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Southend History
JOHN PELHAM CHAMPION
N.C.S.O. Southend, Mersey and Thames.
Summary
John spent most of his life fighting for his country and for all his war efforts he was awarded a C.B.E. and a recived a “Letter of Appreciation”
Place and date of birth
1883
service with the military in southend
Connection to Southend
JOHN PELHAM CHAMPION
Story
John Pelham Champion was born in Derbyshire on the 26th March 1883, and his father was the Reverend Francis Beresford Champion. He joined the Royal Navy when he was 14 or 15 as a Cadet.
By the 1911 census he was a Lieutenant serving on HMS Hope, by the Great War he had been promoted to Commander in 1915 during which time he received the DSO for his gallantry during the Battle of Jutland. At the end of the Great War Cdr Champion seemed to suffer a nervous breakdown and did not sail again until 1920. He retired at his own request in 1922.
John Champion was recalled to service in September 1939 and served as N.C.S.O. Southend, Mersey and Thames.
He was awarded of a C.B.E. and a “Letter of Appreciation” in respect of “Operation Neptune” (D-Day), he received the C.B.E a Buckingham Palace investiture on 11 November 1944. John was married to Doris Mary Champion (named as Mary on joint gravestone). Champion was awarded the rank of Commodore 2nd Class. He was released from military service in January 1946 and died in February 1955 aged 72.
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