Eric Clifford

Clifford was born in Hove, Sussex, the son of Captain William Trannock Clifford RNR of Poplar and his wife, Clara Strutt, born in Cape Colony.[1] Like his father, he was educated at the Thames Nautical Training College and aboard HMS Worcester. In January 1917, he joined the Royal Navy Reserve as a midshipman, and then entered the Royal Navy.[2]

Clifford served in World War I in the battleships HMS Iron Duke and HMS Colossus and then specialised in navigation.[3] He was appointed Fleet Navigating Officer, for the China Station in 1938.[3] He served in World War II as Commanding Officer of the destroyers HMS Mackay and HMS Salisbury[4] and then as Naval Assistant Secretary to the War Cabinet from 1941 to 1943.[3] In the closing stages of the War he commanded the cruiser HMS Diadem.[5]

After the War he became Chief of Staff in Hong Kong and then was given command of the Navigation School in 1947.[3] He went on to command the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious in 1949 before becoming Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff in 1951 and Flag Officer commanding the 5th Cruiser Squadron and Flag Officer Second in Command Far East Fleet in 1952[3] in which role he saw action during the Korean War.[6] He was made Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff and a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty in 1954; he retired in 1957.[3]