Kenneth Eaton
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Sir Kenneth Eaton | |
|---|---|
| Born | 12 August 1934 Plymouth |
| Died | 20 July 2022 (aged 87) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Navy |
| Service years | 1957–1994 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | Controller of the Navy HMNB Portsmouth |
| Awards | |
Admiral Sir Kenneth John Eaton GBE KCB FREng (12 August 1934 – 20 July 2022) was a Royal Navy officer who served as Controller of the Navy from 1989 to 1994, as well as President of the Society for Nautical Research from 2020 to 2022.[1]
Born in Plymouth on 12 August 1934,[2][1] the son of John and May, Eaton was educated initially at Sheerness Dockyard School[2] where he undertook apprenticeship as an electrician.[1] He later attended Borden Grammar School and Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge where he secured a BA in Mechanical Sciences Tripos.[3][4]
Naval career
Eaton joined the Royal Navy in 1953, as a Special Entry Cadet (Electrical Branch)[2] and was confirmed as a sub-lieutenant in 1957.[5][1] Trained as a weapons engineer,[1] he served on the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious from 1959 to 1961 and then worked at the Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment from 1961 to 1965.[4] He then served on the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle, at the shore establishment HMS Collingwood and the destroyer HMS Bristol from 1965 to 1971.[4] He then worked on the Defence Communications Network from 1971 to 1972 and then returned to the Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment where he remained until joining the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal in 1976. Promoted to captain, he was posted to the Ministry of Defence in 1978.[4]
He was appointed assistant director of Communications Planning in 1979, assistant director of Command Systems in 1981, Director of Torpedoes in 1983 and Director-General of Underwater Weapons for the Navy in 1985.[6] Promoted to rear-admiral on 3 November 1987,[7] he went on to become Flag Officer, Portsmouth[8] and Commander of HM Naval Base Portsmouth in 1987 and, with promotion to vice-admiral, he became Controller of the Navy in 1989.[6][1] He was promoted to full admiral in 1993 and retired on 3 August 1994.[9]
He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1990 Birthday Honours[10] and advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire in the 1994 New Year Honours.[11][1]