Admirals of the British Navy Part 2

[Ill.u.s.tration: VICE-ADMIRAL SIR JOHN M. DE ROBECK]

Vice-Admiral de Robeck also commanded the Naval Forces which took part in the evacuation of the Gallipoli Peninsula between November 20th, 1915, and January 9th, 1916.

He was appointed a K.C.B. on January 1st, 1916, in recognition of the services he had rendered during the war.

He is a Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour, and holds the j.a.panese Order of the Sacred Treasure (First Cla.s.s), and the Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Italy.

VII

VICE-ADMIRAL TREVYLYAN DACRES WILLES NAPIER, C.B., M.V.O.

VICE-ADMIRAL TREVYLYAN DACRES WILLES NAPIER, C.B., M.V.O., entered the Navy as a cadet in 1880, becoming a midshipman two years later. He served in the Egyptian War on board the "Minotaur," receiving the Egyptian Medal and Khedive's Bronze Star.

On February 14th, 1887, he was promoted Lieutenant, becoming a Commander on January 1st, 1899. He served in command of a Destroyer Flotilla, and in the Royal Yacht and attained the rank of Captain on June 30th, 1903.

Between 1904 and 1907 he was Flag-Captain to Admiral Sir John Durnford on the Cape Station, and from 1907 to 1910 commanded the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth, and commanded the "Bellerophon" from 1910 to 1912.

He was appointed Aide-de-Camp to the King on January 14th, 1913, and on July 1st of the same year was appointed Commodore in command of the Second Light Cruiser Squadron, which command he held till December 1st.

[Ill.u.s.tration: REAR-ADMIRAL T. D. W. NAPIER]

On October 24th, 1913, he became a Rear-Admiral. He has served afloat in the war from December, 1914, to the present time, and for his services received the C.B. on June 3rd, 1916. He was also mentioned in despatches for his services in the Battle of Jutland, in which he commanded the Third Light Cruiser Squadron. The Squadron had a difficult role to perform throughout the battle. With the First Light Cruiser Squadron it formed the screen of Sir David Beatty's Battle Cruiser Squadrons at the opening of the battle, and later in the day protected the head of the line from torpedo attack by light cruisers and destroyers. It attacked the German Battle Cruisers with torpedoes and gun fire.

"Rear-Admiral Napier deserves great credit for his determined and effective attack."

He holds the Order of St. Stanislaus (First Cla.s.s), with swords.

VIII

REAR-ADMIRAL SIR OSMOND DE BEAUVOIR BROCK, K.C.V.O., C.B., C.M.G.

REAR-ADMIRAL SIR OSMOND DE BEAUVOIR BROCK, K.C.V.O., C.B., C.M.G., entered the Navy in the early 'eighties of the last century, becoming a Midshipman on August 15th, 1884. While serving in the "Raleigh" he was awarded the Royal Humane Society's Testimonial on Vellum for having jumped overboard at Simon's Bay to the a.s.sistance of John Duggan, stoker.

He was promoted to Lieutenant on February 14th, 1889, having pa.s.sed the examination with five First Cla.s.s Certificates, and later specialised in Gunnery. He was promoted to Commander on January 1st, 1900, and on January 1st, 1904, he became a Captain. In 1905 he was Flag Captain to Lord Charles Beresford, and in November, 1910, was appointed a.s.sistant Director of Naval Mobilisation. From January 8th, 1912, to August 1st, 1912, he acted as a.s.sistant Director, Mobilisation Division, Admiralty War Staff.

[Ill.u.s.tration: REAR-ADMIRAL SIR OSMOND DE B. BROCK]

During the action in Heligoland Bight on August 28th, 1914, Captain Brock commanded the "Princess Royal," and in the action off the Dogger Bank, January 24th, 1915, he commanded the same ship. When Sir David Beatty's flagship "Lion" was damaged he transferred his flag to the destroyer "Attack," and later the "Princess Royal." For his services Captain Brock was mentioned in despatches and awarded the C.B. He commanded a Battle Cruiser Squadron in the Battle of Jutland, was again mentioned in despatches and awarded the C.M.G. It was on these Battle Cruiser Squadrons, as Sir John Jellicoe remarked, that the brunt of the fighting fell, and Sir David Beatty reported the "able support"

rendered him in the battle by their commanders.

