Comander James Henry Speed RAN (retd.)

FROM: CN AUSTRALIA

VALE: COMMANDER JAMES HENRY SPEED DSC, RAN (RETD)
1. IT IS WITH GREAT SADNESS THAT I INFORM YOU OF THE PASSING OF COMMANDER JAMES (JIM) HENRY SPEED, DSC RAN RETD. HE WAS AWARDED A DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS (DSC) FOR HIS COURAGE UNDER FIRE ON SWORD BEACH ON 5/6 JUNE 1944 DURING OPERATION OVERLORD, THE NORMANDY LANDINGS.
2. BORN IN 1924, HE ENTERED THE RN AS A MIDSHIPMAN IN 1942 AND WAS SELECTED FOR TRAINING AS A COMBINED OPERATIONS COMMANDO PREPARING FOR D DAY.
3. AGED JUST 19 HE LED A TEAM WHO MARKED WITH SIGNS THE SAFE PASSAGE WHERE UNDERWATER OBSTACLES HAD BEEN CLEARED BY DIVERS FOR BRITISH LANDING CRAFT. THE LARGE SIGNS HELD ALOFT BY THE COMMANDOS GUIDED LANDING CRAFT COXSWAINS BUT ALSO BECAME OBVIOUS TARGETS FOR GERMAN FIRE.
4. DESPITE THE LOSS OF MEMBERS OF HIS TEAM HE ASSISTED WITH GETTING THE FIRST BRITISH TROOPS ASHORE AND OFF THE BEACH. THIS ACTION WAS REPEATED ALL DAY AND RESULTED IN FURTHER CASUALTIES TO THE BEACH MARKING PARTIES.
5. HE CONTINUED IN THIS ROLE ON SWORD BEACH FOR A FURTHER MONTH COMING UNDER FREQUENT FIRE FROM WELL HIDDEN GERMAN HOWITZERS.
6. HE WAS DEMOBILIZED FROM THE RN IN 1946, BUT REJOINED AS AN ABLE SEAMAN IN 1954. A JUNIOR SAILOR WITH A DSC, AN OFFICERS DECORATION, WAS CONSIDERED ANOMALOUS AND HE WAS SWIFTLY COMMISSIONED AS A SUB LIEUENANT.
7. SUB LIEUTENANT SPEED WAS SENT ON EXCHANGE POSTING TO HMAS COOTAMUNDRA IN 1957. HE MARRIED AND SOUGHT TO TRANSFER TO THE RAN BUT THIS WAS NOT PERMITTED BY THE RN FOR A FURTHER THREE YEARS AFTER HIS RETURN TO THE UK IN 1960.
8. IN 1963 HE LEFT THE RN AND JOINED THE RAN AND SERVED IN A NUMBER OF POSTINGS INCLUDING HMAS TARANGAU ON MANUS ISLAND AND IN HMAS MELBOURNE (II).
9. IN 1982 ON PROMOTION TO ACTING COMMANDER HIS LAST POSTING WAS AS COMMANDING OFFICR OF HMAS LONSDALE, THE NAVY’S DEPOT IN MELBOURNE. HE LEFT THE NAVY IN 1984 AND REMAINED AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE NAVAL OFFICERS CLUB AND WAS A GUEST SPEAKER ON HIS TIME ON SWORD BEACH.
10. ON BEHALF OF THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY I EXTEND CONDOLENCES TO COMMANDER SPEED’S WIDOW NATALIE AND HIS FAMILY ON THE PASSING OF THIS DECORATED OFFICER WHO GAVE A LIFETIME OF SERVICE TO TWO NAVIES.
11. A MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR COMMANDER SPEED WILL BE HELD IN MELBOURNE AT A TIME AND PLACE TO BE ANNOUNCED.