Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) officers 1939-1945 -- O

Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) Officers
1939-1945

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Note. In naval circles it is custom to refer to the commander of a vessel as Captain. The Navy List bears the phrase "in command".
Strictly out of practical considerations CO (Commanding Officer) is used here on this site. Abbreviations and explanations can be found at the help page.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Oates, G.S.
to
Owens, R.F.

G.S. Oates to R.F. Owens

Oates,
George Samuel
G.S. Oates
Son of John Oates, and Frances Marie Nixon.
Married ...; ... children (one son?). (09?).1911
Middlesborough district, North Riding of Yorkshire
-
1963 ?
North Riding of Yorkshire ?

T/Wt.Eng. 21.12.1942 (reld > 04.1946)

T/Lt. (E) RNVR 25.02.1946, seniority 25.08.1945

11.04.1944 - (10.1944) HMS Copra (Combined Operations accounting base) (for landing craft duty)

(01.1945) no appointment listed

25.05.1945 - (07.1945) HM LST 3035 (landing ship, tank)

25.02.1946 transferred, RNVR

(04.1946) no appointment listed

O'Connor,
Ernest William
E.W. O'Connor
Son (with two brothers and three sisters) of James Connor (1843-), and Keturah Theizah Raymond (1846-).
Married (05.12.1908, Parish Church, Claverdon, Warwickshire) Annie Wilkinson Bousfield (née Tetley), daughter (with two brothers and one sister) of Richard James Tetley (1828-1900), and Harriett Jefferson (1837-1873). 27.05.1876
Acton, Middlesex
-
26.04.1969
Claverdon, Warwickshire

T/Lt.Cdr. 12.03.1940, seniority 02.09.1939

T/A/Cdr. > 08.1942, < 10.1942

OBE 03.06.1931 HM's birthday 1931: Senior Captain, Sea Transport Service of the Board of Trade.

DSC 15.06.1917 in recognition of service with the East African Military Forces as Master of Transport "Barjora" *

* Showed exceptional ability in the coast operations, the success of the landings being largely due to his professional capacity and zeal.

(03.1940) - (06.1940) HMS Victory (RN base, Portsmouth) *

13.06.1940 - (12.)1940 HMS Victory (RN base, Portsmouth) (fir miscellaneous services)

01.12.1940 - (01.)1942 HMS Bacchante (RN base, Aberdeen) (for Sea Transport)

23.01.1942 - (07.1945) HMS Forte (RN base, Falmouth) (for Divisional Sea Transport Service)

* indexed, but not listed as such

O'Donoghue,
Denis Hyland
D.H. O'Donoghue 1917?
-
09.11.2005

... ...

T/Midsh. 17.08.1942

T/A/S.Lt. 25.09.1945

T/S.Lt. 03.05.1946, seniority 25.03.1946

... ...

Lt. RN 25.03.1948 (extended service commission terminated on transfer to RNZN 07.02.1951)

Education: Nautical College, Pangbourne.

... - ... ...

? - (10.1945) HMS Easton

... - ... ...

Olding,
Leonard Alexander
L.A. Olding
Son (with three brothers and one sister) of Robert Charles Olding (1880-1918), and Ann Benting (1880-1917).
Married ((12?).1940, Surrey North Eastern district, Surrey) Mary "Molly" Woolhouse (05.09.1915 - 04.2001), daughter of John Richard Woolhouse (1877-1956), and Beatrice Brier (1880-1924); four daughters, one son. 17.12.1912
Brentford district, Middlesex
-
08.2004
Braintree, Essex

T/S.Lt. (E) 23.04.1940

T/Lt. (E) 02.02.1942 (reld > 10.1946)

Served Metropolitan Police, 17.07.1933-28.07.1935 (police constable, G Division).

temporary officer serving under T.124X Agreements:

23.04.1940 - (12.)1940 HMS Ausonia (heavy repair ship)

16.12.1940 - (06.)1941 HMS Prins Albert (landing ship infantry (small))

16.06.1941 - (08.)1941 HMS Prince Philippe (landing ship infantry (small))

02.08.1941 - (11.)1943 HMS Prins Albert (landing ship infantry (small))

27.11.1943 - (06.)1944 HMS Speaker (Archer class escort carrier)

(10.1944) - (04.1945) HMS Archer (Archer class escort carrier) *

04.06.1945 - (10.)1945 HMS Hunter (Archer class escort carrier)

30.12.1945 - (10.)1946 HMS Mersey (T124X depot, Liverpool)

* indexed, but not listed as such

Olsen,
Johan Ingvald
J.I. Olsen
Son of Nils and Gustava Olsen; husband of Anna Jeannette Olsen, of Ula, Norway.
11.12.1892
Norway
-
19.07.1944
[age 51]
[Kingston (Up Park Camp) Military Cemetery, Jamaica, C.32]

