Captain Ralph L. Hennessy, DSC, CD, RCN,
was born September 5, 1918, in Edinburgh, Scotland, and came to Canada
in 1920. He entered the RCN in August, 1936 as a cadet, and took early
training with the RN. He served in HMCS Assiniboine from October, 1939,
for three and a half years. Promoted to Lieutenant in February, 1940, he
became Executive Officer of the Assiniboine soon after. In August, 1942,
he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his part in the sinking
a German submarine. He came ashore in September, 1943, as Executive Officer,
HMCS Kings, Wartime Officers' Training School Halifax, with acting rank
of Lieutenant-Commander. Six months later, he assumed command with acting
rank of Commander.
In September, 1944, he returned to sea in command
of HMCS Gatineau and later commanded the Assiniboine. Captain Hennessy
commanded HMCS Micmac from her commissioning at Halifax, September, 1945,
until March, 1947, when he took an RCAF staff course in Toronto. He was
then appointed to Naval Headquarters Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel
and in July, 1949 he became Director of Manning at HQ. In August, 1949
he was appointed to HMCS Stadacona as Officer-in-Charge, Junior Officers'
Technical and Leadership Courses. In January 1952, he became Executive
Officer, HMCS Quebec. From September 1953 to July 1954 he attended the
National Defence College, Kingston, Ontario. Following that course,
he was appointed CO Algonquin and Commander First Canadian Escort Squadron
on 28 August 1954.
After leaving Algonquin he took up new appointments
in London, England from 1956 to 1958 as CO HMCS Niobe, as Deputy Naval
Member, Canadian Joint Staff - London and as Canadian Member and Chairman
of the Naval Board of NATO's Military Organization for Standardization.
Two consecutive appointments at Naval Service Headquarters followed.
First as Director, Naval Training from 1958 to 1960 and then as Deputy
Chief of Naval Personnel for three years in the rank of Commodore.
A year as Commodore, Personnel Atlantic Coast followed and then it
was back to Ottawa in September 1964 for the rest of his naval career.
After nearly two years working on manpower studies for the Minister of
National Defence, he was promoted to Vice Admiral and served successively
as first, Comptroller-General and second, as Chief of Personnel of the
Canadian Armed Forces, retiring therefrom at the end of 1970.
After his retirement, at the request of
the Government, he took up a new career as the founding Executive
Director of the Standards Council of Canada in which position he remained
for 12 years. From 1976 to 1981 inclusive, he also served as Vice
President of the International Organization for Standardization [ISO] headquartered
in Geneva, Switzerland. In December 1982, he resigned for good.
