Captain Ralph Cyril Medley, DSO, OBE

Other Events and Attributes:

• Baptism: 27 Oct 1906
• Residence: 2 Apr 1911, Mears Ashby, Northamptonshire; Age: 4; Relation to Head of House: Son

Notes:

4th son. Baptised at Segrave, Northants 17 October 1906. Educated at Royal Naval Colleges of Osborne 1920-21, Dartmouth 1921-23.

Midshipman September 1924; Sub-Lieut. 1928; Lieut. April 1929. Has served in H.M.Ss. Benbow, Wessex, Cornwall, Sandwich and Devonshire. On the China station 1928-31; the Mediterranean station 1931, China 1932. Lieutenant Commander 1937. Commander 1940. Captain 1947. Served also in Crusader (Home Fleet; and Red Sea during Abyssinian War). R.N. Staff College 1937. Commanded destroyers Stronghold and Beagle 1938-39. In July 1939 appointed Staff Officer to Commodore, South American Division. At Battle of River Plate in Ajax (Despatches). Commanded Beagle for the second time in Greenock Escort Force 1942-43 and took part in Russian Convoys (D.S.O. July 1942) and North African Landing. Lent to Royal Canadian Navy March 1943 for command of C3 Atlantic Escort Group and served in Burnham, Saskatchewan and Prince Rupert. Appointed Staff Officer (Operations) to Commander-in-Chief,
Mediterranean, July 1944, at Caserta, Italy, and later at Malta. O.B.E. 1945. Drafting Commander, Portsmouth R.N. Barracks 1947-48. Commanded Cardigan Bay in Mediterranean and as Captain, 4th Frigate Flotilla on China Station 1948-50. Deputy Director Admiralty Operations Division 1950-52. Senior Directing Staff Officer at Joint Services Staff College, Latimer, Bucks., 1952-54. Chief Staff Officer to (French) Admiral, Central European Command at N.A.T.O. Headquarters at Fontainebleu 1955-57, as Commodore.

Retired March 1957. Became Clerk to the Worshipful Company of Sadlers from 1960-71. A Freeman of the City of London and Honorary Assistant of the Saddlers' Company in 1971. Lived at Emsworth, Hants. 1938-57 and from the latter year, at Biggs Cave, Dinton, Aylesbury, Bucks.

Retired first to Aynho, and then to Chilton House Nursing Home where he died.

2 daughters: Shirley Vivienne m. Robert Antony Lewis Phipps and has issue; Carolyn m. Ian Richard Taylor and has issue.

Birth:
Rectory

Ralph married Letitia Ethel Boyce on 16 Jun 1934 in Farringdon Church, Hungerford, Berkshire. Letitia (daughter of Harry Augustus Boyce and Minnie Gabriella Williams) was born on 21 Mar 1909 in Plymouth, Devon; died in Oct 2002 in Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Robert Antony Lewis Phipps. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Ian Richard Taylor. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]