Cecil Harcourt

Sir Cecil Harcourt
Born	11 April 1892 Bromley, Kent
Died	19 December 1959 Chelsea, London
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1904 - 1952
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	HMS Wessex HMS Stuart HMS President HMS Duke of York HMS Sheffield HMS Aurora HMS Cleopatra HMS Venerable HMS Tamar HMS Newfoundland HMS Swiftsure Nore Command
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath

Admiral Sir Cecil Halliday Jepson Harcourt GBE KCB (Chinese Translated Name: 夏慤; 11 April 1892 – 19 December 1959), was a British naval officer. From September 1945 to June 1946, Harcourt was the de facto governor of Hong Kong as commander-in-chief and head of the military administration. He was called by the Chinese name "Ha Kok", a reference to the fourth-century Chinese nobleman Chung Kok.^[1]

Biography

He was born in Bromley, London, son of Halliday Harcourt and Grace Lilian née Jepson. He had a distinguished career in the Royal Navy, which he entered as a midshipman on 15 September 1904, at the age of 12. He served in both world wars.^[2]

In 1939, he was appointed Director of the Admiralty's Operations Division. In 1941 he was Flag Captain of the Home Fleet, while commanding HMS Duke of York. From 1942 to 1944 he took part in the North Africa campaign, the capture of Tunisia, Pantelleria. Lampedusa and Sicily, and the landing at Salerno. In 1944 he became Naval Secretary.^[3] In 1945, he was Flag Officer Commanding 11th Aircraft Carrier Squadron,^[2] with his flag in HMS Colossus.

He became famous after he personally took the surrender of Japanese forces (under Vice-Admiral Fujita and Lieutenant-General Tanaka) in Hong Kong.^[1] He became the head of a provisional military government in Hong Kong from September 1945 to April 1946, serving as administrator until civilian rule could be established. He was knighted during this time, in December 1945.^[2]

In 1947, Harcourt became Flag Officer (Air) and Second in Command Mediterranean Fleet. In 1948, he became Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel as well as a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty, and in 1950 Commander-in-Chief, The Nore.^[2] He retired in 1952.^[2]

Ships he commanded

Ships under Harcourt's command included:

• HMS Wessex (1931)
• HMS Stuart (1935; leader of the Australian Destroyer Flotilla)
• HMS President (1939)
• HMS Duke of York (1941)
• HMS Sheffield (1942)
• HMS Aurora (1942)
• HMS Cleopatra (1943)
• HMS Venerable (1945)
• HMS Tamar (1945)
• HMS Newfoundland
• HMS Swiftsure.

Private life

On 17 April 1913, he assumed the surname "Harcourt-Morris", but this lasted only a short time.^[2]

In 1920 he became the second husband of the English pianist Evelyn Suart, a widow. They had no children of their own. One of her daughters by her first marriage was the noted ballerina Diana Gould, who later became the second wife of the violinist Yehudi Menuhin.^[4] Her sister Griselda became the second wife of the pianist Louis Kentner.^[5] After Evelyn Suart's death in 1950, Harcourt married Stella, widow of Air Commodore David Waghorn, in 1953.^[2]

Honours

• He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1940.
• In 1943 he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).
• On 18 December 1945, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB).
• In 1953 he was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE).

Places named after him

Harcourt Road, a main road in Hong Kong Island, and Harcourt Garden are named after him.

References

External links

• British Pathe EASTERN NEWS FLASHES 08/10/1945 Newsreel includes Harcourt receiving Japanese surrender.
• Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939-45
• CNN After wartime occupation, a swift rebirth at the Wayback Machine (archived March 8, 2007)
• Times Obituary: Vice-Admiral Sir John Parker- served with Harcourt on Sheffield and Newfoundland. (20 May 2005)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cecil Harcourt.