Michael Janvrin was born in Doncaster, Yorkshire, in September 1918, the second son of the Rev. Canon Claud William Janvrin, MA, and Irene Monica Janvrin (née Turner). His elder brother was Hugh Richard Benest Janvrin (later Vice Admiral) and he also had a younger brother, John Patrick and a younger sister, Audrey Mary. Michael was educated at the King’s School from 1925 to 1929 during which time he played an active part in school life and won an English prize in his final year, and at Malvern School.

He joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet at RN College, Dartmouth, on 1 September 1935 and was trained in the cruiser HMS FROBISHER. He served in the cruiser HMS SHROPSHIRE in the Mediterranean from May to November 1936 and in the battle cruiser HMS REPULSE from December 1936 to March 1938, also in the Mediterranean. Michael Janvrin completed his promotion courses at Portsmouth from February to December 1938 and then served briefly in the Devonport based destroyer HMS ACHATES from February to April 1939.

He was appointed to HMS DOLPHIN ‘for the Submarine Course’ on 24 April 1939, to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS TITANIA ‘for Submarines’ on 4 August 1939 and ‘for Submarine HMS URSULA’ from September 1939 to July 1941. This was followed by an appointment to HMS TRIUMPH on 17 July 1941 as First Lieutenant.

TRIUMPH sailed from Alexandria on 26 December 1941 on her 21 War Patrol, this time in the Aegean Sea where she landed a joint MI9/SOE team (part of Special Operation “Isinglass”) on the Greek island of Anti Paros. The landing was reported complete on 30 December 1941, but the submarine did not return to the island to pick the team up on 9 January 1942 as planned. TRIUMPH was reported overdue and lost with all hands on or about 20 January 1942 and was assumed to have struck a mine.

Michael Janvrin was Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 1^st January 1940) ‘for services in HMS URSULA’ and was also awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (London Gazette of 5 May 1942) “for daring, enterprise and devotion to duty in successful patrols in HM Submarines“. His DSC was presented to his Next of Kin.

Lieutenant Michael Janvrin of the Rectory, Withington and Fairford, Gloucestershire is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel 62 Column 1 and on the ‘Roll of Honour’ at both the King’s School and Malvern College.

Michael’s elder brother Richard survived the war and retired as Vice Admiral Sir Richard Janvrin KCB DSC. His son (Michael’s nephew) also joined the Royal Navy, leaving to become a diplomat and then Private Secretary to the Queen. He is now a member of the House of Lords.