John Wisden was born in Penshurst, Kent, on 14 October 1901, the son of Mr and Mrs A P Wisden. He joined the Royal Navy as a Naval Cadet.  

After spending time in HMS HERCULES, he joined submarines as a Sub Lieutenant in September 1922 and then went to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS TITANIA in Hong Kong in January 1923.  On his return home, he was appointed to HMS K6 as a Lieutenant in March 1925 and to L6 in December 1926. After completing the Commanding Officers’ Qualifying Course, he took command of HMS H31 in April 1928. In May 1931, he was appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS LUCIA (2nd Submarine Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet) at Devonport as Staff Officer (Operations).  

He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in September 1931 and, in May 1934, took command of HMS STARFISH, followed, in January 1935, by that of HMS SEALION. An appointment to the Staff of Rear Admiral (Submarines) in HMS DOLPHIN followed in November 1936 and he was further appointed to HMS DOLPHIN for training duties in January 1937. In May 1940, he was the Commanding Officer of the destroyer HMS BULLDOG and received a Mention in Dispatches resulting from an action in the Skaggerak. He died on 29 August 1940 of wounds received after his ship was hit during a bombing raid on Portsmouth Harbour 5 days before.  

Wisden was the husband of Mary Mercedes Wisden of Worthing, Sussex.  He is commemorated at the Brighton (Woodvale) Borough Crematorium in Sussex on Panel No. 3.