreign military or civilian personnel for significant service to Norway during World War II. This service ne ...

in August 1947 for his services during the war. He became an assistant to the medical director general (naval) in 1948. He became principal medical officer of the submarine base

HMS Dolphin Numerous Royal Navy vessels have been named HMS ''Dolphin'' after the dolphin. * The first seven ''Dolphins'' were small ketches and fireships. * , launched in 1731, was a 20-gun post ship, renamed ''Firebrand'' in 1755 and ''Penguin'' in 1757. * ...

and flotilla medical officer to the flag officer (submarines) in 1957 before being appointed as senior specialist in charge of the medicine section at RN Hospital Haslar later that year. He became assistant to the medical director general (naval) again in 1960 and then medical adviser to the Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth and medical officer in charge of RNH Haslar in 1963. He retired in April 1966. Holford worked for the Ministry of Health from 1965 to 1974, latterly as senior principal medical officer.

Rank

1935 : surgeon

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 sub ...

1940 : surgeon

lieutenant commander Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...

1946 : surgeon

commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

1957 : surgeon

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

1963 : surgeon

rear admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

1966 : retired

Honours

* BA Cantab (1930) * MRCS LRCP (1933) *

MB BCh Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery ( la, Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae; abbreviated most commonly MBBS), is the primary medical degree awarded by medical schools in countries that follow the tradition of the United Kin ...

(1939) * MRCP (1939) * Haakon VIIs Freedom Medal (1947) *

(1954) * FRCP(1954) *

Gilbert Blane Sir Gilbert Blane of Blanefield, 1st Baronet FRSE FRS MRCP (29 August 174926 June 1834) was a Scottish physician who instituted health reform in the Royal Navy. He saw action against both the French and Spanish fleets, and later served as a Co ...

medal (1956) * CB (1965)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holford, John M. British chess players Companions of the Order of the Bath Officers of the Order of the British Empire 1909 births 1997 deaths 20th-century English medical doctors Royal Navy officers of World War II Royal Navy rear admirals People from Ettingshall People educated at Kingswood School, Bath Alumni of Trinity Hall, Cambridge Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians Recipients of the King Haakon VII Freedom Medal Royal Navy Medical Service officers 20th-century chess players Military personnel from Wolverhampton