Service Details
- Branch of Service
- Navy
- Conflict
- World War I (1914-1918)
- Date of Enlistment
- 26/01/1913
Personal Details
- Gender
- Male
- Other Name(s)
- Known as 'Jack'
- Date of Birth
- 06/02/1887
- Place of Birth
- Gungahleen (Gungahlin)
- Address (at enlistment)
- Hawdley, England (previously Gungahleen (Gungahlin) ACT)
- School(s) Attended
- The King's School, Parramatta
- Occupation
- Naval officer
- Next of Kin
- Carola Crace (wife), Hawdley, England
Unit and Rank Details
- Final Rank
- Lieutenant Commander
- Final Unit
- HMAS Australia
Commemoration
Belconnen Area Enlistments WW1, Ellen Clark Park, Smith Street, Weetangera
Notes
Crace joined the Royal Navy's training ship H.M.S. Britannia in May 1902 on a colonial cadetship and served with the Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy (on HMAS Australia and HMS Hood) during World War 1 specialising as a torpedo officer. During World War 2 Crace commanded the Australian squadron during the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942 and superintended the Chatham naval dockyard until 1946, by which time he had been promoted to the rank of admiral. Crace was appointed a K.B.E. in 1947. He died at Liss, Hampshire on 11 May 1968. He was the younger brother of Everard Crace.
Sources
ABD online entry - http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/adbonline.htm
A.W. Bazley, 'Australia's Official History of World War 1', in 'Stand-to' (February 1959), CDHS 1959 (see note p.27)
Chris Coulthard-Clark, 'Action Stations Coral Sea: The Australian Commander's Story', 1991