Peter Du Cane (1901–1984) was a Royal Navy
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.
...
and managing director of the engineering company
Vospers
Vosper & Company, often referred to simply as Vospers, was a British shipbuilding company based in Portsmouth, England.
History
The Company was established in 1871 by Herbert Edward Vosper, concentrating on ship repair and refitting work.
By t ...
. He assisted in the development of the ''
Blue Bird II'' amongst other boats.
Biography
Du Cane was born in 1901, the son of Charles Henry Copely Du Cane, of
Braxted Park. His paternal grandfather Sir
Charles Du Cane was a politician and colonial administrator; his paternal grandmother Georgiana was the daughter of
John Copley, 1st Baron Lyndhurst
John Singleton Copley, 1st Baron Lyndhurst, (21 May 1772 – 12 October 1863) was a British lawyer and politician. He was three times Lord Chancellor, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain.
Background and education
Lyndhurst was born in Boston, ...
.
He joined the
Royal Navy as a thirteen-year-old before resigning his
commission as a Lieutenant-Commander in 1928.
[ The following year he joined the ]Royal Auxiliary Air Force
The Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF), formerly the Auxiliary Air Force (AAF), together with the Air Force Reserve, is a component of His Majesty's Reserve Air Forces (Reserve Forces Act 1996, Part 1, Para 1,(2),(c)). It provides a primary rein ...
where he flew Westland Wapitis in No. 601 Squadron RAF
Number 601 (County of London) Squadron is a squadron of the RAF Reserves, based in London. The squadron took part in the Battle of Britain, during which the first Americans to fly in World War II were members of the squadron.
Reactivated in 2017 ...
.Glen Kidston
George Pearson Glen Kidston (23 January 1899 – 5 May 1931) was an English record-breaking aviator and motor racing driver. He was one of the "Bentley Boys"
Career
His father, Archibald Glen Kidston, was a grandson of the original A.G. Kidston ...
to join him at Vosper Shipyard. Following Kidston's death and numerous ownership changes, Du Cane was offered the managing director's position. He accepted, while maintaining his position as Chief Designer.[
Under Du Cane's guidance, Vosper won a number of contracts for high-speed boats, including the construction of '']Blue Bird K4
''Blue Bird K4'' was a powerboat commissioned in 1939 by Sir Malcolm Campbell, to rival the Americans' efforts in the fight for the world water speed record.
The name "K4" was derived from its Lloyd's unlimited rating#K4, Lloyd's unlimited rating ...
'' which, piloted by Malcolm Campbell
Major Sir Malcolm Campbell (11 March 1885 – 31 December 1948) was a British racing motorist and motoring journalist. He gained the world speed record on land and on water at various times, using vehicles called ''Blue Bird'', including a 1 ...
, took the world water speed record in 1939.[ Du Cane was the naval architect and exterior designer of ''Brave Challenger'', a super-yacht with a top speed of , and powerboats ''Tramontana'' and ''Tramontana II'', the former winning in the inaugural Cowes–Torquay race in 1961.
Later in his career, Du Cane joined the Fleet Air Arm.][ In 1964, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
Du Cane died on 31 October 1984, aged 83, and was buried at sea.]
Publications
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References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Du Cane, Peter
1901 births
1984 deaths
Boat and ship designers
People from Essex
Royal Navy officers
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Burials at sea
Military personnel from Essex