Bruce Loxton
Encyclopedia
Bruce Hamilton Loxton was an Australian naval officer, naval historian
, and Director-General of Naval Manpower in the Royal Australian Navy
from 1975 until his retirement.
(1933–1935) and the The Scots College
(1936).
at Newport
, Rhode Island (1960), and the Royal Naval Staff College, Greenwich
, (1961).
. During the attack, a shell struck him and he was badly wounded. In all, 84 Australian personnel died on Canberra. On their return to Sydney, Rear Admiral
Gerard Muirhead-Gould
, the officer in charge of the Sydney naval area, told the crew of Canberra that they should feel ashamed that their ship had been sunk by gunfire without firing a shot in return. This annoyed Loxton for many years after the war, and he later set out to establish what had in fact happened. In 1994 he co-authored the book, Shame of Savo, analysing the strategy, operations, communications, tactics and command of the attack. He claimed that the American destroyer inadvertently torpedoed Canberra, crippling her through friendly fire
before she could fire a shot.
Naval historian
A naval historian is a student of maritime history, who specialises in the sub-discipline of naval history.-References:*Julian Corbett, 'The Teaching of Naval and Military History,' History, New Series, vol. 1 , pp. 12–19....
, and Director-General of Naval Manpower in the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
from 1975 until his retirement.
Early life
Loxton was born in Sydney and educated at Newington CollegeNewington College
Newington College is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for boys, located in Stanmore, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
(1933–1935) and the The Scots College
The Scots College
For other schools with a similar name see Scots College.The Scots College is an independent Presbyterian day and boarding school for boys, located in Bellevue Hill, an eastern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
(1936).
Military education
At the age of 13, Loxton entered the Royal Australian Naval College (RANC) as one of only 16 candidates selected from 480 applicants. He graduated from RANC in 1941, and was made a Lieutenant in 1944. He later graduated from the Naval War CollegeNaval War College
The Naval War College is an education and research institution of the United States Navy that specializes in developing ideas for naval warfare and passing them along to officers of the Navy. The college is located on the grounds of Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island...
at Newport
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, Rhode Island (1960), and the Royal Naval Staff College, Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
, (1961).
HMAS Canberra
Loxton was 18 and a midshipman on the ship's bridge of when it was sunk at the Battle of Savo IslandBattle of Savo Island
The Battle of Savo Island, also known as the First Battle of Savo Island and, in Japanese sources, as the , was a naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II, between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval forces...
. During the attack, a shell struck him and he was badly wounded. In all, 84 Australian personnel died on Canberra. On their return to Sydney, Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Gerard Muirhead-Gould
Gerard Muirhead-Gould
Rear Admiral Gerard Charles Muirhead-Gould DSC was an officer of the Royal Navy.Muirhead-Gould was born in London. He was the son of Arthur Lewis Gould and Emily Gertrude Lilias Muirhead. He joined the Royal Naval Cadets in January 1904...
, the officer in charge of the Sydney naval area, told the crew of Canberra that they should feel ashamed that their ship had been sunk by gunfire without firing a shot in return. This annoyed Loxton for many years after the war, and he later set out to establish what had in fact happened. In 1994 he co-authored the book, Shame of Savo, analysing the strategy, operations, communications, tactics and command of the attack. He claimed that the American destroyer inadvertently torpedoed Canberra, crippling her through friendly fire
Friendly fire
Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...
before she could fire a shot.
Military service
- Captain 1964-65
- Director of Naval Intelligence 1966-68
- Australian Naval Attaché, WashingtonWashington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
1968-71 - Director General Fighting Equipment, Navy office CanberraCanberraCanberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
1971-72 - Royal College of Defence StudiesRoyal College of Defence StudiesThe Royal College of Defence Studies is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom...
, London 1973 - Captain 1974 Who's Who in Australia (Herald and Weekly Times Melb, 1977) pp 683: Loxton, Bruce Hamilton (1924 - )
Honours
- National MedalNational MedalNational Medal can refer to:* National Medal * National Medal of Arts* National Humanities Medal* National Medal of Science* National Medal of Technology and Innovation...
1st Clasp - 1977 for diligent long service to the community in hazardous circumstances, including in times of emergency and national disaster, in direct protection of life and property. - National MedalNational MedalNational Medal can refer to:* National Medal * National Medal of Arts* National Humanities Medal* National Medal of Science* National Medal of Technology and Innovation...
2nd Clasp - 1978 for diligent long service to the community in hazardous circumstances, including in times of emergency and national disaster, in direct protection of life and property.