Admirals of the British Navy Part 7

REAR-ADMIRAL ARTHUR CAVENAGH LEVESON, C.B.

REAR-ADMIRAL ARTHUR CAVENAGH LEVESON, C.B. (Civil), C.B. (Military), was born in 1868, and after going to a private school, began his Naval education on board the "Britannia." As a young man he gained Five Firsts, the Beaufort Testimonial and Goodenough Medal.

He qualified in gunnery.

He served as Gunnery Lieutenant in the "Victoria" in 1893, and was on board when she sank after collision with the "Camperdown" off Tripoli.

He was 1st Gunnery Officer at Whale Island (H.M.S. "Excellent"), and Brigade Major to the Naval Brigade in London on the occasion of Queen Victoria's Jubilee, 1897, for which he received the Jubilee Medal.

He was promoted to Commander from Whale Island, and became a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

He served as Commander for the whole of the first commission of the "Canopus," and was promoted to Captain on July 1st, 1903.

From August, 1903, to February, 1905, he was Naval a.s.sistant to the Controller of the Navy.

He served as Flag Captain to Admiral Sir William May, Commander-in-Chief of the Atlantic Fleet, and took part in 1905 in the original initiation of the Entente Cordiale at Brest and in Paris, for which he received the Croix d'Officier of the Legion of Honour.

[Ill.u.s.tration: REAR-ADMIRAL A. C. LEVESON]

He subsequently commanded H.M. Battles.h.i.+p "Africa" and H.M.

Battle-Cruiser "Indefatigable," and received the Coronation Medal of H.M. King George V. in 1911.

In 1912 he was made a C.B. (Civil) in the first batch of Naval officers to whom the award of this honour was extended.

In 1913 he was made Aide-de-Camp to H.M. King George V., and in the same year was Commodore (First Cla.s.s) on the staff of Admiral of the Fleet Sir William May, Umpire-in-Chief during the Naval Manoeuvres which took place during July and August.

He became Rear-Admiral on December 1st, 1913, and Director of Operations Divisions of the Admiralty War Staff on May 1st, 1914, and served as such for the first six months of the War.

He was then appointed Rear-Admiral, Second in Command of the Second Battle Squadron, and was present at the battle of Jutland on May 31st, 1916, for which he was mentioned in despatches and received the C.B.

(Military). He has also received the Order of St. Stanislaus (First Cla.s.s) with swords, and the Order of the Rising Sun (Second Cla.s.s).

IX

VICE-ADMIRAL SIR HUGH EVAN-THOMAS, K.C.B., M.V.O.

VICE-ADMIRAL SIR HUGH EVAN-THOMAS, K.C.B., M.V.O., was born in 1862 and entered the Royal Navy in 1876. He became a Lieutenant on December 31st, 1884, a Commander on January 1st, 1897, and a Captain on June 26th, 1902.

He was Flag Captain in the Channel Fleet, 1903-5, and Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty from 1905-08. Commanded H.M.S.

"Bellerophon" 1908-1910.

From July, 1910, to August, 1912, he was in command of the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, and from February, 1911, to July 9th, 1912, Aide-de-Camp to the King, being promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on July 9th, 1912.

He was Rear-Admiral, First Battle Squadron, 1913-15, and was in command of the Fifth Battle Squadron with his Flag in H.M.S. "Barham" at the Battle of Jutland, May 31st, 1916, being mentioned in despatches. He received the C.B. on June 3rd of that year, and on September 15th, 1916, he was made a K.C.B. for his services during the Battle of Jutland. In the same month he was decorated Commander of the Legion of Honour by the President of the French Republic for his services in the war.

He also holds the Order of St. Anne (First Cla.s.s) with swords, is a Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown of Italy, and has received the Order of the Rising Sun (Second Cla.s.s).

He became a Rear-Admiral on April 27th, 1917.

a.s.sumed the rank of Acting Vice-Admiral, July 9th, 1917.

[Ill.u.s.tration: VICE-ADMIRAL SIR HUGH EVAN-THOMAS]

He was Aide-de-Camp to the King from December 6th, 1916, until promoted, and was awarded a Good Service Pension on January 10th, 1916.

He received the Civil C.B. on June 4th, 1917.

X

REAR-ADMIRAL HENRY HARVEY BRUCE, C.B., M.V.O.

REAR-ADMIRAL HENRY HARVEY BRUCE, C.B., M.V.O., was born in 1862, and in the early 'eighties of the last century served as a Mids.h.i.+pman of the "Monarch" during the Egyptian War. For his services during that campaign he received the Egyptian Medal and Khedive's Bronze Star.

As a Mids.h.i.+pman in the "Monarch" Rear-Admiral Bruce had a very narrow escape of losing his life by an accident. This occurred during torpedo exercises, in the course of which a steam pinnace having come alongside the s.h.i.+p, a light charge of a fish torpedo suddenly exploded.

The result of this mishap was that a Lieutenant was killed on the spot, while several of the crew were severely hurt. Among the latter was Mr.

Bruce, whose eyes sustained injuries which happily did not turn out to be as serious as was at first antic.i.p.ated.

In 1911-12 he was Captain of the "Defence" in the detached Squadron which escorted the "Medina" to India for the Durbar; he received the M.V.O. (Fourth Cla.s.s) on February 4th, 1912.

[Ill.u.s.tration: REAR-ADMIRAL HENRY H. BRUCE]

He was Captain of H.M.S. "Hercules" in the Grand Fleet when war broke out in August, 1914.

On June 1st, 1915, he was appointed Commodore Superintendent at Rosyth, being the first occupant of this post.

XI

REAR-ADMIRAL EDWYN S. ALEXANDER-SINCLAIR, C.B., M.V.O.

REAR-ADMIRAL EDWYN S. ALEXANDER-SINCLAIR OF FRESWICK, C.B., M.V.O., joined the "Britannia" in 1879 as a Cadet, becoming a Mids.h.i.+pman two and a-half years later. He acted as Flag-Lieutenant to a number of Admirals and was promoted to Commander on the January 11th, 1901.

From February, 1902, to January, 1904, he was in command of the Destroyer "Albatross," being afterwards placed in command of the "Surprise" until 1905, when he became a Captain.

He commanded the Royal Naval College at Osborne for three years, and in 1908 received the M.V.O.

Commodore Alexander-Sinclair was in command of H.M.S. "Galatea" when that s.h.i.+p a.s.sisted in the destruction of Zeppelin L7 off the Schleswig coast on May 4th, 1916, and received a C.B. (military) on the 3rd of the following month.