Lieutenant Commander John David Chinn Royal Naval Reserve (Sea Cadet Corps)
John David Chinn
The Man John David Chinn was born on Saturday 1st May 1943 son of Arthur John (Jack), an Auxiliary Fireman and Olive May nee Smith in Tonbridge, Kent and had one brother Jeffrey Thomas born in 1948.
John was educated at Shooters Hill School in Greenwich and in 1955 aged 12 joined the school (London Area) Sea Cadet Corps unit. He served with them until he was old enough to become a staff member and in 1965 was appointed as a Petty Officer at Kingston Unit. At the time he was living with his parents at 33 Llanover Road, Greenwich.
Following his education John became a clerk and worked as a bookkeeper at the Exchange Travel Unit and part time at the Child Support Agency.
In 1971 John was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant (Sea Cadet Corps) Royal Naval Reserve and promoted to Lieutenant in 1973. In 1977 he moved to Sussex and joined the staff of Training Ship (TS) Rye and District Sea Cadets, under the command of Lt Cdr John Whiteman, (Grand-Father of a later CO and John’s God-Son Petty Officer Philip Whiteman; qualifying the same year for his Cadet Forces Medal (CFM) and being appointed as First Lieutenant.
John was educated at Shooters Hill School in Greenwich and in 1955 aged 12 joined the school (London Area) Sea Cadet Corps unit. He served with them until he was old enough to become a staff member and in 1965 was appointed as a Petty Officer at Kingston Unit. At the time he was living with his parents at 33 Llanover Road, Greenwich.
Following his education John became a clerk and worked as a bookkeeper at the Exchange Travel Unit and part time at the Child Support Agency.
In 1971 John was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant (Sea Cadet Corps) Royal Naval Reserve and promoted to Lieutenant in 1973. In 1977 he moved to Sussex and joined the staff of Training Ship (TS) Rye and District Sea Cadets, under the command of Lt Cdr John Whiteman, (Grand-Father of a later CO and John’s God-Son Petty Officer Philip Whiteman; qualifying the same year for his Cadet Forces Medal (CFM) and being appointed as First Lieutenant.
Golden Jubilee Medal 2002. Diamond Jubilee Medal 2012. Platinum Jubilee Medal 2022. Coronation Medal 2023. Cadet Forces Medal and seven clasps.
In 1982 he transferred to TS Hastings as their Commanding Officer, being awarded the first clasp to his CFM in 1985. During 1986 he was transferred to be part of the Sussex District Staff Team and in 1993 appointed as District Officer for Sussex and awarded the second clasp to his CFM. He returned to TS Hastings on two further occasions to hold Command as well as retaining his DO role, 1994-1995 and again in 1998 and awarded the third clasp to his CFM in 1999 (the qualifying time for the clasp to the CFM having been reduced to six years on 1st April 1999).
John was awarded the golden Jubilee Medal 2002 and in about 2005 the fourth clasp to his CFM and continued serving as Deputy District Officer for the next 20 years. He was awarded the Diamond Jubilee Medal 2012 followed by the fifth clasp to his CFM which appeared in the London Gazette of 25th March 2013, then the sixth on 5th June 2018, the Platinum Jubilee Medal 2022, The Coronation Medal 2023 and finally the seventh clasp to his CFM gazette on 25th June 2024.
Following his retirement from work John also did a lot of voluntary work, he was governor at a local school as their treasurer for many years, involved with Royal National Lifeboat Institution in Hastings also as their treasurer as well as the Royal British Legion, The Soldiers', Sailors', and Airmen's Families Association and became President of Eastbourne Unit Sea Cadets. Additionally, John travelled each year to Oudenaarde in Belgium, which is twinned with Hastings and he enjoyed celebrating the links between the two towns.
John never married and lived with his parents most of his life. Sadly, his mother Olive developed dementia in later life and John looked after her until her death in 2019 aged 99. He then lived at 8 Saxon Rise, Bexhill-on-Sea, never married and despite having to slow down due to ill health, continued working in and assisting the SCC as best he could, he passed away on 19th August 2024 aged 81 at St Michel’s Hospice, still a serving Officer in the Sea Cadet Corps.
Comments posted online following his death reflected how highly regarded John was by his shipmates and for his 52 years adult uniformed service to the Sea Cadet Corps. The Area Chaplain of the Southern Area Sea Cadets poignantly said - “Fair winds and following seas John, we have the watch. Rest eternal grant unto him O Lord”.
