Robert St Vincent Sherbrooke

Rear-Admiral Robert St Vincent 'Rupert' Sherbrooke, (8 January 1901 – 13 June 1972) was a senior officer in the Royal Navy and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Early life Born in Oxton, Nottinghamshire, Sherbrooke attended the Royal Naval Colleges of Osborne and Dartmouth and joined the Royal Navy in 1917 as a midshipman aboard . He was promoted to commander in 1935 and served aboard the aircraft carrier . His wartime commands were all destroyers.

Victoria Cross Sherbrooke was 41 years old and a captain in the Royal Navy during the Second World War when the following deed took place during the Battle of the Barents Sea for which he was awarded the VC.

Sherbrooke's actions – and the German ships' failure to neutralize the convoy despite its superior force – were pivotal in Hitler's order to end the use of surface fleet of the Kriegsmarine at the beginning of 1943.

Later life From July 1945 to mid-1946, Sherbrooke was commanding officer of the cruiser .

He achieved the rank of rear admiral on 7 July 1951. He was Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod from 1954 to 1964. From 1964 he was Registrar and Secretary to the Most Honourable Order of the Bath.

He was appointed High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire for 1958–59. His daughter is Dione Digby, Lady Digby. He died in his home town of Oxton, aged 71.