John Ouchterlony Barron

Commander John Ouchterlony Barron, D.S.O., M.V.O. (5 October, 1882 – ) was an officer in the Royal Navy. He commanded a destroyer at the Battle of Jutland, but had his name removed from the Navy List after being convicted of embezzlement in 1927.

Life & Career

Born in Reigate and raised by his mother Louis Bridget Barron, John Barron received eight months' time on passing out of Britannia in December, 1897 ranked seventh of the sixty-four cadets who passed out, with 1778 marks.

Barron was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1903.

Barron had impressed his superiors as a modest Francophone and a reliable officer with a very good physique by 1910.

Barron was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 31 December, 1911.

On 25 November, 1911 or in March 1912, T.B. 25 and T.B. 29 collided and Barron suffered a spinal concussion.

Barron was appointed in command of the destroyer Acasta on 21 November, 1912. He fought in her at the Scarborough Raid and at the Battle of Jutland, operating as part of the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla and suffering heavy damage. He was recommended for promotion following the battle for having stood by Shark under heavy fire and conspiring to tow her to harbour with the assistance of Nonsuch. Accordingly, Barron was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1916.

By June, 1917, Captain Arthur Dutton appraised Barron as a "[g]ood Cd O of a destroyer, but had too much of it."

On 29 October, 1917, H.M.S. Onslaught was grounded and Wilfred J. H. Spencer, A.B. was drowned. A Court of Enquiry was convened into the circumstances surrounding the grounding

Barron was appointed in command of the destroyer Wolsey on 18 April, 1918.

Post-War

Barron was thanked for his services in helping the Admiralty increase the torpedo armament of "V" and "W" class destroyers in 1919. However, when Wolsey collided with the Lapp Grund Lightship on Christmas Eve, Barron was informed that he should have reduced speed and exercised more care in bad weather.

He was placed on the Retired List at his own request upon his relief on 9 August, 1922 and would be eligible for a step in rank upon reaching age 45.

In October 1923, a Receiving Order of Bankruptcy was made against Barron at Portsmouth Court. Worse turns awaited him, however, as he was removed from the list of retired officers on 15 February, 1927 as a consequence of his conviction on a charge of embezzlement committed against his employer, the British Legion Poppy Factory, Ltd.. Barron was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment in "Second Division [?]".

There was some question as to whether his M.V.O. would be revoked, but it appears he retained this distinction.

See Also

• Service Records
• Fourth D.F. (Royal Navy) at the Battle of Jutland
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Edward H. F. Boughey	Captain of H.M.S. Hardy 29 Apr, 1908 – 15 Jun, 1908	Succeeded by Richard M. King
Preceded by Arthur Henniker-Heaton	Captain of H.M. T.B. 20 1910 – 15 Feb, 1911	Succeeded by Henry D. Pridham-Wippell
Preceded by Henry D. Pridham-Wippell	Captain of H.M. T.B. 29 15 Feb, 1911 – 21 Nov, 1912	Succeeded by Philip W. S. King
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Acasta 21 Nov, 1912 – 7 Jun, 1916	Succeeded by John A. P. Legh
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Nizam 7 Jun, 1916 – 4 Oct, 1916	Succeeded by Gerald H. Thomson
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Restless 4 Oct, 1916 – 14 Jun, 1917	Succeeded by Michael K. H. Kennedy
Preceded by William W. Wilson	Captain of H.M.S. Owl 11 Jul, 1917 – 15 Oct, 1917	Succeeded by Francis Howard
Preceded by Basil W. L. Owen	Captain of H.M.S. Onslaught 26 Oct, 1917 – 26 Nov, 1917	Succeeded by Hamilton E. Snepp
Preceded by John J. C. Ridley	Captain of H.M.S. Mindful 26 Nov, 1917 – 18 Apr, 1918	Succeeded by Horace Walker
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Wolsey 18 Apr, 1918 – 1 Mar, 1921	Succeeded by Hamilton C. Allen
Preceded by Gerald C. Harrison	Captain of H.M.S. Rocket 1 Mar, 1921 – 1 Jun, 1921	Succeeded by Alfred G. Peace
Preceded by Alfred G. Peace	Captain of H.M.S. Ready 15 Jun, 1921 – 22 Feb, 1922	Succeeded by Stanley F. W. Laidlaw