ABSTRACT
He joined the RN as a Boy Seaman in 1920, and rose to Leading Seaman by 1925, when he was selected to become an officer; 1928, Lieutenant; 1943, Commander; 1953, acting Captain.
His first ship as an officer was the survey vessel Endeavour, and surveying became his specialization. Between 1930 and 1939 he served all over the world the Hennessey Shoals in the Red Sea bear his name. He served in the Mediterranean, where he was awarded an MiD, and commanded an all-wooden oceanographic sailing ship, the RRS Mercator, before taking command of HMS Scott in 1943. Scott was in the thick of it from 6 June 1944, surveying and marking swept channels to the beaches: marking wrecks, and setting out the moorings for the ‘Mulberry’ artificial harbours; all this often under fire. The accuracy of the surveys was helped by the then new device, later known as the Decca Navigator.
