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Old 03-05-17, 02:10 PM
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RCN RCN is offline
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Default VAdm G.C.JONES, CB, RCN.

Vice Admiral George Clarence JONES was the CNS (Chief of the Naval Staff) for the RCN from1 Jan 1944 until his death on 2 Feb 1946.

I have just recently acquired this beautiful studio portrait of Admiral Jones.







George Jones is pretty much forgotten today but he was a major figure in the RCN during the pre 2WW interwar period when the RCN was really struggling to maintain an existence in Canada in those days of the depression.
Jones was a member of the First class of the newly created RNCC (Royal Naval College of Canada) that class commencing on 1 Jan 1911. he passed out prior to 1WW seeing service & action with RN ships during 1WW.
He certainly showed ability & promise as he received rapid promotion during that conflict. Sub Lieut(1 Dec'15), & Lieut(1Jan '17). During the interwar years he served on & commanded ships of the RCN. He was promoted to Lt Commander 1 Jan '25, Commander 1 Jan '29,
& Captain 1 Aug '38.

During 2WW he had two ship commands then Commodore Commanding the Atlantic coast of Canada 15 Sep '40, receiving promotion to Rear Admiral 1 Sep '41, & in Dec '41 being appointed to naval Headquarters in Ottawa as Vice CNS. It was Jones who largely managed the rapid expansion of the wartime RCN.
Jones was promoted to Vice Admiral & CNS (succeeding VAdm Percy Nelles)
on 1 Jan '44.
Jones remained as CNS until dying of a heart attack on 2 Feb '46.
He had had a prior heart attack in early '44 after assuming CNS, but managed to keep it quiet, had the RCN medical authorities become aware of his heart condition Jones would likely have been medically invalided out of the RCN which no doubt he was well aware of.

Jones was very strict about regulations, very aggressive(which can be seen in his photo), controversial when CNS, & a very difficult man to work for, this being mentioned in post war bios & histories of the RCN being written after the war.
He was tho, a great supporter of the WRCNS (formed in Aug '42) & did much to advance their standing within the RCN framework.
It was George Jones that permitted the WRCNS to wear(in mid '43) the gold rank & rate badges of the regular RCN & Reserves. He also accomplished a considerable amount in the building up a Canada's wartime shipbuilding industry that really expanded during the conflict.
What Jones might have accomplished post war is difficult to speculate. Unlike many of his RCN contemporaries Jones was very much for the Canadianization of the RCN which began to take place under his successors commencing in '47.

His nickname was "Jetty Jones", acquired perhaps as he only went to sea in the early part of the war. I doubt many had the courage to mention that to his presence tho!

His medal group consists of - 1914-15 star, British War & Victory medals, 1935 Geo V Jubilee medal, 1937 Geo VI Coronation medal, CVSM(clasp), 1939-43 star (as it was then known), & the CB, which he was aware of & wore ribbons of during the latter part of the war.
He also was awarded, after he passed away, the Atlantic star, War medal, Commander of the Legion of Merit(USA), Commander of the Legion of Honour (France), C de G avec Palmes(France), & Knight 1st class order of St Olaf(Norway).

I don't know where George Jones was subsequently buried but I am trying to find out.

Bryan

Bryan

Last edited by RCN; 04-05-17 at 08:38 PM.
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