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Leslie Mungavin

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rear Admiral
Leslie Mungavin
SPk SK SBt
Chairman
Pakistan National Shipping Corporation
In office
3 April 1978 – April 1980
3rd Vice Chief of the Naval Staff
In office
23 March 1975 – 1977
Preceded byMohammad Shariff
Succeeded byKaramat Rahman Niazi
Personal details
BornLeslie Norman Mungavin
(1925-03-22)22 March 1925
Bombay, British India[1]
DiedJune 1995 (aged 70)
Wandsworth, London, England[2]
Resting placeArabian Sea
SpouseJoy Beatrix
Alma materBarnes High School
NicknamesJack
Munga Khan
Military service
AllegiancePakistan Pakistan
Branch/service Royal Indian Navy
(1945–1947)
 Pakistan Navy
(1947–1980)
Years of service
1945—1980
Rank Rear Admiral
UnitNaval Operations Branch
CommandsVice Chief of Naval Staff
Naval attaché, Pakistan Embassy, London
Cmdnt Pakistan Marines
Battles/wars
Awards Sitara-i-Pakistan
Sitara-i-Khidmat
Sitara-i-Basalat

Leslie Norman Mungavin SPk, SK, SBt (22 March 1925 – June 1995), known as "Jack" was an Irish two-star rank admiral in the Pakistan Navy, and defence diplomat. He is widely known for leaving his diplomatic post in London to command combat units during the 1971 war with India.[3][4]

He also served as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff from 1975 until 1977, with a two-star rank despite the position is required an admiral to be promoted in three-star rank, the Vice-Admiral.: 354 [5]

Family and early life

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Leslie Norman Mungavin was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) on 22 March 1925 into a family of Irish descent.[6] His great great grandfather, James Mungavin, was born in Castleconnel, Ireland and is said to have emigrated from County Clare to India in 1825 to work on the railways during British colonial rule.[7]

The Mungavin family settled in the British Raj and became part of the Anglo-Indian Christian community.[8] Leslie’s father was George Leslie Coltman Mungavin, who continued in the railway service.[9][10] Leslie was one of seven siblings.[11]

He attended Barnes High School in Deolali, where he was the Head boy.[12]

After the Partition of India in 1947, his family members emigrated back to the United Kingdom. Leslie, however, chose to remain and joined the newly formed Pakistan Navy.[13][14]

Military career

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Leslie Mungavin joined the Royal Indian Navy in 1945 and transferred to the Royal Pakistan Navy after the partition in 1947, where his career in the navy progressed well till his retirement as VIce Chief of Naval Staff at the rank of Rear Admiral.[15] On 4 November 1947, he was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant and assigned to the naval base PNS Attock.[16]

He specialized in navigation at the training establishment HMS Dryad in the United Kingdom.: 425–426 [3][17] In 1950s, he commanded PNS Alamgir and the Pakistan Navy flagship PNS Babur.[15]

In July 1964 he was promoted to acting captain, serving as an Executive Branch officer specializing in Navigation and Direction.[18] Commander Mungavin was the commanding officer of PNS Babur, and participated in the second war with India in 1965.[19] In 1970, Cdre. Mungavin was posted as Military and Naval Attaché at the High Commission of Pakistan in London, where his services and negotiation skills merited him a Sitara-e-Pakistan award.[15]: 249 [20]

1971 war with India

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in 1971, Cdre. Mungavin left his assignment, only to be promoted as Rear-Admiral, and took up the command as Commandant of the Pakistan Marines which he led in the Western Front of the Indo-Pakistani war against India in 1971.: 427–428 [3][4] Mungavin was often praised for his impressive adaptability.[21]

During the 1971 war, Mungavin oversaw the deployment of the Pakistan Marines in both East and West Pakistan, including riverine and coastal defence operations to counter the Indian Army in Chittagong and Khulna.[22] Mungavin and his marines conducted riverine warfare against the invading Indian Army.[23][24] Mungavin was captured at the liberation of Chittagong and held as a prisoner of war until repatriation.[25] Mungavin was awarded the Sitara-i-Basalat for his valor in the 1971 war.[26]

Post war

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In the 1970s, he was elevated as the vice chief of naval staff from 1975 until 1977, with a two-star rank despite the position is required an admiral to be promoted in three-star rank, the Vice-Admiral.: 234 [27]: 354 [5] In the 1980s, Rear Admiral Mungavin was also involved with the negotiations with the US Department of State when the Pakistan Navy was interested in replacing their aging fleet with Gearing-class destroyers.[28]

From 3 April 1978 to April 1980 he served as the Chairman of the Board of the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation.[29][30]

After his retirement, Mungavin suffered a stroke in his final years and was left virtually paralysed.[31]