T/Lt.
16.11.1940

(02.1941)

HMS Gvas II (minesweeping trawler) *

(12.1941)

no appointment listed

?
-
19.07.1944
HMS Texas

* indexed, but not listed as such

Olsen *,
Thorbjørn
T. Olsen (Photo courtesy of Kari-Ann Kristiansen)
Son of Lars Martin Olsen and Mathilde Enersen, of Larvik, Norway.
Married (1925, Tjølling, Vestfold, Norway) Louise Pernille Hansdatter Halsen (1898-), of Larvik.
* initially: Vasvik 1900
Norway
-
29.01.1942
[age 42]
[Lowestoft Naval Memorial, panel 8, column 1]

T/Lt. (E) 19.08.1940

19.08.1940 - (02.)1941 [Commanding Officer?], HMS Svana (minesweeping trawler)

01.07.1941 - 29.01.1942 First Lieutenant, HMS Sotra (minesweeping trawler) [sunk by the German U-boat U-431 outside Tobruk]

Onslow,
Denzil Richard Cranley
D.R.C. Onslow ?
-

T/Lt.
28.06.1940

T/A/Lt.Cdr.
1944? (reld 1945/46)

MID
13.04.1943
Operation Torch

(11.1942)

HMS Westcott (destroyer)

15.05.1943
-
(10.1944)
Commanding Officer, HMS Poppy (corvette)

21.05.1945
-
(07.1945)
Commanding Officer, HM LST 3020 (landing ship, tank)

Orchard,
William John
W.J. Orchard 23.12.1900
-
14.04.1942
(died of drowning) [age 41]
[Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery, R.C. Section (Officers'), plot N, collective grave 2]

T/Skpr. 12.10.1940 [TS 776]

29.10.1940 - 22.12.1940 HMS Europa (RN Patrol Service central depot, Sparrow's Nest, Lowestoft)

23.12.1940 - 29.12.1940 HMS Watchful (anti-submarine & minesweeper base, Great Yarmouth)

30.12.1940 - 19.02.1941 HMS Europa (RN Patrol Service central depot, Sparrow's Nest, Lowestoft) (additional; for disposal)

20.02.1941 - 07.07.1941 Commanding Officer, HMS Eddy (auxiliary minesweeping drifter) [based at HMS St Angelo (RN base, Malta)]

08.07.1941 - 09.11.1941 Commanding Officer, HMS Sunset(auxiliary minesweeping drifter) [based at HMS St Angelo (RN base, Malta)]

(02.1942) - (04.1942) no appointment listed [according to Commonwealth War Graves Commission last appointment: HMS St Angelo (RN base, Malta)]

Orsborne,
George Black
"Dod"
G.B. Orsborne

07.1903
Buckie, Scotland
-
1958

T/Skpr.
01.09.1942 [TS 1270] (reld > 04.1946)

In 1942 he was commissioned as an officer to Royal Navy´s Special Operations. In this duty he says he participated in operations in Dieppe and Tobruk, and also claims being a beachmaster in Normandy, in the D-day. He tells his training of commandos took place in the Isle of Wight, and the training mostly consisted of teaching how to operate motor boats that were used in the military operations.

08.1944
-
(10.1944)
HMS Manatee (landing craft base, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight)

(01.1945)

no appointment listed

16.02.1945
-
(04.1946)
HMS Braganza (RN base, Bombay, India) (for miscellaneous services)

Published: The voyage of the "Girl Pat" (1937); Knot-book for Combined Operations, etc. (1943); Master of the Girl Pat (1949); Danger is my destiny (1955); Voyage of the Victory (1956); Adventurer in chains (1957).

O'Sullivan,
Patrick Percival
P.P. O'Sullivan (Photo courtesy of Mr John Kelsey) (06?).1911
Devonport district, Devon
-
08.12.1965
Bootle, Liverpool North district, Lancashire

T/Lt. 25.08.1942 (reld < 04.1946)

Cmdn 29.07.1941 SS Venetia torpedoed & sunk 16.03.41

? - 16.03.1941 served Merchant Navy (as Third Officer) aboard SS Venetia (torpedoed & sunk) (commendation)

22.03.1943 - (10.1944) HMS Bann (frigate)

(01.1945) no appointment listed

(07.1945) no appointment listed

Master Mariner, Merchant Navy.

