Norman Grace

{{short description|English cricketer and Royal Navy officer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Norman Grace

| image =

| country = England

| fullname = Norman Vere Grace

| birth_date = 31 July 1894

| birth_place = Thornbury, Gloucestershire, England

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1975|2|20|1894|7|31}}

| death_place = Amberley, Gloucestershire, England

| heightft =

| heightinch =

| family = Grace family

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm slow

| role =

| club1 =

| year1 =

| columns = 1

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 3

| runs1 = 25

| bat avg1 = 5.00

| 100s/50s1 = 0/0

| top score1 = 14

| deliveries1 = 157

| wickets1 = 7

| bowl avg1 = 16.28

| fivefor1 = 1

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 5/69

| catches/stumpings1 = 1/–

| date = 25 September

| year = 2019

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/13700.html Cricinfo

}}

Norman Vere Grace {{postnominal|DL}} (31 July 1894 – 20 February 1975) was an English first-class cricketer and Royal Navy officer.

A member of the famous cricketing Grace family, he was born to the Test cricketer E. M. Grace in July 1894 at Thornbury, Gloucestershire.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/230191.html |title=Wisden - Obituaries in 1975 |date=19 December 2005 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=2019-09-26}} He was educated at Wellington College,{{cite web|url=http://www.thornburyroots.co.uk/families/grace-edward-mills/ |title=Dr Edward Mills Grace of Thornbury |publisher=www.thornburyroots.co.uk |access-date=2019-09-26}} before joining the Royal Navy. He graduated from Britannia Royal Naval College in 1912, entering into service as a midshipman.{{cite web|url=https://uboat.net/allies/commanders/1018.html |title=Norman Vere Grace, RN |publisher=www.uboat.net |access-date=2019-09-26}} Grace served in the navy during the First World War, during the latter stages of which he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant.{{London Gazette|issue=30551|date=1 March 1918|page=2636}} Following the war he played first-class cricket for the Royal Navy against the British Army cricket team at Lord's in 1920, claiming five wickets on debut.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/29/29729/First-Class_Matches.html |title=First-Class Matches played by Norman Grace |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2019-09-26 |url-access=subscription}}{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/9/9849.html |title=Army v Royal Navy, 1920 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2019-09-26 |url-access=subscription}} Three years later in December 1923, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander.{{London Gazette|issue=32889|date=18 December 1923|page=8820}} He made two further first-class appearances for the Royal Navy against the Army in 1923 and 1927, though he took only a further two wickets in these matches.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/29/29729/f_Bowling_by_Team.html |title=First-class Bowling For Each Team by Norman Grace |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2019-09-26 |url-access=subscription}} In July 1929, he was promoted to the rank of commander,{{London Gazette|issue=33513|date=2 July 1929|page=4361}} before being promoted to the rank of captain in June 1937.{{London Gazette|issue=34414|date=2 July 1937|page=4247}}

Grace served during the Second World War, captaining firstly the minelayer {{HMS|Adventure|M23|6}} from 1940–42, for which he was mentioned in dispatches,{{London Gazette|issue=35841|date=29 December 1942|page=26}} and later the heavy cruiser {{HMS|Berwick|65|6}} between January and August 1944. Then from September 1944 to January 1946, he commanded {{HMS|Vernon|shore establishment|6}} when it was based at Roedean School and oversaw its return to Portsmouth after the war.{{cite web|url=http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/Vernon_2.htm#.XY3IqGbTXIU |title=An account of HMS VERNON (R) |access-date=2019-09-27}} After relinquishing his command of Vernon, Grace was appointed as a naval aide-de-camp to George VI in February 1946.{{London Gazette|issue=37487|date=1 March 1946|page=1187}} Four months later he retired from active service.{{London Gazette|issue=37674|date=2 August 1946|page=3938}} He later served as a deputy lieutenant for Gloucestershire in 1960.{{London Gazette|issue=41960|date=19 February 1960|page=1294}} Grace died in February 1975 at Amberley, Gloucestershire. He had married Lilla Marguerite Spiller in County Cork in 1932, and the couple had had two sons.