Raymond Hart

Commodore Raymond Hart CBE, DSO, DSC & Bar (24 June 1913 – 6 August 1999) was a British seaman and a Royal Navy officer who served during the Second World War.

Raymond Hart
Born(1913-06-24)24 June 1913
Southampton, Hampshire
Died6 August 1999(1999-08-06) (aged 86)
Southampton, Hampshire
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Navy
Years of service1937–1963
RankCommodore
UnitHMS Hasty
HMS Dainty
Commands heldHMS Vidette
HMS Havelock
HMS Conn
HMS Undine
6th Frigate Squadron
Battles/warsWorld War II
 • Battle of the Atlantic
AwardsCommander of the Order of the British Empire
Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Cross & Bar
Other workCompany director

Early life

Hart was born in Southampton. He was educated at Oakmount Preparatory School, and later King Edward VI School, Southampton. In 1929, aged 16, he joined the Merchant Navy and in 1937 the Royal Navy.[1]

Service career

At the outbreak of the Second World War Hart was a lieutenant on the destroyer HMS Hasty. In February 1941 he was recommended for bravery during loss of HMS Dainty; he was awarded the DSC for this in December 1941. In December 1942 Hart was appointed commander of destroyer HMS Vidette, assigned to B-7 Escort Group under command of Lt Cdr. P. W. Gretton. In May 1943 during the defence of Convoy ONS 5 Vidette destroyed two U-boats;[2] Hart was later awarded a bar to his DSC. In June he was promoted to lieutenant commander. In October while working as a support group, B-7 assisted in the defence of convoys ON 206, ON 207 and ON 208. Nine U-boats were destroyed in total during these actions; Vidette was credited with two,[3] and Hart was Mentioned in Despatches. In March 1944 he was given command of the destroyer HMS Havelock; in June they destroyed U-767 in the Channel.[4] In September 1944 Hart took command of frigate HMS Conn and 21 Escort Group. Conn was credited with two U-boats destroyed in March 1945,[5] and Hart was later awarded the DSO.[1][6]

Later life

After the end of hostilities Hart served in a number of sea-going and shore posts, culminating in the command of HMS Undine and of 6th Frigate Squadron in 1957. He was promoted to captain in 1953 and commodore in 1960, before retiring in 1963. Hart was appointed a CBE in 1963. After retirement from the Royal Navy Hart held several positions in the Merchant Navy, being advisor to B&C until 1972, then fleet manager of Cayzer Irvine until 1976, during which time he was director of both companies. In 1974 Hart appeared in the documentary series The World at War, in the episode covering the Battle of the Atlantic.[7]

Hart married in 1945 and had three children; two sons and a daughter. He died in Southampton, where he had lived, in 1999.[1]

Successes

Hart was credited with the destruction of seven U-boats in his war-time service.

Date U-boat Type Location Notes
6 May 1943U-630[note 1]VIICNE of Newfoundland
52°31′N 44°50′W		depth-charged by Vidette (Hart)[8]
6 May 1943U-531[note 2]IX/C40NE of Newfoundland
52°48′N 45°18′W		d/c by Snowflake (Chesterman), Vidette (Hart)[9][10]
23 October 1943U-274VIICSW of Iceland
57°14′N 27°50′W		d/c by Liberator Z/224 Sqdn (Wicht), HMS Duncan (Gretton), Vidette (Hart)[11][12]
29 October 1943U-282VIICS of Greenland
55°28′N 31°57′W		d/c by Vidette (Hart), Sunflower (Plomer)[12][13]
18 June 1944U-767VIICEnglish Channel, SW of Guernsey
49°03′N 03°13′W		Hedgehog, d/c by Fame (Currie), Inconstant (Eaden), Havelock (Hart)[14][15]
27 March 1945U-905VIICThe Minches, Scotland
58°34′N 05°46′W		d/c by Conn (Hart), confirmed by "tin-opener" attack later from Escapade.[16][note 3]
30 March 1945U-965VIICNorth Minch, Scotland
58°19′N 05°31′W		Conn (Hart), Rupert (Black)[20][note 4]

Footnotes
  1. Previously thought to have been destroyed on 4 May 1943 by Canso W/5 Sqdn; this attack struck U-209.
  2. Previously credited as U-125: The attack by HMS Oribi and HMS Snowflake, previously credited with U-531, is now believed to have hit U-125.
  3. Previously credited with the destruction of U-965 in this attack.[17][18][19]
  4. Previously credited with the destruction of U-1021 in this attack.[18][21][22]

References
Citations
  1. Sainsbury, A. B. (6 September 1999). "Obituary: Captain Raymond Hart". The Independent. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  2. Blair (1998), pp. 291–292.
  3. Blair (1998), pp. 436–438.
  4. Blair (1998), pp. 589–590.
  5. Blair (1998), p. 671.
  6. Houterman, Hans; Koppes, Jeroen. "Royal Navy Officers 1939–1945 (Hancock to Harty)". WWII Unit Histories & Officers. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  7. "Raymond Hart". IMDb. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  8. Niestlé (1998), p. 77.
  9. Kemp (1997), p. 114.
  10. Niestlé (1998), p. 129.
  11. Kemp (1997), pp. 152–153.
  12. Niestlé (1998), p. 52.
  13. Kemp (1997), p. 154.
  14. Kemp (1997), p. 198.
  15. Niestlé (1998), p. 88.
  16. Niestlé (1998), p. 91.
  17. Kemp (1997), pp. 238–239.
  18. Tarrant (1989), p. 139.
  19. Niestlé (1998), p. 233, Note 102.
  20. Niestlé (1998), p. 93.
  21. Kemp (1997), p. 240.
  22. Niestlé (1998), p. 234, Note 106.
Bibliography
  • Blair, Clay (1998). Hitler's U-Boat War Vol II: The Hunted 1942–1945. London, UK: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 0-304-35261-6.
  • Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed. London, UK: Arms & Armour Press. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
  • Niestlé, Axel (1998). German U-Boat Losses during World War II. London, UK: Greenhill. ISBN 1-85367-352-8.
  • Tarrant, V. E. (1989). The U-boat Offensive 1914–1945. London, UK: Arms & Armour Press. ISBN 0-85368-928-8.
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