Sunday, October 18, 2015

Cadet Christopher Theodore Jellicoe, Royal Navy

Christopher Theodore Jellicoe was the second son of the Reverend Thomas Harry Lee Jellicoe of St Peter’s Church, Chailey and Bethia Theodora Jellicoe (nee Boyd). His uncle, Arthur Hamilton Boyd, who was also a clergyman in civil life, would have a distinguished career in the army during the First World War.

Christopher was born in 1903, his birth recorded at Lewes in the June quarter of that year. Chailey Parish Magazine (edited by his father) certainly exhibited no favouritism during the war years. Christopher is mentioned in March 1917 as Jellicoe, C T, Cadet RN and this information is then repeated monthly up to and including the final published roll call in July 1919.

Christopher’s naval service records are currently closed to the public. He would have been too young in the First World War to have contributed meaningfully (he was still only 15 when the Armistice was signed) but he did lead a distinguished naval career during the Second World War. In June 1939 The Times newspaper noted that he had been promoted from lieutenant commander to commander and he would later go on to win the DSO and DSC with bar. At the time of the award of his bar to the DSC he is noted as Commander (now Captain) Christopher Theodore JELLICOE DSO, DSC, Royal Navy (Pulborough, Sussex). The citiation for his award, dated 26th January 1943 reads:

Staff Officer (Operations). He showed a quick and accurate appreciation of events throughout the action which, combined with his sound judgement and careful planning of earlier movements, was of very great assistance to me in bringing the enemy to action in an advantageous position.

Christopher’s older brother John BASIL Lee Jellicoe also served his King and Country during the First World War.

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