Henry Burrell (admiral)

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Sir Henry Burrell
HM Australian Fleet (1955–56, 1958)
Chief of the Naval Staff (1959–62)
Battles/warsSpanish Civil War
World War II
Awards
Mentioned in Despatches

mention in despatches
.

Promoted

Knighted
in 1960, Burrell retired to his farm near Canberra in 1962 and published his memoirs, Mermaids Do Exist, in 1986. He died two years later, aged 83.

Early life and career

Henry Mackay Burrell was born at

Blue Mountains district of New South Wales. He was the third child and only son of schoolteacher Thomas Burrell and his wife, Eliza.[1][2] Henry's father, who had emigrated from England, joined the Australian Imperial Force aged 55 during World War I, seeing active service in Egypt.[1] His grandfather and great-grandfather had served in the Royal Navy.[2] Henry attended Parramatta High School before entering the Royal Australian Naval College, Jervis Bay, on 1 January 1918,[3][4] aged 13.[5] A keen sportsman, he competed in rugby union, tennis and hockey, winning colours for hockey. Burrell graduated from the college in 1921 and became a midshipman the next year.[1] He went to sea first aboard the light cruiser HMAS Sydney and then the destroyer HMAS Stalwart. Posted to the United Kingdom for further training in 1924, he served on the light cruiser HMS Caledon and the battleship HMS Malaya.[5][6] In April 1925, he was promoted to sub-lieutenant, rising to lieutenant by July 1926.[1]

HMS Devonshire during the Spanish Civil War

After attending a Royal Navy course in 1930, Burrell became a specialist navigator,[5] and saw service aboard the minesweeper HMS Pangbourne, destroyers HMAS Tattoo and Stuart, and cruiser HMAS Brisbane. He married Margaret MacKay at Scots' Church, Melbourne, on 27 December 1933. Burrell was promoted to lieutenant commander in July 1934, and graduated from an advanced navigation course the next year.[1]

Burrell served on exchange with the Royal Navy as navigator aboard the cruisers HMS Coventry and HMS Devonshire, the latter during her tour of duty in the Spanish Civil War.[7] Described as being "egalitarian" and "approachable", his familiarity with ratings earned him the criticism of Devonshire's captain. Burrell, however, believed that a close relationship between officers and men was necessary for the smooth running of a ship.[1][8] After completing the Royal Navy's staff course in 1938, he returned to Australia and was appointed staff officer (operations) at the Navy Office, Melbourne, in March 1939.[9][10] It was Burrell's first shore-based position, and he spent the next four months bringing naval sections of the War Book (preparations for war) up to date.[9]

World War II

HMAS Norman, commanded by Burrell in 1941–43

Burrell was still based at the Navy Office when World War II broke out in September 1939.[10] A reorganisation of the headquarters in May 1940 saw him promoted to commander and given the new role of Director of Operations, overseeing troop convoys and their air cover, local defence, and staffing issues.[11] Burrell's "full knowledge of Australian naval plans and resources" led to Prime Minister Robert Menzies personally nominating him to participate in staff talks with representatives of the Royal Navy and US Navy in October.[5] Soon after, he was posted as the first Australian naval attaché to Washington, D.C., in an effort to improve communications with the US in light of the threat from Japan.[12] Burrell was credited with helping to foster closer cooperation between the two navies in the Pacific region.[5] He also warned the Australian government that Britain and the US would adopt a "Germany-first" strategy in the event of war with Japan, and that the US was prepared to weaken its Pacific fleet to help secure the Atlantic.[1][13]

Posted to Britain, Burrell was appointed

mentioned in despatches on 19 February 1943 for his "bravery and resource" during the operation.[16][17] By this time Norman was escorting convoys in the Pacific, before deploying to the South Atlantic for anti-submarine duties in April–May.[18]

The news was the greatest thrill for us all ... My words cannot express their joy at deliverance to say nothing of ours.

Commander Burrell on finding survivors of HMAS Perth in a camp at Sendai, Japan[19]

On 23 June 1943, Burrell relinquished command of Norman and returned to the Navy Office, Melbourne, as Director of Plans.

mineralogist Ada Weller (also known as Ada Coggan) on 21 April 1944; the couple had a son and two daughters.[1][3] Burrell took charge of the RAN's latest Tribal-class destroyer, HMAS Bataan, at her commissioning in Sydney on 25 May 1945. Arriving on the scene too late to see action, the ship was deployed to Japan via the Philippines in July, docking in Tokyo on 31 August. There she participated in the formal surrender ceremonies that took place on 2 September aboard USS Missouri. Bataan remained in Japan as Australian Squadron representative until November, assisting with the repatriation of inmates from Japanese prisoner-of-war camps.[20] On a mission to one such camp at Sendai, Burrell located crewmen from the light cruiser HMAS Perth, which had been sunk in the early hours of 1 March 1942 during the Battle of Sunda Strait; 320 of her complement of 680 survived the sinking, 105 dying in captivity.[19][21]

Post-war career

Captain Burrell (right) and crew beside a Bristol Sycamore helicopter on HMAS Vengeance, c. 1954

Burrell's first appointment following the cessation of hostilities was as commander of the 10th Destroyer Flotilla.

inaugural tour of Australia, but continued on duty.[23]

Completing his tour as captain of Vengeance, Burrell briefly resumed the role of Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff in August 1954.

Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1959 New Years Honours,[27] Burrell was raised to vice admiral on 24 February and became First Naval Member, the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS).[1] He succeeded Vice Admiral Sir Roy Dowling.[28]

HMAS Perth, first of the RAN's guided-missile destroyers ordered by Burrell, at sea in 1980

As CNS, Vice Admiral Burrell had to contend with a threat by Defence Minister

minesweepers and the Navy's first purpose-designed hydrographic survey ship, HMAS Moresby.[5][29] The re-equipment program also resulted in augmentation of the RAN's rotary-wing assets with Westland Wessex anti-submarine warfare helicopters. Most significant was the purchase of three Charles F. Adams-class guided-missile destroyers,[5] a decision of "ingenuity and forethought" on the part of Burrell and Navy Minister John Gorton, according to historian Tom Frame.[30] The CNS and his minister enjoyed a close working relationship; Burrell declared that Gorton "deserves our thanks for his efforts", and Gorton called Burrell "one of the most honest, sincere and most dedicated sailors".[31]

The purchase of the destroyers signalled a shift in reliance for equipment from Britain to the United States that was contrary to prevailing Australian defence policy at the time, particularly in what historian

gazetted on 3 June 1960.[35] In June 1961, he met with his opposite numbers in the Army and Air Force at a Chiefs of Staff Committee conference to discuss the necessity of Australia acquiring nuclear weapons; the chiefs agreed that the probability such a capability would be required was remote but that it should remain an option under certain circumstances, a position the defence forces maintained during the ensuing decade.[36]

Retirement

We will need a Navy as long as Australia remains an island—and the best place to fight, if unhappily that should be required, is as far from Australia as possible.

Henry Burrell as CNS, discussing naval air power[37]

Burrell made his farewell to the Australian Fleet aboard HMAS Melbourne at Jervis Bay on 8 February 1962.[38] He left the Navy on 23 February, and was succeeded as CNS by Vice Admiral Hastings Harrington.[1][39] Burrell retired to Illogan Park, his property near Braidwood in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales.[1] His son Stuart followed him into the Royal Australian Naval College in 1963.[40] In retirement Burrell enjoyed horse racing as a gambler and as the owner of several successful mounts.[1] During the 1960s, he was also a member of the ACT Regional Selection Committee of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trusts.[41][42]

Burrell suffered a serious

doubles tennis trophy, established by the admiral in 1955, completed its 58th year of competition in March 2013.[44]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Bateman, "Burrell, Sir Henry Mackay"
  2. ^ a b "Missile age "navy architect" retires". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 21 February 1962. p. 14. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d Cadman, Who's Who in Australia 1988, p. 160
  4. ^ "Burrell, Henry Mackay". World War 2 Nominal Roll. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Dennis et al., The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History, p. 117
  6. ^ "Burrell, H M (Midshipmen, HMAS Sydney, RAN)". Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  7. ^ Stevens, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 97
  8. ^ Stevens, The Royal Australian Navy in World War II , p. 122
  9. ^ a b Stevens, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 60
  10. ^ a b Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942, p. 56 Archived 17 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942, pp. 418–419 Archived 17 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ Stevens, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 116
  13. ^ a b c "RAN loses a distinguished commander". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 10 February 1988. p. 13. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  14. ^ a b Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 16 Archived 20 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ "HMAS Norman (I)". Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  16. ^ "Recommendation: Mention in Dispatches". Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  17. ^ "No. 35915". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 February 1943. p. 935.
  18. ^ a b Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 296–297 Archived 20 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ a b Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 681–682 Archived 20 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  20. ^ "HMAS Bataan". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  21. ^ Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942, pp. 620–622 Archived 20 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  22. ^ Commonwealth of Australia (Navy Office) (October 1947). The Navy List (PDF). Melbourne. p. 39. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2013.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  23. ^ "HMAS Vengeance". Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  24. ^ Commonwealth of Australia (Navy Office) (January 1955). The Navy List (PDF). Melbourne. p. 58. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2013.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  25. ^ "No. 40367". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1954. p. 39.
  26. ^ "HMAS Melbourne (II)". Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  27. ^ "No. 41590". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1958. p. 37.
  28. ^ Rose, The Navy Miscellany, pp. 515–516
  29. ^ a b c Stevens, The Royal Australian Navy, pp. 187–188
  30. ^ Frame, No Pleasure Cruise, p. 284
  31. ^ Hancock, John Gorton, pp. 90, 95
  32. ^ Grey, Up Top, p. 21
  33. ^ Jones; Goldrick, Struggling for a Solution, pp. 7–12
  34. ^ "Helos take over (1984)". Fleet Air Arm Museum. Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 12 February 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  35. ^ "No. 42052". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 June 1960. p. 4009.
  36. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, p. 368
  37. ^ Lewis, "An Argument for Australian Air Power at Sea"
  38. ^ "HMAS Voyager (II)". Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  39. ^ "Vice Admiral Sir Wilfred Hastings Harrington". Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 23 July 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  40. ^ "Building a family tradition". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 2 February 1963. p. 2. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  41. ^ "ANU head is trust choice". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 22 July 1965. p. 1. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  42. ^ "Chairman appointed". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 18 June 1968. p. 1. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  43. ^ "Lessons from a 'lucky' career". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 24 January 1987. p. 2. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  44. ^ Brooke, Michael (14 March 2013). "Victory fine in theory". Navy News. p. 23. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013.

References

Further reading
Military offices
Preceded by
Vice Admiral Sir Roy Dowling
 First Naval Member & Chief of Staff
1959–1962 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Rear Admiral David Harries
Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet

1958–1959 		Succeeded by
Rear Admiral Galfry Gatacre
Preceded by
Rear Admiral Roy Dowling
 Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet
1955–1956 		Succeeded by
Rear Admiral David Harries
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