John Babington (Royal Navy officer)

John Herbert Babington, GC, OBE (6 February 1911 – 25 March 1992) was a British teacher and Royal Navy officer who was awarded the George Cross for "great gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty" in defusing bombs during World War II.[1]

John Herbert Babington
Born(1911-02-06)6 February 1911
Tai Chow Foo, China
Died25 March 1992(1992-03-25) (aged 81)
West Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Naval Volunteer Reserve
RankLieutenant Commander
UnitHMS President
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsGeorge Cross
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Other workHeadmaster at the Royal Hospital School

George Cross

Following a Luftwaffe air raid on the Royal Navy shore establishment at Chatham Dockyard (HMS Pembroke) Babington defused a bomb which had fallen that was fitted with an anti-withdrawal device. Babington was attached to HMS President in London.

Citation

Notice of Babington's George Cross appeared in the London Gazette on 27 December 1940.

The King has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the George Cross for great gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty to: Probationary Temporary Sub-Lieutenant (Sp) John Herbert Babington R.N.V.R.

— London Gazette

Later war career

He was later appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire for gallantry in 1944.

Postwar career

Babington became the Headmaster at the Royal Hospital School and the Ashlyns School, Berkhamsted, the first co-educational bilateral school in Hertfordshire. He was headmaster of Diss Grammar School in Norfolk, England, from 1947 to 1951.[2]

References
  1. TracesOfWar.com – Babington, John Herbert
  2. "John Herbert Babington GC, OBE". VC Online. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
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