Ovenston,
James McGill

Son of William Ovenston and Janet McGill; married 18.11.1927 with Barbara Morison Diack (1905-1976); one son, one daughter.
03.02.1900
Elie, Fife, Scotland
-
1976
Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, Scotland

Prob. T/Lt.
12.02.1941

T/Lt.
?, seniority 12.02.1941

MBE
24.05.1940
action 21.01.40 *

Lloyd's
?
?

served Merchant Navy:

(01.1940)

Chief Officer, SS Ferryhill (Aberdeen Coal Company Ltd., Aberdeen)

12.02.1941
-
(07.1945)
served Royal Navy:

12.02.1941
-
(02.1943)
Examination Service, HMS Bacchante (RN base, Aberdeen)

06.1943

-

(07.1945)

served in the Mediterranean
[click here for his details up to August 1943]:

02.06.1943
-
12.06.1943
RN base, Soussa

13.06.1943
-
17.08.1943
RN base, Pantellaria

18.08.1943
-
21.08.1943
RN base, Malta

22.08.1943

-

?

HMS Melissa (auxiliary patrol repair vessel) (Augusta)

12.1944

-

(07.1945)

HMS Fabius (RN base, Taranto) (for sea transport duties, Ancona)

* S.S. "Ferryhill " was unarmed and had no wireless. She was proceeding to meet a north-bound convoy when in the early afternoon a mine exploded on her port bilge keel. The Chief Officer was on the boat-deck swinging out the boats, when he saw a great yellow flash which came up nearly to the bridge. He then saw smoke and a column of sea coming up like a water spout. One and perhaps two boilers had burst, and the ship broke in two; the forward end came up and the after end went down like a stone. She heeled right over, the stern came out of the sea and the funnel came off. The starboard boat slid across the boat-deck and was smashed in the water. The crew were amidships. The Steward, who was resting below, was killed. The Second Mate was badly wounded in the forehead. The Chief Engineer got his life-jacket on, but the rest must have been killed when the boat came across the deck. It was Second Engineer Grassie's watch below, but he had just come up to see how a job he had done was holding, and this saved him. The Chief Officer tried to save the Chief Engineer; he was blown across the deck and his forehead hit the derricks. He saw a door floating over the after end of the ship and told the Chief Engineer to come to it with him, but he stood there dazed. He himself now lost his hold on the door; he tried to get his sea-boots off, but his hands were numb with cold. Seeing Grassie in the water, he swam out to him; the ship went down. He took hold of Grassie, who was badly hurt, and together they hung on to the hatch until the minesweeper "Young Jacobs" came along. She threw some lines, with one of which the Chief Officer took a turn round Grassie to keep him up, and asked "Young Jacobs" if she had a ladder. They put the ladder overboard, and he went up, helping Grassie after him. They went down into the engine-room, and Grassie, who was frozen with cold, was brought round. They had been in the water some thirty-five minutes.

Owen,
Trevor Lewis
T.L. Owen ?
-
[1959 still alive]

Lt.
31.12.1923

Lt.Cdr.
31.12.1931

Cdr.
30.06.1937

Capt.
30.06.1942

A/Cdre. 2nd cl.
14.07.1942 (retd > 07.1944)

OBE
11.06.1942
HM's birthday 42

RD
?
?

(1942)

Commanding Officer, HMS Hilary (ocean boarding vessel)

14.07.1942
-
(08.1942)
Commodore of Ocean Convoys [HMS Eaglet]

(07.1945)
-
(04.1946)
no posting listed

Owens,
Sir Arthur Lewis
A.L. Owens

28.02.1883
-
06.07.1967

Cdr. 31,12,1924

Capt. 30.06.1931 (retd 28.02.1938)

A/Cdre. 2nd cl. 06.1943? (reverted to retd 12.12.1945) (removed from retd 29.11.1954)

Kt 01.01.1943 New Year 43 *

RD 28.08.1924 -

* Commanded the Orient liner Orion on her maiden voyage, when she went to the rescue of the Doric off the coast of Portugal in 1935 and saved 500 passengers.
Master, Merchant Navy. Master, SS Orion, 1935 (knighted).

... - ... ...

10.12.1936 - 28.02.1938 RNR ADC to the King

01.02.1943 - (06.)1943 HMS Hannibal (RN base, Algiers) (for Sea Transport Duties, Algiers)

06.1943 - (04.)1945 Commodore of Ocean Convoys [HMS Eaglet (RN base, Liverpool) (for flotilla duties)]

(07.1945) - (10.1945) no appointment listed

Owens,
Richard Frank
R.F. Owens ?
-
05.11.1940
(KIA)
[Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 40, column 1]

Prob. Midsh.
02.09.1939

Midsh.
1940?, seniority 02.09.1939

?
-
05.11.1940 HMS Jervis Bay (armed merchant cruiser)

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Oates, G.S.
to
Owens, R.F.