Edward Neville Syfret

Infobox Military Person
name=Sir Edward Neville Syfret
born= birth date|1889|6|20
died= death date and age|1972|12|10|1889|6|20
placeofbirth=Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa
placeofdeath=Highgate, London
placeofburial=


caption=
nickname=
allegiance=United Kingdom
branch=Royal Navy
serviceyears=1904 - 1948
rank=Admiral
commands=HMS "Caradoc" (19 Jul 1932 - Jan 1934) Naval Gunnery School, Devonport (HMS "Drake") (31 Aug 1934 Jul 1935) HMS "Ramillies" (10 Jan 1938 Jun 1938) HMS "Rodney" (15 Aug 1938 - Aug 1939) 18th Cruiser Squadron (Jun 1941 - ?) Force H (10 Jan 1942 - Feb 1943) (commanded occupying force Madagascar 1942) Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet (24 Nov 1945 - 1948)
unit=
battles=World War II
awards= [ [http://www.unithistories.com/officers/RN_officersS2.html Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939-1945 - S ] ] GCB (1 Jan 1948) KCB (8 Sep 1942) CB 25 Nov 1941 KBE (18 Dec 1945) Mentioned in Despatches (25 Aug 1942) Legion of Merit (7 Sep 1943) Croix de guerre (17 May 1918)
laterwork=
portrayedby=
Admiral Sir Edward Neville Syfret GCB, KBE (20 June 1889 – 10 December 1972) was a British naval officer who served with the Royal Navy in World War I and World War II. He was knighted for his part in Operation Pedestal, the critical Malta convoy. Syfret was born 20 June 1889 near Cape Town, South Africa and died on 10 December 1972, in London.

Family

Son of Edward Ridge Syfret, Cape Town, South Africa. Married in 1913 Hildegarde Warner. The couple had one son and one daughter.

Syfret was educated at Diocesan College, South Africa and the Britannia Royal Naval College, where he became Chief Cadet Captain.

He played once for the Royal Navy cricket team, scoring a duck and 30 runs in his two innings.

Career

Syfret joined the Royal Navy in 1904 and, in his early service years, specialised in naval gunnery. He became Gunnery Officer in the light cruisers HMS "Aurora", HMS "Centaur" and HMS "Curacoa" and in 1927 he was Fleet Gunnery Officer, Mediterranean Fleet.

Syfret was naval commander during Operation Ironclad, the invasion of Madagascar in May 1942 and was convoy commander for Operation Pedestal, a critical Malta Convoy in August 1942.

References