Maurice Mansergh

Mansergh was born in Ealing, Essex, the second son of civil engineer Ernest Lawson Mansergh and grandson of James Mansergh. He was educated at a school near Nuneaton before entering Royal Naval College, Osborne in 1909 as a naval cadet.[1]

Mansergh joined the Royal Navy in 1914 at the start of World War I.[2] He served on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet from 1934 and then became Executive Officer on the battleship HMS Rodney from 1936.[2] In 1939 he became Director of the Trade Division at the Admiralty where his main role was the protection of shipping.[3]

He served in World War II as Deputy Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Trade) and then, from 1941, as Captain of the cruiser HMS Gambia.[2][4] He was made Deputy Chief of Staff and subsequently Chief of Staff to the Allied Naval Commander-in-Chief for the Normandy Invasion Expeditionary Force in 1943.[2]

After the War, he became Commodore commanding 15th Cruiser Squadron and then, from 1946, he became Naval Secretary.[2] He was appointed Commander of the 3rd Aircraft Carrier Squadron in 1948 and Fifth Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Air) in 1949.[2] His last appointment was as Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth in 1951.[2] He retired in 1954.[2]