Ships
- HMS Urania Captain from 11 October 1943 · Relieved on 19 June 1945
Denis Harold Palmer Gardiner was born on 25 March 1910 and spent his career in the Royal Navy. He was made an acting sub-lieutenant on 1 May 1930, a sub-lieutenant on 16 November 1930, and a lieutenant on 16 November 1932. On 16 November 1940 he was promoted lieutenant-commander, the rank he held through the rest of the war.
On 22 March 1940 he took command of the river gunboat HMS Mosquito. The appointment ended on 1 June 1940, the day German aircraft sank the gunboat off Dunkirk while the evacuation of the Allied armies was under way.
In July 1940 he became captain of the minesweeper HMS Hussar and remained in her until 13 January 1942. On 16 August 1940, as a lieutenant, he received the Distinguished Service Cross.
He took the destroyer HMS Wanderer on 10 February 1942 and commanded her until early 1943, while she was employed on escort work. A mention in despatches was published on 11 June 1942. On 19 January 1943 he was mentioned again, for going aboard a damaged merchant ship and helping to bring her safely into port.
From 30 March 1943 to 1 September 1943 he commanded the destroyer HMS Amazon. On 11 October 1943 he was appointed to HMS Urania, a new U-class destroyer finishing at Vickers-Armstrong in Barrow-in-Furness. She had been launched on 19 May 1943 and was completed on 18 January 1944, so Gardiner had stood by her through the last months of building before he took her to sea.
HMS Urania joined the 25th Destroyer Flotilla with the Home Fleet. In February 1944 she exercised off Scapa Flow in company with heavy ships, and that spring she escorted convoys. The ship's battle honour for Normandy in 1944 was gained while he was in command. On 8 August 1944 she undocked at Portsmouth.
In 1945 HMS Urania served with the British Pacific Fleet, and her honour for Okinawa that year also falls within his command. He was relieved on 19 June 1945, having been her captain since before she was completed. Gardiner retired from the Navy on 6 February 1947.