William Landymore

{{Short description|Canadian naval Flag officer and opponent of unification}} {{Infobox military person |name = William Moss Landymore |image = W. M. Landymore 1964.jpg |image_size = 90px |caption = Landymore in 1964 |rank = Rear-Admiral |branch = {{naval|Canada|1966}} |commands = |battles = '''Second World War''' *Battle of the Atlantic *Battle of Okinawa '''Korean War''' |family = |nickname = |allegiance = {{flag|Canada}} |birth_date = 31 July 1916 |death_date = 27 November 2008 |birth_place = Brantford, Ontario |death_place = Halifax, Nova Scotia |burial_place = |service_years = 1936–1967 |other_work = |awards = * MID (3) * OBE * Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD) with two bars * Naval General Service Medal (GVI) with BAR Palestine 1939/45 Star * Atlantic Star * Pacific Star * Defence Medal CVSM and Clasp - 1939/1945 War Medal with MID * Canadian Korean Medal with MID * United Nations Korea EIIR Coronation - CD (GVI) and two Bars<ref name="rcnvr">[http://www.rcnvr.com/L%20-%20RCN%20-%20WW2.php William Landymore] Royal Canadian Navy</ref> }} Rear-Admiral '''William Moss Landymore''', OBE, CD (31 July 1916 – 27 November 2008) was a Canadian naval officer. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Landymore joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1936, but spent much of early career training with the Royal Navy. During World War II, Landymore returned to the Royal Canadian Navy and served aboard destroyers in the Battle of the Atlantic, surviving two sinkings. By the end of the war Landymore had taken a series of positions in Ottawa before returning to destroyer command during the Korean War. He was promoted through the ranks eventually becoming the first Commander of Maritime Command. Landymore became embroiled in a public feud with the Minister of National Defence following the Unification of the Canadian Armed Forces and resigned as a result. He died at Halifax, Nova Scotia.

==Early career== Landymore joined the Royal Canadian Navy on 28 August 1934 where he commenced studies at the Royal Military College of Canada as cadet #2399.<ref name="encyclopedia">{{Cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/william-moss-landymore |title=William Moss Landymore |encyclopedia=The Canadian Encyclopedia |last=Milner |first=Marc |date=2015 |access-date=21 October 2022}}</ref><ref name=unit>{{Cite web |url=http://www.unithistories.com/units_index/default.asp?file=..%2Fofficers%2Fpersonsx.html |title=Unit histories |access-date=2011-06-05 |archive-date=2012-02-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204165504/http://www.unithistories.com/units_index/default.asp?file=..%2Fofficers%2Fpersonsx.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> As a cadet, Landymore served aboard the Royal Navy training cruiser {{HMS|Frobisher|D81|6}} before being sent to the light cruiser {{HMS|Emerald|D66|6}}. During his time with the Royal Navy he was also appointed to {{HMS|Glasgow|C21|6}}, {{HMS|Victory}} and {{HMS|Windsor|D42|6}}.<ref name="gov">{{cite web |url=https://www.canada.ca/en/navy/services/history/leaders/commanders-list/william-moss-landymore.html |title=Rear-Admiral William Moss Landymore, OBE, CD |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=21 October 2022}}</ref> He was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy as a midshipman on 1 May 1937 and promoted to acting sub-lieutenant on 1 March 1939.<ref name=unit/>

==Second World War== Landymore was posted to the C-class destroyer {{HMCS|Fraser|H48|6}} in 1940 and survived her sinking after she collided with the cruiser {{HMS|Calcutta|D82|6}} in the Gironde estuary.<ref name="rcnvr" /> He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 November 1940<ref name=unit/> and served aboard the River-class destroyer {{HMCS|Margaree|H49|6}} and survived her sinking. Landymore served on convoy escort missions in the Atlantic, Arctic, and Pacific Oceans, in the Second World War.<ref name=unit/> In 1942, he specialized in gunnery, taking the RN Long Gunnery course at {{HMS|Excellent}}. In 1943, Landymore was posted to {{HMS|Grenville|R97|6}}.<ref name="gov"/> He was promoted to acting lieutenant commander on 5 June 1944.<ref name=unit/> He was transferred to Naval Service Headquarters (NSHQ) in Ottawa in 1944, as Director of Warfare and Training. Later in 1944, he returned to sea in the cruiser {{HMCS|Uganda}}. In 1945, he returned to NSHQ as Staff Gunnery Officer.<ref name="gov"/>

==Cold War== Landymore was promoted to the substantive rank of lieutenant-commander on 1 May 1947<ref name=unit/> and served as gunnery officer aboard HMCS ''Uganda'', where he earned a Mention in Despatches (MID). He was then stationed as staff gunnery officer at Naval Service Headquarters in Ottawa.<ref name="rcnvr" /> He was promoted to commander on 1 July 1949<ref name=unit/> and given command of the {{sclass2|Tribal|destroyer|1||1936}} destroyer {{HMCS|Iroquois|G89|6}}, where he was awarded a second mention-in-despatches. He was promoted to acting captain on 14 June 1952.<ref name=unit/> He commanded ''Iroquois'' for the duration of the Korean War from 21 October 1951 to 31 October 1953.<ref name="rcnvr" />

Landymore was promoted to the substantive rank of captain on 1 January 1953,<ref name=unit/> and was posted to a variety of stations throughout the remainder of the 1950s, including the position of Commander Canadian Destroyers Far East when he was appointed an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE).<ref name="rcnvr" /> In 1958 Landymore was given command of the light aircraft carrier {{HMCS|Bonaventure|CVL 22|6}},<ref name="rcnvr" /> the flagship of the east coast fleet.