He was Aide-de-Camp to the King from October 24th, 1913, to March 5th, 1915, when he became a Rear-Admiral.

IX

REAR-ADMIRAL LIONEL HALSEY, C.B., C.M.G.

REAR-ADMIRAL LIONEL HALSEY, C.B., C.M.G., Third Sea Lord, was born in 1872, and joined H.M.S. "Britannia" in 1885. As a Naval Cadet he served in the "Agincourt," Flag-ship of Rear-Admiral the Hon. Edmund R.

Fremantle, then second in command of the Channel Squadron. Becoming a Sub-Lieutenant in 1891, he subsequently served as Lieutenant and Flag-Lieutenant in several different ships.

During the South African War he took part in the defence of Ladysmith, where he had charge of the 4.7 gun in Princess Victoria Battery at Cove Hill Redoubt. He was also executive Officer to Captain Lambton (now Admiral Sir Hedworth Meux) towards the end of the siege, besides taking charge of all the Naval guns. For his services in this connection he was mentioned in despatches.

On January 1st, 1901, he was specially promoted to Commander. In 1912 he became Captain of the "New Zealand," the first capital ship built at the charge of a Dominion Government. In the following year Captain Halsey received the C.M.G. From September, 1914, till he became Rear-Admiral in April, 1917, he was Aide-de-Camp to the King.

[Ill.u.s.tration: REAR-ADMIRAL L. HALSEY]

Captain Halsey was mentioned in despatches for his services in the actions at Heligoland and the Dogger Bank. He became Captain of the Fleet and Commodore, First Cla.s.s, in 1915. After the Battle of Jutland, Admiral Jellicoe wrote as follows:--"My special thanks are due to Commodore Lionel Halsey, C.M.G., the Captain of the Fleet, who also a.s.sists me in the working of the Fleet at sea, and to whose good organization is largely due the rapidity with which the Fleet was fuelled and replenished with ammunition on return to its bases. He was of much a.s.sistance to me during the action."

Commodore Halsey received the C.B. on June 3rd, 1916, becoming Fourth Sea Lord in December of the same year, and Third Sea Lord in May, 1917.

He is a Commander of the Legion of Honour, and holds the Russian Order of St. Vladimir (Third Cla.s.s).

X

VICE-ADMIRAL SIR WILLIAM C. PAKENHAM, K.C.B., K.C.V.O.

VICE-ADMIRAL SIR WILLIAM CHRISTOPHER PAKENHAM, K.C.B., K.C.V.O., was born in July, 1861, the second son of the late Rear-Admiral the Hon.

Thomas Alexander Pakenham. In his early days in the Royal Navy he made a reputation as a swimmer, a.s.sisting in the rescue of a seaman who fell overboard at Larnaca, Cyprus, and some years later endeavouring to save a man who fell from the foreyard of the "Calypso" during drill at Kiel.

He became a Captain on June 30th, 1903, and from April, 1904, to May, 1906, he was Naval Attache at Tokyo.

He became a C.B. in July, 1905, and received the Order of the Rising Sun (Second Cla.s.s) from H.I.M. the Emperor of j.a.pan in 1906. In July, 1907, when in command of the "Antrim," escorting King Edward to Ireland, he was awarded the M.V.O.

From December, 1911, to December, 1913, he was a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty. In June, 1913, he became Rear-Admiral, and in December was appointed to command the Third Cruiser Squadron.

Rear-Admiral Pakenham was present at the Battle of Jutland and received a K.C.B. on May 31st, 1916, for his services on that occasion.

[Ill.u.s.tration: VICE-ADMIRAL SIR WILLIAM PAKENHAM]

When Admiral Sir David Beatty was given the command of the Grand Fleet in succession to Admiral Sir John Jellicoe in November, 1916, Admiral Pakenham was selected to a.s.sume the command of the Battle Cruiser Force, and was promoted to Acting Vice-Admiral on June 19th, 1917.

On the occasion of the visit of H.M. King George to the Fleet in July, 1917, Admiral Pakenham was made a K.C.V.O.

Vice-Admiral Pakenham has received the Russian Order of St. Stanislaus (Second Cla.s.s), and also an Imperial Gift, graciously conferred by H.I.M. the Emperor of j.a.pan.