Loben Maund facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rear-Admiral Loben Edward Harold Maund, CBE
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| Born | 26 September 1892 Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire |
| Died | 18 June 1957 (aged 64) Fittleworth, Sussex |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1905–1946 |
| Rank | Rear Admiral |
| Commands held | HMS Scorpion HMS Danae Inter-Service Training and Development Centre HMS Ark Royal Director of Combined Operations, Middle East Director of Combined Operations, India Rear-Admiral, Landing Ships and Craft |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) Mention in Despatches (3) |
Loben Edward Harold Maund (born 26 September 1892, died 18 June 1957) was a brave Rear Admiral in the British Royal Navy. He served in both World War I and World War II. He was the captain of the famous aircraft carrier Ark Royal when it was sunk in 1941. Later, he played a big part in developing special ships called landing craft for combined military operations.
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Loben Edward Harold Maund was born in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. He joined the Navy on 15 September 1905. He trained at the Royal Naval Colleges at Osborne and Dartmouth. He became a sub-lieutenant in 1913.
Maund served throughout the First World War. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1914. He worked with the Dover Patrol and the Grand Fleet. He also helped protect ships in Atlantic convoys. He even saw action at the famous battle of Jutland in 1916. From 1918 to 1919, he was the captain of the destroyer Scorpion.
After the war, Maund continued to rise through the ranks. He became a lieutenant-commander in 1922. He worked on wireless signals and operations in the East Indies Station. He served on cruisers like Chatham, Caradoc, and Curlew.
In 1927, he was promoted to commander. He worked for the Committee of Imperial Defence. Later, he became the Executive Officer of the aircraft carrier Furious. He attended special courses for senior officers. In 1934, he became a captain. He worked at the Admiralty in planning roles.
From 1936, Captain Maund commanded the cruiser Danae in China. In 1938, he became the leader of the Inter-Service Training and Development Centre. Here, he helped create new ways and tools for "Combined Operations." This meant working together with different parts of the military. From April to June 1940, he helped during the Norwegian campaign. He was recognized for his bravery.
Captain of HMS Ark Royal
On 19 April 1941, Captain Maund took command of the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal. This ship was very important in the war. He helped in the mission to sink the German battleship Bismarck. For this, he received the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) award. He also sailed with three Malta Convoys, which brought vital supplies to Malta.
On 13 November 1941, Ark Royal was hit by a torpedo from a German submarine, U-81. The ship was badly damaged and eventually sank the next morning. After the sinking, an investigation was held. Captain Maund faced a court-martial. He was found responsible for not making sure damage control teams stayed on board. He was also found responsible for the ship not being fully ready for damage. However, the court also noted that very high standards were expected of him. They also knew he cared deeply about the safety of his crew.
Later War Service
After the Ark Royal sinking, Maund continued to serve. In May 1942, he became the Director of Combined Operations in the Middle East. He was given the temporary rank of acting rear admiral. He was recognized again for his role in Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943.
Even though he was officially retired in July 1943, he was quickly called back to duty. In August 1943, he became the Director of Combined Operations in India. He returned to the UK in 1944. From then until July 1945, he served as Rear-Admiral for Landing Ships and Craft. He was officially promoted to rear admiral on 1 March 1946.
After leaving the Navy, Rear-Admiral Maund became a director at a company called A. Kershaw & Sons, Ltd. They made scientific instruments. He also wrote a book called Assault from the Sea, published in 1949. This book shared his experiences about how the Royal Navy developed and used landing craft during World War II. Rear-Admiral Maund passed away in Fittleworth, Sussex, on 18 June 1957.
Family Life
Loben Maund married Edith Mary Collins. They had two sons, Michael Richard and Loben Spencer, and one daughter, Rosalind Mary. Sadly, Loben Spencer died when he was very young. Michael Richard also served in the Navy and died in 1943. In 1933, Loben Maund married Constance Alice Macartney Iredell.
