Herbert Annesley Packer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Herbert Packer
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| Born | 9 October 1894 Cressage, Shropshire |
| Died | 23 September 1962 (aged 67) Cape Town, South Africa |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1907–1953 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held | HMS Calcutta HMS Manchester HMS Excellent HMS Warspite 2nd Cruiser Squadron South Atlantic Station |
| Battles/wars | First World War Second World War |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire |
Sir Herbert Annesley Packer, often called "Bertie," was a brave officer in the British Royal Navy. He was born on October 9, 1894, and passed away on September 23, 1962. He rose through the ranks to become an Admiral and even led the Royal Navy's operations in the South Atlantic. He was recognized for his service with important awards like the Order of the Bath and the Order of the British Empire.
Contents
Herbert Packer was the only son of Dr. William Packer and Edith Mary Rutter. He began his journey in the Royal Navy at a young age. On September 15, 1907, he joined the Royal Naval College, Osborne, as an officer cadet.
Early Achievements and First World War
Packer showed great promise from the start. He left Dartmouth Naval College with a special award called the King's dirk and a gold medal. These were given for his amazing leadership qualities. He then joined HMS St. Vincent as a midshipman.
In 1913, he was chosen to sail the new battlecruiser HMAS Australia all the way to Sydney, Australia. During the First World War, Packer stayed on HMAS Australia. His first action was near the Falkland Islands. He was part of a team that captured a German ship called S.S. Elaenor Woermann. Because he could speak fluent German, he helped question the ship's crew. The captured ship was later sunk.
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On February 22, 1915, Bertie Packer joined the new battleship HMS Warspite as an Acting Sub-Lieutenant. He was trained to help with the ship's big guns. After the famous Battle of Jutland in 1916, Packer was praised for his actions. Even though his ship, Warspite, was badly damaged, he helped fire 12 rounds at the German fleet. He was then promoted to Lieutenant.
Between the World Wars
In the years between the two big wars, Packer continued to serve the Royal Navy. He worked on several ships, including HMS Dublin, Warspite, Valiant, and Queen Elizabeth in the Mediterranean Sea.
In 1924, he married a South African writer and journalist named Joy Petersen. He also became an expert in French, which helped him in his naval career. He took a special course at the RN Staff College. Later, he joined the crew of the cruiser HMS Kent as the main gunnery officer for the China Station. In 1936, Captain Packer was given an important role as a naval representative in countries like Turkey, Yugoslavia, and Greece.
Second World War Service
As the Second World War began, Captain Packer took on more important roles.
Leading Ships in Battle
On August 24, 1939, Packer was put in charge of the cruiser HMS Calcutta. In February 1940, his ship and the destroyer HMS Cossack chased a German supply ship called Altmark. Captain Philip Vian of the Cossack led a team that freed 300 British sailors who were held captive on board.
Later, as captain of HMS Manchester, Captain Packer was part of the Battle of Cape Spartivento. On November 27, 1940, his squadron of cruisers bravely attacked a larger Italian fleet. Captain Packer was known for being a very determined commander.
Commanding HMS Warspite Again
Between 1941 and 1943, Captain Packer was the Commanding Officer of HMS Excellent, which was a training school for gunnery near Portsmouth. In the spring of 1943, Captain Packer was given command of his first battleship, the famous veteran ship Warspite. This was the same ship he had served on during the First World War!
The Warspite's powerful 15-inch guns helped bombard cities like Catania and supported the Allied landings in Sicily and Italy. On September 15, 1943, while shelling Salerno, Italy, Warspite was hit by a new German weapon called the Fritz X. These were bombs guided by radio from an aircraft. Captain Packer managed to bring the damaged ship back to Malta while it was being towed. He was again praised for his bravery, making him one of the few people honored for his actions on the same ship in two different world wars.
Later War Roles
After this, Rear Admiral Packer spent the rest of the war as a staff officer. He helped plan important operations, including the landings in Sicily and Southern France. For his excellent planning, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in January 1945. Later that year, he received another honor, becoming a Companion of the Order of the Bath. The American government also recognized him with the Legion of Merit, and the French gave him the Croix de Guerre and made him a Commandeur in the Legion d'Honneur.
After the War
After the war, Packer continued his distinguished career. He commanded the 2nd Cruiser Squadron. In 1948, he became the Fourth Sea Lord and Chief of Supplies and Transport, a very important role in the Royal Navy. For his great service to the United Kingdom, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.
Retirement and Legacy
Sir Herbert Packer's final command was as the Commander in Chief of the South Atlantic Station. He was a full admiral by then and retired from the navy in 1953.
He retired in Cape Town, South Africa, and passed away in September 1962 at the age of 67. He left behind his wife and a son, Peter Packer, who became a surgeon. Sir Herbert Packer's ashes were scattered from the frigate HMSAS Good Hope near Cape Point, where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet.
Other Activities
Beyond his naval career, Packer also enjoyed sports. He played one first-class cricket match in 1920 for a Royal Navy cricket team against Cambridge University. He scored 0 and 3 runs and caught two balls as a wicket-keeper.
Images for kids
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Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom
