Jacob Japheth

Jack (Jacob) Japheth was born on 24 April 1916 to David and Hannah Japheth in Bombay, India. He graduated from one of the best schools in Bombay the Cathedral & John Connon High School, after doing both Junior and Senior Cambridge examinations. Having a flair for mechanical items he joined the service facility of the Ford Assembly plant in Bombay as an apprentice in various positions including vehicle inspection and paint shop and soon rose to the position of foreman. In 1937 he was awarded the Sir Victor Sassoon Scholarship to study Automotive Engineering at the Automotive Engineering Training College in Chelsea London, from where he graduated 1st first class honors with a diploma in Automotive Engineering. He continued his studies for the National Certificate in Mechanical Engineering at the Wandsworth Technical Institute in London. He completed his studies by attending a course at the Messrs.'' Leyland Motors at Kingston on Thames.

Upon the completion of his technical education Jack Japheth returned to India in 1940 and joined the Swiss Engineering Company in Bombay, and was in charge of the overhaul of all cars produced in Britain.

In 1941 he joined the Royal Indian Navy as a Motor Engineer and was soon promoted to Lecturer and Instructor in the Mechanical Training Establishment of the Navy a position he held till 1945. He was promoted to Chief Divisional Engineering/Transport/Fueling Officer at H.M.I.S. “Hamla” in Marve, Bombay, where he was responsible for the proper function of a very large number of a variety of Naval & Land Equipment of the Navy. He was then promoted to Officer in Charge of the transport pool of the Royal Indian Navy. In 1951 he began his career at sea and held a wide variety of senior appointments.  During the course of his Naval Career he rose to the rank of Commander (Cmdr.) and served for a short period of time in Vietnam & at Indian Navy, Eastern Naval Command Head Quarters at INS Circar’s at Visakhapatnam, India. During the course of his career Cmdr. Jack Japheth was awarded several medals for meritorious service both as a member of the Royal Indian Navy and later as a member of the Navy of Independent India. Among the medals he was awarded, were the India Independence Medal, The Star Medal, The Coronation Medal of King George VI and the Navy (Nav Sena) Medal of India.