Death

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Leslie Norman Mungavin died in June 1995 at his flat in Wandsworth, London, England.[32] At his request, his body was cremated, ashes were taken back to Pakistan and spread in the Arabian Sea. The Pakistan Navy honored him with a full military funeral, and his ashes were taken out to sea on board the PNS Babur and scattered there.[15]

He and his wife Joy Beatrix had one daughter, Lesley Cordelia Mungavin.[33]

References

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  1. ↑ India Births and Baptisms: Leslie Norman Mungavin
  2. ↑ England and Wales Death Registration Index: Leslie Norman Mungavin
  3. 1 2 3 Shah, Mian Zahir (2001). "The Wit of Mungavin". Bubbles of Water: Or, Anecdotes of the Pakistan Navy. Karachi, Pakistan: PN Book Club Publication. p. 487. ISBN 9789698318031. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  4. 1 2 Arshad, Sameer. "Asia's highest cross in Pakistan: A fitting tribute to selfless Christian community". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  5. 1 2 Jane, Frederick Thomas (1977). Jane's Fighting Ships. S. Low, Marston & Company. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  6. ↑ India Births and Baptisms: Leslie Norman Mungavin
  7. ↑ "Family tree of James Mungavin". Geneanet. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  8. ↑ "FIBIS Database - Powered by The Frontis Archive Publishing System". search.fibis.org. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  9. ↑ "Leslie Norman Mungavin - Ancestry®". www.ancestry.com. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  10. ↑ "Family tree of George Leslie Coltman Mungavin". Geneanet. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  11. ↑ "Mungavin Family". Ireland Reaching Out. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  12. ↑ Gabb, Alfred D. F. (2000). 1600-1947, Anglo-Indian Legacy: A Brief Guide to British Raj India History, Nationality, Education, Railways & Irrigation. Quacks Books. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-948333-89-7.
  13. ↑ Arif, Hasan (31 March 2023). "Plural Pakistan: Christians in the Armed Forces". MyPluralist. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  14. ↑ Hall, Alan (26 July 2021). Gathering No Moss: The autobiography of a rolling stone. Andrews UK Limited. ISBN 978-0-7223-5088-1.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Dharkan Fall 2006 Archived 2010-04-14 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ↑ The Navy List for MAY. 1951.
  17. ↑ Indian Defence Review 21 June 2011
  18. ↑ The Navy List. H.M. Stationery Office. 1970.
  19. ↑ Aqil, Tariq (27 August 2023). "Plight of Pakistani Christians". Pakistan Observer. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  20. ↑ Jane, Frederick Thomas (1971). Jane's Fighting Ships. S. Low, Marston & Company. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  21. ↑ Sirohey, Iftikhar Ahmed (1995). Truth Never Retires: An Autobiography of Admiral Iftikhar Ahmed Sirohey. Jang Publishers.
  22. ↑ Pakistan Marines (Global Security.org). "Pakistan Marines". Global Security.org. Pakistan Marines (Global Security.org). Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  23. ↑ Chandar, Udaya (2 January 2018). Independent India's All the Seven Wars. Notion Press. ISBN 978-1-948473-22-4.
  24. ↑ Misra, Subasa Chandra (9 July 2024). The Fountain of Blood on Mountain of Snow KARGIL. Booksclinic Publishing. ISBN 978-93-5823-858-7.
  25. ↑ "The White of the Flag: Contributions of Non-Muslims for National Defence of Pakistan". Centre for Strategic and Contemporary Research. 6 September 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  26. ↑ Sainik Samachar: The Pictorial Weekly of the Armed Forces. Director of Public Relations, Ministry of Defence. 1973.
  27. ↑ Sirohey, Iftikhar Ahmed (1995). Truth Never Retires: An Autobiography of Admiral Iftikhar Ahmed Sirohey. Jang Publishers. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  28. ↑ US Department of State EO Systematic Review 6 JUL 2006
  29. ↑ International Shipping and Shipbuilding Directory. 1979. ISBN 9780510497149. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  30. ↑ Pakistan (1978). The Gazette of Pakistan.
  31. ↑ Hall, Alan (26 July 2021). Gathering No Moss: The autobiography of a rolling stone. Andrews UK Limited. ISBN 978-0-7223-5087-4.
  32. ↑ Hall, Alan (26 July 2021). Gathering No Moss: The autobiography of a rolling stone. Andrews UK Limited. ISBN 978-0-7223-5087-4.
  33. ↑ Office, Great Britain Foreign and Commonwealth (1973). The London Diplomatic List. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 50.
[edit]
  • Shah, Mian Zahir (2001). "The Wit of Mungavin". Bubbles of Water: Or, Anecdotes of the Pakistan Navy. Karachi, Pakistan: PN Book Club Publication. p. 487. ISBN 9789698318031. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
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