Norman Morley

Commander Norman Eyre Morley, (6 January 1899 – 21 September 1989) was a British Naval Reserve officer who served in both World Wars, becoming the most decorated reserve officer in the Royal Navy, and the only person to have been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross four times.

Early life Morley was born in Fulham in 1899, and educated at Battersea Grammar School, before joining the Harrison-Rennie Line as an apprentice. and served aboard HM Coastal Motor Boat No. 88 in the Baltic.

Between the wars From 1920 Morley studied architecture at London University, and then worked for the brewing company Courage, for which he eventually became Chief Architect and Property Technical Director. and lieutenant on 11 April 1924, until being removed from list on 31 March 1933. He served aboard minesweepers for the entire war, beginning with , in which he became a First Lieutenant on 18 January 1940, and also took part in the Dunkirk evacuation in May 1940.

On 12 October 1942 Morley took command of ,

On 22 July 1944 Morley was appointed to command of and also served as 2nd Senior Officer, 13th Minesweeping Flotilla, and his third bar on 12 June 1945 "for gallantry, outstanding skill and devotion to duty in minesweeping operations over dense and shallow minefields in the opening up of Greek ports in the Gulf of Corinth".

Post-war life Morley left the Navy after the end of the war, and returned to civilian employment. He retired in 1964 and bought a farm in Selborne, Hampshire. He was a founder and commodore of the Frensham Pond Sailing Club, continuing to sail into his 80s. Morley died in 1989 aged 90. His medals are held by the Royal Navy Museum at Portsmouth.

Other awards As well as his four DSCs Morley also received the following campaign medals:

World War I

World War II