Kenneth Dyer

{{Short description|Royal Canadian Navy officer}} {{Infobox military person |name = Kenneth Dyer |image = |caption = |rank = Vice-Admiral |branch = Royal Canadian Navy |family = |nickname = |allegiance = Canada |birth_date = 7 November 1915 |death_date = {{dda|2000|10|9|df=y|1915|11|7}} |birth_place = Toungoo, Burma |death_place = Ottawa, Ontario |service_years = 1933–1967 |battles = Second World War |commands = {{HMCS|Skeena|D59|6}} {{HMCS|Kootenay|H75|6}} {{HMCS|Magnificent|CVL 21|6}} Atlantic Coast Royal Canadian Navy |awards = Distinguished Service Cross Canadian Forces' Decoration }} Vice Admiral '''Kenneth Lloyd Dyer''' DSC, CD (7 November 1915 – 9 October 2000) was a senior officer in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

==Naval career== Dyer joined the Royal Canadian Navy as a cadet on 1 October 1933.<ref name=blath>{{cite web|url=https://www.blatherwick.net/documents/Commanders%20Royal%20Canadian%20Navy/1964%20to%201966%20VAdm%20Ken%20Dyer.pdf |title=Vice-Admiral Kenneth Lloyd DYER, DSC, CD|publisher=Blatherwick|access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref> He served in the Second World War<ref>{{cite web|url=https://navalandmilitarymuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/CFB-Esquimalt-Museum-Navy-List-1944-November.pdf|page=272|title=Canadian Navy List| access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref> in command of the destroyer {{HMCS|Skeena|D59|6}} and then the destroyer {{HMCS|Kootenay|H75|6}}.<ref name=blath/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://uboat.net/allies/commanders/791.html|title=Kenneth Lloyd Dyer DSC, RCN|publisher=Uboat.net| access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref> He later commanded the aircraft carrier {{HMCS|Magnificent|CVL 21|6}} from 1951 to 1953.<ref name=blath/> He went on to be Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Warfare) in 1956, Chief of Naval Personnel in 1957 and Flag Officer Atlantic Coast in 1960.<ref name=blath/> In the latter role he put his fleet on alert during the Cuban Missile Crisis.<ref name=blath/> His last role was as Principal Naval Adviser from 1964 to 1966.<ref name=blath/>

==Awards and decorations== Dyer's personal awards and decorations include the following: <div class="center"> 135px120px 120px120px130px 130px120px132px </div>

{| class="wikitable" |- style="background:Navy;color:White" align="center" |'''Ribbon'''||'''Description'''||'''Notes''' |- |80px || Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) || *Citation for Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)<ref>Distinguished Service Cross: London Gazette of 25 November 1942 and Canada Gazette 28 November 1942). ''"For Distinguished service before the enemy. Acting Lieutenant-Commander Dyer was Commanding Officer of HMCS Skeena when she joined a hunt with HMCS Wetaskiwin which resulted in the destruction of an enemy U-boat. The successful conclusion of this action was only achieved by the cool and careful handling of the two ships throughout the whole of the attack which lasted more than four hours. The skilful handling of his ship by this Officer contributed to a large degree to the destruction of the enemy U-boat."''</ref> |- |80px || 1939–1945 Star || *WWII 1939-1945 |- |80px || Atlantic Star || *WWII 1939-1945 |- |80px || Defence Medal (United Kingdom) || *WWII 1939-1945 |- |80px || Canadian Volunteer Service Medal || *WWII 1939–1945 with '''Overseas Service bar''' |- |80px || War Medal 1939–1945 with Mentioned in dispatches || *WWII 1939-1945 |- | 80px || Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal || * Decoration awarded in 1952 |- ||{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-|ribbon=CAN Canadian Forces Decoration ribbon with two bars.svg|width=80}}||Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD)|| *with two Clasp for 32 years of services |- |}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{succession box|title=Principal Naval Adviser|before=Herbert Rayner (as Chief of the Naval Staff)|after=Ralph Hennessy|years=1964–1966}} {{s-end}} {{Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Dyer, Kenneth}} Category:1915 births Category:2000 deaths Category:Royal Canadian Navy personnel of World War II Category:Canadian admirals Category:Canadian recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)