George Jones (Canadian admiral)

George Jones
George Jones
	Companion of the Order of the Bath

Vice-Admiral George Clarence Jones, (24 October 1895 – 8 February 1946) was a Royal Canadian Navy vice admiral who served as Chief of the Naval Staff

from 15 January 1944 to 28 February 1946.

lieutenant. The position became permanent on 1 June that year. In 1917, Jones transferred to the depot ship HMS Hecla.^[2] Jones became the first lieutenant of the destroyer HMS Vanquisher in 1917, serving with the ship until 1918.^[1]^[2] That year, Jones joined HMS Wallington and HMS Leander for periods of time.^[2]

Interwar years

Following the war, Lieutenant Jones returned to the RNCC from 1919 to 1920.

Naval Service Headquarters in 1925.^[2]

In 1927, Jones was assigned to the battleship

captain. Nelles preferred Jones as an officer, and his professional reviews of Jones were better than those he gave Murray.^[7] That year, Jones became Senior Naval Officer Esquimalt based at HMCS Naden. This was followed by a term as Director of Naval Operations and Training in 1936.^[2] On 1 August 1938, Jones was promoted to captain, while Murray was promoted a day later, making Jones senior to Murray. Jones was then assigned to HMCS Ottawa and brought the destroyer from the West Coast to the East Coast and was named Captain (D) Canadian Flotilla in 1938.^[2]^[7]

Second World War

As Captain (D) of the Canadian Flotilla, Jones had control over the East Coast destroyer force during the opening months of the

heart attack, making the only witness to the even swear secrecy so that Jones could continue his naval career.^[9]

Nelles liked Jones' ability to do staff work and got the permission from the

invasion of Europe.^[12] In 1943 and became Chief of the Naval Staff.^[2] Jones was caught off guard by the announcement of his promotion.^[13]

Upon assuming office, Jones drew up plans to dismiss and forcibly retire scores of former Royal Navy and

Royal Canadian Naval Reserve officers in a purge. The dismissal of former Royal Navy officers was an effort by Jones to allow Canadian officers to prove themselves and to make the service more Canadian.^[14] It was also during his tenure that the issues that had plagued Nelles, such as fleet modernisation and training, were mostly resolved.^[15] On 9 May 1944, he was promoted to vice admiral.^[2] Jones then sought to transfer 70% of the Royal Canadian Navy fleet to the Pacific in tandem with the Royal Navy. Working with MacDonald and Lay, Jones received approval from the Cabinet. However, the British assumed Canada would send its fleet to help the Royal Navy recover lost colonies in the South Pacific, to which King wanted no part of. As King grew angry at the efforts by MacDonald and Jones' to keep their word to the British that Canada would join them in the South Pacific, the two shifted blame onto Nelles as the scapegoat. When Nelles came home to give an update, he learned he was to be forcibly retired in January 1945. Jones and MacDonald travelled to England and managed to get the aircraft carriers and destroyers that had been promised in trade for Canadian support in the South Pacific without going against King's wishes.^[16]

Jones' advocated further ties with the

VE-Day celebration. This led to the dismissal of Rear Admiral Murray, who was Commander-in-Chief Northwest Atlantic, whom Jones blamed for the situation. Jones assumed the title Commander-in-Chief Northwest Atlantic in his place. Jones initially left Harry DeWolf in charge in Ottawa as acting Chief of Naval Staff and focused his attention on the Northwest Atlantic. This led to instability in Ottawa, as DeWolf did not have enough authority and eventually Rear Admiral Cuthbert Taylor was put in place in Ottawa while Jones continued to focus on the Northwest Atlantic.^[17] Following the war's end, demobilisation efforts were restricted by the lack of direction from Ottawa, an issue that was not resolved until Jones' successor took over.^[18]

Jones died in office in 1946.[19] The cause of death was ruled to be a cerebral hemorrhage caused by hypertension.^[18]

Awards and decorations

Jones's personal awards and decorations include the following:

Ribbon	Description	Notes
	Order of the Bath (CB)	Decoration awarded 5 June 1943 as per Canada Gazette and 2 June 1943 in the London Gazette ^[20] Companion level
	1914-15 Star	WWI 1914-1918
	British War Medal	WWI 1914-1918
	Victory Medal (United Kingdom)	WWI 1914-1918
	1939–1945 Star	WWII 1939-1945
	Atlantic Star	WWII 1939-1945
	Canadian Volunteer Service Medal	with Overseas Service bar
	War Medal 1939–1945	WWII 1939-1945
	King George V Silver Jubilee Medal	Decoration awarded on 6 May 1935
	King George VI Coronation Medal	Decoration awarded on 12 May 1937
	Commander of the Legion of Merit	Decoration awarded 3 August 1946 As per the Canada Gazette and on the 10 July 1946 in the London Gazette^[21] Commander level United States award
	Legion of Honour	Decoration awarded 1 November 1946 Commander level France award
	Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 with palm	Decoration awarded on 1 December 1948 France award
	Order of St. Olav	Decoration awarded on 1 December 1948 Norwegian award

