Admiral Sir Edward Neville Syfret Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire was a British naval officer who served with the Royal Navy in World War I and World World War World War II
Background
Syfret was born 20 June 1889 near Cape Town, South Africa and died on 10 December 1972, in London. Born the son of Edward Ridge Syfret of Cape Town in South Africa and educated at Diocesan College, South Africa and the Britannia Royal Naval College, Syfret joined the Royal Navy in 1904 and, in his early service years, specialised in naval gunnery.
Career
He was knighted for his part in Operation Pedestal, the critical Malta convoy. In World War I he became Gunnery Officer in the light cruisers HMS Aurora, HMS Centaur and HMS Curacoa. In 1927 he was Fleet Gunnery Officer, Mediterranean Fleet.
Syfret served in World World War II initially as Captain of HMS Rodney.
In 1939 he became Naval Secretary. He was made commander of the 18th Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet in 1941 and commanded the naval forces during Operation Ironclad, the invasion of Madagascar in May 1942 and was convoy commander for Operation Pedestal, a critical Malta Convoy in August 1942.
He was appointed Commander of Force H later that year and then, in 1943, became Vice Chief of the Naval Staff. After the War he became Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet.
He retired in 1948.