He was promoted to commodore on 1 October 1959<ref name=unit/> and served as chief of staff to the Flag Officer Atlantic Coast, until 1962. He was promoted to rear-admiral on 1 November 1962<ref name=unit/> and served as Flag Officer Pacific Coast, from 1962 to 1964 and then as Flag Officer Atlantic Coast from 1964 to 1966. In January 1966 Landymore was appointed the first Commander of Maritime Command, and thus commander of all naval forces, as the position of Chief of the Naval Staff had been abolished in 1964.<ref name="rcnvr" />

Landymore became embroiled in "a bitter public disagreement" with the Minister of National Defence<ref>Milner, Marc. "Landymore, William Moss", in ''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' (Edmonton: Hurtig Publishers, 1988), Volume 2, p.1173.</ref> over the unification of the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force, to form the Canadian Armed Forces, and resigned from the RCN on 19 July 1966 (effective 5 April 1967).<ref name="rcnvr" />

He died at Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2008.<ref name="encyclopedia"/>

Bruce Forsyth writes Robert Caldwell wrote in his 2006 book ''The Admirals: Canada's Senior Naval Leadership in the Twentieth Century,'' that Landymore was "popular, admired by all ranks, and is remembered as being a forthright, four-square, hands-on commander and staff officer."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://militarybruce.com/going-down-with-the-ship-the-principled-sacrifice-of-rear-admiral-william-landymore/|title = Going down with the ship: The principled sacrifice of Rear-Admiral William Landymore – Canadian Military History}}</ref>

==Honours== thumb|right|Wall of Honour, Royal Military College of Canada He was awarded an MID in the London Gazette of 1 January 1946 and Canada Gazette of 5 January, in recognition of his service to ''Uganda''. He was awarded the Naval General Service Medal with Palestine bar for his service to ''Emerald'' for training during his Palestine campaign service in 1937. He was appointed an OBE and an MID for his Korean War service as commanding officer of ''Iroquois''. In retirement, as chairman of the Board of Grace Hospital Halifax, Nova Scotia he was awarded the Salvation Army Cross of the Order of Distinguished Auxiliary Service. He is a 2010 induction to the Wall of Honour at the Royal Military College of Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://everitas.rmcalumni.ca/wall-of-honour-citations-2010/|title=Wall of Honour Citations – 2010|publisher=E-Veritas|access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref>

==Awards and decorations== Landymore's personal awards and decorations include the following:

{| class="wikitable" |- style="background:Navy;color:White" align="center" |'''Ribbon'''||'''Description'''||'''Notes''' |- |80px || Order of the British Empire (OBE) || *Citation for Order of the British Empire (OBE)<ref>Awarded as per Canada Gazette of 20 February 1954. “Captain Landymore, throughout two tours of duty as Commander, Canadian Destroyers, Far East, in Korean Waters, has set a fine example of leadership and courage. As Commanding Officer Her Majesty Canadian Destroyer {{HMCS|Iroquois|G89}}, he has on several occasions engaged enemy shore batteries, and maintained an efficient blockade in enemy waters. His devotion to duty has been most marked."</ref> |- |80px || Naval General Service Medal (1915) || *with '''Palestine 1936–39 '''Clasp *For service during the uprising by Palestinian Arabs |- |80px || 1939–1945 Star || *WWII 1939-1945 |- |80px || Atlantic Star || *WWII 1939-1945 |- |x25px || Pacific 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 || Korea Medal with Mentioned in dispatches || *1950-1953<ref>“Captain Landymore, during 5 1/2 months in command of {{HMCS|Iroquois|G89}} in the Korean war area, has led his ship many times into action displaying much resource and devotion to duty. The spirit and cheerfulness of his ship's company when damaged in action were very commendable."</ref> |- |80px || Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea || |- |80px || United Nations Service Medal Korea || *1950-1954 |- |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 ==

===Notes=== {{reflist}}

==Further reading== * Burke, David P. "Hellyer and Landymore: The Unification of the Canadian Armed Forces and an Admiral's Revolt." ''American Review of Canadian Studies'' 8.2 (1978): 3-27. * Milner, Marc. "Landymore, William Moss", in ''The Canadian Encyclopedia'', Volume 2, p. 1173. Edmonton: Hurtig Publishers, 1988. * Ross, Richard G. "A Paradigm in Defense Organization: Unification of the Canadian Armed Forces" ''ARMY LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT CENTER FORT LEE VA, 1968'' [https://web.archive.org/web/20191020195005/https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/679047.pdf online].

==External links== *[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20081215.OBLANDYMORE15/TPStory Obituary from Toronto Globe and Mail. Describes debate re unification of Canadian armed forces] *[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20081227.OBIREM27/TPStory Remembrances of two Canadian naval officers who knew Landymore (from Toronto Globe and Mail)] *[http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/In-The-Senate/Statement/2756_The-Late-William-Moss-Landymore-OBE Tribute in the Senate by Hon. Bill Rompkey] *[https://legionmagazine.com/en/2011/05/canadas-25-most-renowned-military-leaders/ Canada's 25 Most Renowned Military Leaders] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111203223/https://legionmagazine.com/en/2011/05/canadas-25-most-renowned-military-leaders/ |date=2020-11-11 }}

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{succession box|title=Commander Maritime Command|before=Ralph Hennessy (as Principal Naval Adviser)|after=John O'Brien|years=1966}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Landymore, William}} Category:1916 births Category:2008 deaths Category:Canadian military personnel from Ontario Category:People from Brantford Category:Canadian admirals Category:Royal Canadian Navy officers Category:Royal Canadian Navy personnel of World War II Category:Royal Military College of Canada alumni Category:Canadian Officers of the Order of the British Empire Category:Commanders of the Royal Canadian Navy