James Ramsay

Sir James Maxwell Ramsay (27 August 1916 – 1 May 1986) was a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy, serving forty-two years, and the 20th Governor of Queensland, for eight years.

Early life

Ramsay was one of six surviving children. He attended the Macquarie Street State School and The Hutchins School in Hobart. He proved himself to be quite adept at what he attempted in these schools; he was successful in becoming a cadet captain, excelled in Rugby, and was a high achiever in academic and professional subjects.

Naval career

Appointed a naval cadet, a cadet midshipman, on 1 January 1930, he graduated from the Royal Australian Naval College at Flinders Naval Depot in 1933 and was appointed a midshipman on 1 May 1934.

His early on-board service included: whilst also being promoted from lieutenant-commander to commander.

In January 1952 Ramsay was a commander, and took charge for the destroyer (1942–1959) for her second Korean War tour, before she was decommissioned in November 1952. His duties were to stop all enemy shipping in the vicinity of the North Korean coast, which did experience enemy contact. In 1952 he transferred as commander to , before a 1953 exchange with the Royal Navy. which involved the rescue of two US minesweepers whilst under fire.

In 1955 Ramsay attended the US Armed Forces Staff College, Virginia, and in the next year was appointed as captain, as Director of Plans.

In the Queen's 1976 New Year Honours, Ramsay was made a Knight Bachelor "for service to the State in a Vice Regal capacity". He was the first Queensland governor with a naval background, as well as the fourth Australian-born governor. He actively served as the chief scout for Queensland, while Lady Ramsay served as the president of the state's girl guide association. Visiting every local government area, one of his personal accomplishments was visiting the staff of every lighthouse in the state.

Later life

Ramsay married Janet Grace Burley, an Australian Red Cross welfare officer, on 24 November 1945 at the historic parish church, Denham, Buckinghamshire, the home of her family's country house. The couple first met at a lunch onboard HMAS Australia at Plymouth. Ramsay received a naval state funeral, complete with a gun carriage to carry the coffin. He was given as having a "delightful sense of humour" and a "very pleasant personality". Lady Ramsay died in December 2003, aged 84.