MISCELLANEOUS x1032
An interesting lot of documents and photographs relating to Vice-Admiral John Knowles Im Thurn, C.B., C.M.G., C.B. E., R.N., who commanded H.M.S. Hood on the World Cruise 1923-24
(a) a purpose-made booklet containing his annual certificates from 1897 to 1918: these reported on his conduct and professional ability and were signed by his captain; (b) examination results for the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, January 1901; (c) letters from the Admiralty (5) notifying Im Thurn of the following appointments - Director of Naval Signalling, 1920; Captain of H.M.S. Hood, 1923; Captain of H.M.S. Victory (command of signal school), 1925; Captain of Queen Elizabeth, 1928; Rear-Admiral for duty in the Admiralty, 1931; (d) letter from the Admiralty expressing regret at his forthcoming transfer to the Retired List and appreciation for his distinguished service, 1935; (e) warrants appointing him C.B.E., 1919; C.M.G., 1924, together with two related letters and a copy of the statutes, in envelope; C. B. (Civil), 1931; Admiral Im Thurn’s own copy of the photograph album produced to record the voyage of the Special Service Squadron 1923-24. The album has a cover in blue suede leather with the title in gold leaf and includes well over 100 photographs in different sizes. It begins with photos of the seven ships and portrait photos of Admiral Field and the respective commanding officers and includes photos of the ships at sea, the ports visited and the V.I.P’s. who visited the ships, good condition (lot)
£200-300
John Knowles Im Thurn was born in Dulwich on 7 March 1881 and joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet on 15 January 1895. He was appointed a Midshipman in 1897 and promoted to Sub-Lieutenant in 1900; Lieutenant in 1902 and Commander in 1910. During 1914-16 he was WT officer at Vernon, responsible for installing wireless equipment in new warships, constructing new shore stations and training personnel. During 1917-18 he was on the staff of Vice- Admiral de Robeck, commanding the Second Battle Squadron. He was promoted to Captain in 1918 and at the end of the war was mentioned in despatches and awarded the C.B.E.
In 1918 he was appointed assistant Director of the Electrical Section of Torpedoes and Mining at the Admiralty and in 1920 he became the first Director of the Naval Signals Department. During 1922-23 he commanded the light cruiser Ceres in the Mediterranean. He was then appointed to command the battlecuiser Hood and was also the Chief of Staff to Rear-Admiral Sir Frederick Field, commanding the Special Service Squadron. The squadron, consisting of Hood, Repulse and five light cruisers, sailed from Devonport in November 1923 and visited most of the dominions and colonies of the British Empire, as well as ports in the U.S.A., returning to England in September 1924. For his services Im Thurn was awarded the C.M.G.
His next appointment was to the command of the Signal School at Portsmouth. In March 1928 he was appointed to command the battleship Queen Elizabeth as Commodore 1st Class. Again he was Flag Captain and Chief of Staff to Admiral Field, commanding the Mediterranean Fleet. He was appointed Rear-Admiral and A.D.C. to the King in 1929 and created C.B. in 1931. During 1931-33 he was Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff. Im Thurn then commanded the First Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean Fleet, 1933-35, flying his flag on London. He was promoted to Vice-Admiral in 1935 and commanded his squadron in the Jubilee Naval Review prior to retiring. On the outbreak of the Second World War he came out of retirement to command convoys as a Commodore, R.N.R., after which he held appointments at the Admiralty. He died in London on 5 July 1956.
With copied research. 1033
AN ORIGINAL, COMPLETE AND INTERESTING SET OF R.A.F. FLYING LOG BOOKS (4) APPERTAINING TO Air Vice-Marshal W. D. Disbrey, C.B., C. B.E., A.F.C., Royal Air Force, the first of them covering the period September 1931 to February 1934, the second February 1934 to June 1939, the third July 1939 to October 1953 and the fourth February 1953 (commencing with carried over entries from the third) to October 1961, the month of September 1942 particularly noteworthy for a succession of high altitude flights in Spitfire Mk. IXs, including a record height of 43,500 feet on the 16th, but the whole representative of much further challenging flight, including attachment to the Fleet Air Arm 1934-37 (‘Hit funnel when taking off, returned and landed’ and a ‘first solo’ on the new type Swordfish), through to early glider work and the age of the jet, and, according to his own “Aircraft Flown” list, evidence of activity in some 60 different types (and 10 glider types), spines worn/weak, contents good (Lot)
£340-380
William Daniel Disbrey was born in London in August 1912 and, after completing his education at Minchenden School, entered the Royal Air Force as an Apprentice in 1928. He subsequently gained a cadetship to Cranwell, was awarded his “Wings” and was posted as a Pilot Officer to No. 3 Fighter Squadron, a Bulldog unit, in 1933.
In the following year, however, he was attached to the Fleet Air Arm, in which capacity he served until 1938, a period that witnessed him carrying out 270 deck-landings (33 of them at night), mainly on the Courageous and Glorious while on the strength of No. 823 (F. S.R.) Squadron. He also participated in the official fly pasts for the R.N. Reviews at Spithead in 1935 and Gosport in 1937. He was awarded the A.F.C., the recommendation stating:
‘For experimental work of the very greatest value to the Fleet Air Arm in night deck landings and night operations.
This work had been largely responsible for the present for the standardisation of deck lighting as well as for the high state of training in night deck landing and night operations now obtaining on H.M.S. Glorious.
Flight Lieutenant Disbrey has made 33 night deck landings of which 14 were operational flights carried out off Alexandria during the Abyssinian crisis in May 1936, five were operational flights in subsequent fleet exercises, six were experimental and the remainder practice landings. His total of 72 hours night flying in the Fleet Air Arm has largely been made up of experimental work in night searches, shadowing, and night torpedo attacks.
I do not think that there is any other officer, either Naval, or in the R.A.F., with such a fine record of night flying in the Fleet Air Arm. I consider this work deserves the acknowledgement herein recommended.’
Disbrey next attended a specialist engineering course at R.A.F. Henlow, a posting that set the mould for his future career, not least in respect of his subsequent wartime appointments as Engineer Officer of Fighter Command 1940-43 and 2nd Tactical Air Force 1943-45 - having been awarded the O.B.E. in 1943, he was promoted to C.B.E. at the War’s end.
Disbrey went on to enjoy a highly successful post-war career and held several senior appointments in the R.A.F’s engineering branches, among them that of Director-General of Engineering 1964-1967, for which he was created a C.B. in the latter year, and Air Officer Engineering, Strike Command 1968-70. Having retired in the latter year, he became Technical Manager of the Training Institute, Airwork Services, Saudi Arabia, where no doubt he found time to enjoy his favoured recreations of golf and sailing before settling in retirement at Reading in Berkshire. He died in June 2001; sold with copied research.
www.dnw.co.uk
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