VADM Sir John Crace, KBE, CB, RN, was born at Gungahlin, NSW, (now part of modern-day Canberra). Although Australian by birth he entered the Royal Navy in 1902. He rose steadily through the ranks of the Royal Navy and was appointed Commander of the Australian Squadron in November 1939 with the rank of Rear Admiral. He commanded the Squadron during the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942. Crace returned to England in June 1942, was knighted in 1947, and lived there until his death in 1968.