Commander David Franks Townsend OBE (6B46)
| Date of Birth: | 5 Apr 1912 |
|---|---|
| Date of Death: | 23 Feb 2001 |
| Generation: | 8th |
| Residence: | Dunmow, Essex |
| Father: | Crewe Armand Hamilton Townsend [6B37] |
| Mother: | Franks, Rhoda Mary Whitmore |
| Spouse: |
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| Issue: | |
| See Also: | Table VIB ; Lineage ; Ancestors' Tree ; Descendents' Tree |
Notes for Commander David Franks Townsend RN. OBE. See also Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939-1945
Married 17 November 1939 at Toppesfield. Miriam Lampen was the daughter of Canon Herbert Dudley Lampen, Rector of Toppesfield, Great Yeldham, Essex. The bride's father took the service.
David joined Britannia Royal Naval College as a cadet on 1 September 1929 and was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant on 20 December 1933 (1). Promoted Lieutenant on 1 February 1934 he saw service with the Atlantic Fleet, the Mediterranean Fleet and the Home Fleet prior to the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. During the early stages of the war he served in the cruiser HMS Devonshire. Promoted to Lieutenant Commander in early 1942 (2), David was appointed Captain of the destroyer HMS Newark in 1942 and the following year Captain of the destroyer HMS Tenacious, remaining in command until 1945. He was Mentioned in Desptaches in 1942, 1943 and 1944; the latter being for the part his ship played in the sinking of U453.
David was promoted Commander on 30 June 1947 at which time he was working in the Royal Naval Plans Division at the Admiralty. In 1948 he was appointed Naval Attache Bangkok following which he held a variety of shore based appointments prior to his retirement in April 1960 (3). He was appointed OBE on his retirement from the Royal Navy in 1960 (4).
David was living in Dunmow, Essex when he died.
(1) London Gazette 34008 page 42051 dated 26 December 1933.
(2) London Gazette 35463 page 841 dated 20 February 1942.
(3) London Gazette 42001 page 2470 dated 5 April 1960.
(4) London Gazette 42051 page 3977 dated 3 June 1960.