John Curle

Sir John Noel Ormiston Curle (12 December 1915 – 30 September 1997) was a British diplomat who served as consul-general in Boston from 1962 to 1966, ambassador to Liberia from 1967 to 1970, and ambassador to the Philippines from 1970 to 1972.

Early life and education

Curle was born on 12 December 1915 at Brighton, Sussex, the son of Major W. S. N. Curle, MC, of Melrose, Scotland. He was educated at Marlborough College and New College, Oxford, where he took a First in history. He then won the Laming travelling fellowship of Queen’s College, Oxford, and learnt French and German.

Career

Curle joined the Diplomatic Service in 1939 but on the outbreak of the Second World War, he was commissioned into the Irish Guards, and from 1941 to 1944 was attached to the war cabinet secretariat, a uniformed post. He then served at Lisbon; Ottawa; Brussels; Stockholm from 1956 to 1958 as counsellor; and Athens from 1958 to 1962 as counsellor and head of chancery.

From 1962 to 1966, he served as consul-general at Boston. He then served as ambassador to Liberia from 1967 to 1970 while concurrently, non-resident ambassador to Guinea from 1968 to 1970, and then ambassador to the Philippines from 1970 to 1972. He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 1956, and promoted to Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 1975.