Sub Lieutenant John William JOSSELYN RN
HMS Malaya, Royal Navy

Date of birth: 13th November 1900
Date of death: 14th September 1961

Died aged 60
Unknown
John William Josselyn was born at Madras in India on the 13th of November 1900 the only son of Colonel John Josselyn CMG DSO OBE TD, West Yorkshire Regiment and solicitor, and Lilian Bella (nee Elwes) Josselyn of 10 Queen Street, Ipswich in Suffolk. He was christened at Madras on the 13th of December 1900.

He was educated at Hazelwood School until July 1913 where he was a member of the Choir. He was a member of the Football XI in 1911 and 1912 and of the Cricket XI in 1912 and 1913. The school magazine wrote the following of his 1911 football season: - "(Outside right) - A big hearted forward with a certain amount of pace, and a decided swerve which should ultimately be of the greatest service; must remember that a ground pass is only acceptable when no foeman's hoof intervenes; his centres and his shooting scarcely recovered from an injury sustained in mid-term."

Of his 1912 football season they wrote: - "(Outside right) - A brilliant winger, whose admirable centres too often failed to receive the welcome they deserved; a dangerous shot, too, when within goal range."

They wrote the following of his 1912 cricket season: - "A praiseworthy scout with a safe pair of hands; his batting is primitive, but his bowling not to be despised."

Of his 1913 cricket season they wrote: - "A poor bat - all arms - but possessed of grit and several times made useful scores. A slow bowler of some parts - more use might have been made of him. A good field on the whole."

On leaving the school the magazine wrote of him: - ""Peter" seemed such an institution and had been with us so long that it came as a shock when we realised that his time was up - this he used excellently well as he passed into the Royal Naval College at Osborne - there were 200 candidates and only 80 vacancies. Moreover, he was a footballer of great parts, a keen cricketer, and a member of the choir. An affectionate and charming fellow."

He went on to the Royal Naval College, Osborne from September 1913 where he finished 3rd in Seamanship and Engineering. He went on to the Royal Naval College Dartmouth from April 1915 to August 1916 where he earned distinction by inventing a method of fastening ammunition to the backs of mules.

On the 1st of January 1917 he was appointed as a Midshipman in the Royal Navy and was posted to the battleship HMS Malaya. He was promoted to Acting Sub Lieutenant on the 15th of November 1917 and to Sub Lieutenant on the 15th of July 1919 when he was serving on the cruiser HMS Fox.

During 1919 HMS Fox had orders to sail for Archangel to take part in the British intervention during the Russian Civil War. While the ship was coaling before setting sail, John Josselyn was thrown head first, a distance of some twenty feet, and although he suffered no broken bones he was in hospital at Chatham for four weeks, followed by six weeks convalescence leave. Later that year he transferred to the destroyer HMS Mackay based at Bjorko Sound in the Baltic.

He was admitted to Peterhouse College Cambridge on the 1st of October 1920 and began his residence there on the 8th of October. He completed a course in torpedo, navigation and gunnery at the end of the Lent term in 1921 and was promoted to Lieutenant on the 15th of June 1921. In May 1925, following service in the cruiser HMS Durban on the China Station, he qualified as an observer in the Fleet Air Arm and on September 1st he was posted to the aircraft carrier HMS Argus as Acting Observer and on May the 4th 1926 he was posted for Pilot Training at RAF Calshot. Later that year he transferred to HMS Furious and then to HMS Courageous. He became an expert meteorologist and was put up for election to FRMS in November 1926

He was married to Doris Mary (nee Butterworth) at St Margaret's Church, Westminster on the 27th of June 1925; they had a son, John Rodney, born on the 6th of July 1926, and three daughters, Audrey, born in 1928 and twins Mylene and Carol, born in 1932.

He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander on the 15th of June 1929 and was posted to the Royal Air Force School of Navigation Cooperation until 1931. In March 1933 he was appointed as observer and meteorological officer of the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle on the China Station and was promoted to Commander on the 30th of June 1933. He went on to command the destroyer HMS Shikari on the 19th of July 1934, HMS President on the 16th of January 1936 and from the 22nd of December 1937 to August 1938, he commanded the destroyer HMS Grenade in the 1st Destroyer Flotilla.

From the 8th of August 1938 to the 28th of November 1939 he commanded the destroyer HMS Intrepid during which time the ship was involved in the successful sinking of the U Boat U-45 to the south west of Ireland on the 14th of October 1939. For his part in this action John Josselyn was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross on the 23rd of December 1939. He was promoted to Captain on the 31st of December 1939 and from the 5th of December 1939 until December 1941 he was an Assistant Director of the Naval Division at the Admiralty. On the 1st of February 1942 he was given command of the cruiser HMS Caradoc a position which he held until June 1943.

On the 1st of July 1943 he took command of the cruiser HMS Hawkins while she was undergoing repairs in the dry dock at Simonstown. In January and February 1944 she was operating in southern waters escorting convoys. He commanded her with distinction during the D-Day landings on the 6th of June 1944 where she supplied fire support for the landings at Utah Beach. For his part in this action John Josselyn was mentioned in despatches on the 14th of November 1944, and was awarded the Legion of Merit, Degree of Officer on the 17th of July 1945 for the same operation. He left the ship on the 20th of November 1944.

From the 21st of July 1947 he was appointed as Director of the Meteorological Service at the Admiralty and he retired from the Navy with the rank of Captain on the 8th of January 1949

He died at Haslar Hospital Gosport in Hampshire after a long illness and his funeral took place on the 18th of September 1961 at Holy Trinity Church Gosport.
Went on to Royal Naval College

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