Citations

^ ^a ^b Whitby et al., p. 127
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q "Biographical data: Jones, George Clarence". nauticapedia.ca. 25 December 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
^ Whitby et al., p. 128
^ Whitby et al., pp. 128–129
^ Whitby et al., p. 129
^ Whitby et al., pp. 129–130
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Whitby et al., p. 130
^ ^a ^b ^c Whitby et al., p. 131
^ ^a ^b Whitby et al., p. 132
^ Whitby et al., pp. 131–132
^ Whitby et al., pp. 132–134
^ Whitby et al., p. 136
^ Whitby et al., p. 137
^ Whitby et al., pp. 138–139
^ Whitby et al., pp. 140–142
^ Whitby et al., pp. 142–145
^ Whitby et al., pp. 145–147
^ ^a ^b Whitby et al., p. 148
^ Horn and Harris, p. 193
^ CB "Now Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, this officer having commanded His Majesty's Canadian ships in the Atlantic in the early part of the war, was Commanding Officer Atlantic Coast for nearly two years. An outstanding officer of great ability, his contribution since the outbreak of war to the part that the Royal Canadian Navy is now able to take in the United Nations War Effort, particularly in the maintenance of the Atlantic lifeline, has been most marked, and is deserving of the highest recognition."
^ "For exceptionally meritorious service to the Government of the United States from 1 October 1942 to 8 February 1946. As the Canadian Naval Member for the Joint Permanent Board on Defences, Vice-Admiral Jones was untiring in his efforts to further and strengthen the ties of friendship and co-operation between Canada and the United States. As Chief of the Naval Staff from January 1944 to February 1946, he was responsible for the excellent integration of the Canadian and United States Navies which resulted in the complete defeat of the enemy in the Atlantic."

References

Horn, Bernd; Harris, Stephen, eds. (2001). Warrior Chiefs: Perspectives on Senior Canadian Military Leaders. Toronto: Dundurn Press.
ISBN -1-55002-351-9
.

Whitby, Michael; Gimblett, Richard H.; Haydon, Peter (2006). The Admirals: Canada's Senior Naval Leadership in the Twentieth Century. Toronto: Dundurn Press.
ISBN 978-1-55002-580-4
.

Military offices
Preceded by Percy Nelles	Chief of the Naval Staff 1944–1946	Succeeded by Howard Reid

[whitby127-1] Whitby et al., p. 127

[nauticapedia-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q "Biographical data: Jones, George Clarence". nauticapedia.ca. 25 December 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2017.

[3] Whitby et al., p. 128

[4] Whitby et al., pp. 128–129

[5] Whitby et al., p. 129

[6] Whitby et al., pp. 129–130

[whitby130-7] Whitby et al., p. 130

[whitby131-8] Whitby et al., p. 131

[whitby132-9] Whitby et al., p. 132

[10] Whitby et al., pp. 131–132

[11] Whitby et al., pp. 132–134

[12] Whitby et al., p. 136

[13] Whitby et al., p. 137

[14] Whitby et al., pp. 138–139

[15] Whitby et al., pp. 140–142

[16] Whitby et al., pp. 142–145

[17] Whitby et al., pp. 145–147

[whitby148-18] Whitby et al., p. 148

[19] Horn and Harris, p. 193

[20] CB "Now Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, this officer having commanded His Majesty's Canadian ships in the Atlantic in the early part of the war, was Commanding Officer Atlantic Coast for nearly two years. An outstanding officer of great ability, his contribution since the outbreak of war to the part that the Royal Canadian Navy is now able to take in the United Nations War Effort, particularly in the maintenance of the Atlantic lifeline, has been most marked, and is deserving of the highest recognition."

[21] "For exceptionally meritorious service to the Government of the United States from 1 October 1942 to 8 February 1946. As the Canadian Naval Member for the Joint Permanent Board on Defences, Vice-Admiral Jones was untiring in his efforts to further and strengthen the ties of friendship and co-operation between Canada and the United States. As Chief of the Naval Staff from January 1944 to February 1946, he was responsible for the excellent integration of the Canadian and United States Navies which resulted in the complete defeat of the enemy in the Atlantic."

[2]

[1]

[7]

[9]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[20]

[21]

v t e Commanders of the Royal Canadian Navy
Directors of the Naval Service	Charles Kingsmill Walter Hose
Chiefs of the Naval Staff	Walter Hose Percy Nelles George Jones Howard Reid Harold Grant Rollo Mainguy Harry DeWolf Herbert Rayner
Principal Naval Adviser	Kenneth Dyer Ralph Hennessy
Commanders, Maritime Command	William Landymore John O'Brien Henry Porter Robert Timbrell Douglas Boyle Andrew Collier John Allan Andrew Fulton James Wood Charles Thomas Robert George John Anderson Peter Cairns Larry Murray Lynn Mason
Chiefs of the Maritime Staff	Gary Garnett Greg Maddison Ronald Buck Bruce MacLean Drew Robertson Dean McFadden
Commanders of the Royal Canadian Navy	Paul Maddison Mark Norman Ron Lloyd Art McDonald Craig Baines Angus Topshee