Thus ended the life a man who committed himself fully to the Sea Cadet Corps and to helping many hundreds of youngsters who were members and had come into contact with John.
John was awarded the golden Jubilee Medal 2002 and in about 2005 the fourth clasp to his CFM and continued serving as Deputy District Officer for the next 20 years. He was awarded the Diamond Jubilee Medal 2012 followed by the fifth clasp to his CFM which appeared in the London Gazette of 25th March 2013, then the sixth on 5th June 2018, the Platinum Jubilee Medal 2022, The Coronation Medal 2023 and finally the seventh clasp to his CFM gazette on 25th June 2024.
Following his retirement from work John also did a lot of voluntary work, he was governor at a local school as their treasurer for many years, involved with Royal National Lifeboat Institution in Hastings also as their treasurer as well as the Royal British Legion, The Soldiers', Sailors', and Airmen's Families Association and became President of Eastbourne Unit Sea Cadets. Additionally, John travelled each year to Oudenaarde in Belgium, which is twinned with Hastings and he enjoyed celebrating the links between the two towns.
John never married and lived with his parents most of his life. Sadly, his mother Olive developed dementia in later life and John looked after her until her death in 2019 aged 99. He then lived at 8 Saxon Rise, Bexhill-on-Sea, never married and despite having to slow down due to ill health, continued working in and assisting the SCC as best he could, he passed away on 19th August 2024 aged 81 at St Michel’s Hospice, still a serving Officer in the Sea Cadet Corps.
Comments posted online following his death reflected how highly regarded John was by his shipmates and for his 52 years adult uniformed service to the Sea Cadet Corps. The Area Chaplain of the Southern Area Sea Cadets poignantly said - “Fair winds and following seas John, we have the watch. Rest eternal grant unto him O Lord”.
Thus ended the life a man who committed himself fully to the Sea Cadet Corps and to helping many hundreds of youngsters who were members and had come into contact with John.
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The Story The medals awarded to John David Chinn were acquired from Eastbourne Auctions via the Saleroom on 6th October 2025 and of interest because of the rarely seen seven clasped Cadet Forces Medal.
A search of google very quickly found details of John who had only passed away just over a year before their acquisition, with obituaries on Facebook from his many Sea Cadet colleagues together with several photographs of him in uniform.
Ancestry and the London Gazette revealed a little more detail the latter confirming the award of his fifth, sixth and seventh clasp to his Cadet Forces Medal.
At the time of acquisition seven clasped Cadet forces Medals remain scarce, although this will change in time with uniformed staff now remaining in service in the Cadet Forces until much later in life. As the time of acquisition, it is also scarce to find a coronation Medal 2023 with a group, however, once again this will certainly change in time.
Contact was made with John’s family via Ancestry who helpfully gave a little more detail to expand his story.
With the group came a World War II trio of medals awarded posthumously to Thomas James Chinn, Ancestry revealing this to be one of John’s uncles.
A search of google very quickly found details of John who had only passed away just over a year before their acquisition, with obituaries on Facebook from his many Sea Cadet colleagues together with several photographs of him in uniform.
Ancestry and the London Gazette revealed a little more detail the latter confirming the award of his fifth, sixth and seventh clasp to his Cadet Forces Medal.
At the time of acquisition seven clasped Cadet forces Medals remain scarce, although this will change in time with uniformed staff now remaining in service in the Cadet Forces until much later in life. As the time of acquisition, it is also scarce to find a coronation Medal 2023 with a group, however, once again this will certainly change in time.
Contact was made with John’s family via Ancestry who helpfully gave a little more detail to expand his story.
With the group came a World War II trio of medals awarded posthumously to Thomas James Chinn, Ancestry revealing this to be one of John’s uncles.
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Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps Grilse Cap Tally. Royal Canadian Navy and royal Navy Cap Badges. These items came with John's medals.
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Medal Details:
- Golden Jubilee Medal 2002: Unnamed as awarded.
- Diamond Jubilee Medal 2012: Unnamed as awarded.
- Platinum Jubilee Medal 2022: Unnamed as awarded.
- Coronation Medal 2023: Unnamed as awarded.
- Cadet Forces Medal: LT J.D.CHINN (SCC) R.N.R.
This page last updated 2 Nov 25
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