Commander Henry Luton was a Royal Navy officer who spent the later stages of World War II as an Electrical Engineering Officer, and took part in “Operation Zipper” in the Singapore area shortly before the Japanese surrender. After the cessation of the war, as a civilian he resumed his involvement with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. After a few years he realised that he missed the navy life and joined the Royal New Zealand Navy on a short commission as a direct entry Lieutenant.
Luton joined the RNZN in January 1957 as Staff Officer Electrical at Navy Office in Wellington. In addition he also served onboard the cruiser HMNZS ROYALIST, at the New Zealand High Commission in London, as Electrical Engineer Manager at HMNZS Dockyard in Devonport, Auckland, and finally as the Director of Weapons Electrical Engineering -once more at Navy Office in Wellington.
Henry Luton retired from the RNZN in April 1970 having attained the rank of Commander.