Henry Horan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry Horan
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|---|---|
| Born | 12 August 1890 Newcastle West, County Limerick, UK |
| Died | 15 August 1961 (aged 71) Haslar, England |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1910–1941 |
| Rank | Rear-Admiral |
| Commands held | HMS Coventry HMS Barham New Zealand Division |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Cross |
Henry Edward Horan was an important Irish naval officer. He was born on August 12, 1890, and passed away on August 15, 1961. He reached the high rank of Rear-Admiral in the Royal Navy, which is the United Kingdom's navy. He is especially remembered for leading the New Zealand Division.
Early Life and Schooling
Henry Horan was born in a town called Newcastle West in County Limerick, Ireland. His father, John Horan, was a civil engineer, which means he designed and built things like roads and bridges. His mother was Elizabeth Hannah Barker.
Henry went to a school called Stubbington House School. After that, he joined the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth in January 1906. This college is where young people train to become officers in the Royal Navy.
Henry Horan officially joined the Royal Navy in 1910. He served during World War I, a very big global conflict. He took part in an important naval battle called the Battle of Heligoland Bight in 1914.
Leading Warships
Throughout his career, Horan commanded several important ships. In 1931, he became the Commanding Officer of HMS Coventry, which was a type of warship called a cruiser. Cruisers are fast ships used for many different tasks.
Later, in October 1935, he worked as a senior naval member at the Imperial Defence College. This college helps train military leaders. In 1937, he took command of HMS Barham, a powerful warship known as a battleship. Battleships were very large and heavily armed ships.
World War II Service
Henry Horan also served during World War II, another major global conflict. From December 1939 to April 1940, he was the Commander-in-Chief of the New Zealand Division. This meant he was in charge of all the Royal Navy ships and operations in the New Zealand area.
He retired from the navy in 1941. Even after retiring, he continued to serve. He worked as a staff officer in the Combined Operations Headquarters in London. For his dedicated service, he was awarded the Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in 1947. He also received the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) earlier in his career for his bravery.
