Rollo Mainguy

Vice-Admiral Edmond Rollo Mainguy OBE, CD (11 May 1901 – 29 April 1979) was a Canadian Naval officer.

Edmond Rollo Mainguy
Commander E.R. Mainguy, Commanding Officer, HMCS Ottawa, off Botwood, Newfoundland, 22 June 1940.
Born(1901-05-01)May 1, 1901
Victoria, British Columbia
DiedApril 29, 1979(1979-04-29) (aged 77)
Nanaimo, British Columbia
Allegiance Canada
Service/branch Royal Canadian Navy
Years of service1915–1956
Rank Vice-Admiral
Commands heldChief of the Naval Staff
HMCS Assiniboine
HMCS Ottawa
HMCS Uganda
Battles/warsSecond World War
AwardsOfficer of the Order of the British Empire
Canadian Forces Decoration

Military career

Mainguy was born in Victoria, British Columbia in 1901 and attended the Royal Naval College of Canada in 1915 during the First World War.[1]

With the start of the Second World War he took command of HMCS Assiniboine and then HMCS Ottawa before being promoted to Captain and taking overall command of Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) destroyers in Halifax in 1941. In 1942 he was appointed acting Commodore and took command of RCN destroyers in Newfoundland, quickly followed by an appointment to Ottawa as Chief of Naval Personnel.[1] He returned to active duty as the commanding officer of HMCS Uganda in 1944. As a part of British Pacific Fleet Uganda took part in the Okinawa campaign.[1][2]

In the post-war years Mainguy was appointed Flag Officer Pacific Coast in 1946, Flag Officer Atlantic Coast in 1948, and was the head of the commission that investigated the RCN insubordination incidents of 1949 before becoming Chief of the Naval Staff in 1951.[1]

He retired from the Royal Canadian Navy in 1956 as a Vice-Admiral.[1] In retirement he was president of Great Lakes Shipping until 1965.[3] He died in 1979.[3]

Family

Mainguy married Maraquita Nichol, daughter of Walter Cameron Nichol, in 1927. Their son, Daniel Mainguy, later also reached the rank of Vice-Admiral, serving as Vice Chief of the Defence Staff from 1983 to 1985.



Awards and decorations

Mainguy's personal awards and decorations include the following:





RibbonDescriptionNotes
Order of the British Empire (OBE)
  • Decoration awarded 9 January 1943 as per Canada Gazette and 01 January 1943 in the London Gazette[4]
  • Officer level
British War Medal
  • WWI 1914-1918
Victory Medal (United Kingdom)
  • WWI 1914-1918
1939–1945 Star
  • WWII 1939-1945
Atlantic Star
  • WWII 1939-1945
Pacific Star
  • WWII 1939-1945
Defence Medal (United Kingdom)
  • WWII 1939-1945
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal
  • with Overseas Service bar
War Medal 1939–1945 with Mentioned in dispatches
  • WWII 1939-1945 1 January 1941 as per London Gazette[5]
King George VI Coronation Medal
  • Decoration awarded on 12 May 1937
Canadian Forces Decoration (CD)
  • with two Clasp for 32 years of services
Legion of Merit (United States)
  • Decoration awarded 3 August 1946 as per Canada Gazette and 01 January 1946 in the London Gazette[6]
  • Officer level
  • United States award

References

  1. Awards to the Royal Canadian Navy
  2. The Uganda Episode Archived 2011-03-15 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Article in Canadian Encyclopedia
  4. OBE "For gallantry and distinguished services before the enemy. As commanding officer of a destroyer and as senior officer of convoy escort groups both in the United Kingdom waters and in the North Atlantic, this officer has consistently displayed great powers of leadership and devotion to duty. His example to Destroyer personnel of the Canadian escort forces assisted in no small measure in laying the foundations of the traditions which have since been fostered and upheld by the small ships, which comprise the Royal Canadian Navy."
  5. "For outstanding zeal, patience and cheerfulness and for never failing to set an example of whole hearted devotion to duty without which the high tradition of the Royal Canadian Navy could not have been upheld."
  6. "For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service as Captain(D), Newfoundland Force at St. John's, Newfoundland in connection with operations with Task Force Twenty-four. His forceful and proficient performance of duty was particularly outstanding and commendable and his intelligent and cooperative attitude toward administrative and maintenance problems concerning the surface forces of Task Force Twenty-four contributed materially to the high state of readiness of those forces. He displayed excellent qualities of leadership and his professional skill and devotion to duty were at all times outstanding."
Military offices
Preceded by
Harold Grant
Chief of the Naval Staff
1951–1956
Succeeded by
Harry DeWolf
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