Arthur Bromley, Eighth Baronet

Rear-Admiral SIR Arthur Bromley, Eighth Baronet, K.C.M.G., K.C.V.O., Royal Navy, Retired (8 August, 1876 – 12 January, 1961) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Early Life & Career

Arthur Bromley was born on 8 August, 1876, in East Stoke, the third son of Captain Sir Henry Bromley, Fifth Baronet. He was educated at Farnborough and entered the Royal Navy through the training ship Britannia on 15 January, 1890. He left Britannia in December, 1891, gaining two months' time on passing out.

Bromley was appointed to the first class protected cruiser Blake on the North America and West Indies Station on 2 February, 1892, and was rated Midshipman on 15 November, having passed with a Second Class Certificate with 771 marks. On 24 May, 1895, he was appointed to the corvette Ruby in the Training Squadron. Ruby paid off on 9 October and on the 10th he was appointed to the corvette Cleopatra in the same squadron. He passed his Seamanship examination with a First Class and 946 marks, and was appointed an Acting Sub-Lieutenant on 15 May, 1896. He was confirmed in the rank of Sub-Lieutenant on 18 March, 1897, dated 15 March, 1896.

Bromley was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant dated 31 December, 1898.

He was promoted to the rank of Commander from the Royal Yacht dated 31 August, 1908.

Great War

He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1915, and on 5 July was appointed in command of the armed merchant cruiser Columbella in the Tenth Cruiser Squadron.

On 1 May, 1916, he was appointed to Pembroke for command of the new special battlecruiser Courageous, being appointed to the ship on 8 September. In June he was lent in command of the armoured cruiser Bacchante to take her from the Nore to Liverpool. He was again in command of Courageous at the surrender of the German High Sea Fleet. Another source, however, indicates that he was appointed in command of Chatham in May, 1916.

In 1919, Their Lordships would express Their appreciation "for the consistently good gunnery shown by Courageous whilst this officer was in cd of that ship."

Post-War

On 18 February, 1919, Bromley left Courageous and was appointed in command of the light cruiser Cardiff.^{[Citation needed]} He was appointed an Additional Member of the Third Class, or Companion, of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (C.M.G.) on 21 June:

For valuable services in command of H.M. Ships Columbella ,Chatham, and Courageous and as Flag Captain to the Vice-Admiral, Light Cruiser Force.

He was appointed to Pembroke for command of the new cruiser Raleigh on 14 February, 1920. He was due to take her out as flagship for Vice-Admiral Napier, now Commander-in-Chief on the North America and West Indies Station, but Napier died on 30 July. The Raleigh finally commissioned at Devonport on 19 April, 1921, for service as flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir William C. Pakenham, Napier's successor.

On 8 August, 1922, the Raleigh ran aground in thick fog on Point Amour while entering Fortean Bay. Ten men were killed, and the ship became a total loss. On 3 October Bromley left Quebec in the liner Empress of France for Britain. Commander Leslie C. Bott, O.B.E., his second-in-command, was tried by Court-martial on 26 October and severely reprimanded and dismissed H.M.S. Victory. Bromley was tried on the following day by a Court presided over by Rear-Admiral Hugh F. P. Sinclair, charged with negligently or by default stranding and losing his ship. In his defence he argued that had the charts he had been supplied with been accurate then his ship would not have stranded. The Court found the charge proved, and he was severely reprimanded and dismissed his ship.

He was placed on the Retired List, at his own request, dated 7 November. He was advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral on the Retired List on 8 July, 1926.

Bibliography

• "Rear-Adl. Sir Arthur Bromley" (Obituaries). The Times. Saturday, 14 January, 1961. Issue 54979, col E, pg. 8.

Service Records

• The National Archives. ADM 196/141.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/90.
• The National Archives. ADM 196.44.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Osmond J. Prentis	Captain of H.M.S. Peterel 1 Nov, 1904 – 4 Oct, 1906[Inference]	Succeeded by George P. Leith
Preceded by Hugh L. P. Heard	Captain of H.M.S. Columbella 5 Jul, 1915 – 1 May, 1916	Succeeded by Hector L. Watts-Jones
Preceded by Raymond Fitzmaurice	Captain of H.M.S. Chatham 1 May, 1916 – 8 Sep, 1916	Succeeded by Louis C. S. Woollcombe
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Courageous 8 Sep, 1916 – 8 Feb, 1919	Succeeded by Guy D. Fanshawe
Preceded by Claud H. Sinclair	Captain of H.M.S. Cardiff 18 Feb, 1919 – Aug, 1919	Succeeded by Thomas N. James
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Raleigh 14 Feb, 1920 – 12 Sep, 1922	Succeeded by Vessel Lost
Preceded by ?	Flag Captain, North America and West Indies Station 19 Feb, 1920 – 12 Sep, 1922	Succeeded by Andrew B. Cunningham