Arthur Francis Pridham

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Vice-Admiral SIR Arthur Francis Pridham, K.B.E., C.B. (3 June, 1886 – 27 January, 1975) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Pridham was born in Teignmouth and gained perhaps three and a half months' time on passing out of Britannia. He was appointed to Jupiter in the Channel in mid January, 1903. He remained in her until she paid off on 31 January, 1905. Pridham was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 October, 1908.[1]

Pridham was appointed to Excellent to qualify in gunnery on 6 August, 1910. In mid-June 1911 he joined Racehorse for the annual manoeuvres, and on 13 September received his Lieutenant (G) certificate with 1,706 marks. He was immediately appointed to Excellent for one year of gunnery duties.[2]

On 14 August 1912, Pridham was appointed to Formidable, as gunnery officer and work on the staff of the Inspector of Target Practice.[3]

On 15 June 1916, appointed gunnery officer in Shannon, in which he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 1 October, 1916. Pridham left Shannon when he was appointed gunnery officer in Marlborough on 20 July, 1917.[4]

Post-War

Pridham ceased being gunnery officer in Marlborough on 30 December, 1919 and was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1919.[5]

He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1926.[6]

In 1928, Pridham was made Captain of light cruiser Concord.

In September 1928, Pridham was appointed in command of the light cruiser Calliope.

In 1929, he was placed in command of light cruiser Curlew.

Pridham was appointed in command of the battlecruiser Hood on 1 February, 1936.[7] On 30 June, 1937, Hood straddled H.M.S. Protector during full calibre firing practice. A Court of Inquiry faulted Pridham for the mishap.[8]

Pridham was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 10 August, 1938.[9]

World War II

Pridham served as Vice-President of the Ordnance Board from 1940.

He was admitted to Royal Naval Hospital, Chatham for neuritis in his left arm.

He was placed on the Retired List and promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 1 October, 1941.[10]

In 1942 he was appointed President of the Ordnance Board, serving as such until 1945.[11]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Bernard Acworth
Captain of H.M.S. Concord
14 Feb, 1928[12] – 26 Sep, 1928[13]
Succeeded by
Albert J. Robertson
Preceded by
Leonard S. Holbrook
Captain of H.M.S. Calliope
26 Sep, 1928[14][15] – Sep, 1929[16]
Succeeded by
John G. Bower
Preceded by
John G. Bower
Captain of H.M.S. Curlew
Nov, 1929[17] – 1 Sep, 1930[18]
Succeeded by
Charles G. Stuart
Preceded by
Frederick A. Buckley
Assistant Director of Naval Ordnance
13 Oct, 1930 – 28 Mar, 1932
Succeeded by
Eric R. Bent
Preceded by
Frank Elliott
Deputy Director of Naval Ordnance
28 Mar, 1932 – 3 Apr, 1933
Succeeded by
Eric R. Bent
Preceded by
Edward O. B. S. Osborne
Captain of H.M.S. Excellent
18 Jul, 1933[19] – 3 Oct, 1935[20]
Succeeded by
Arthur J. Power
Preceded by
F. Thomas B. Tower
Captain of H.M.S. Hood
1 Feb, 1936[21][22] – 26 Apr, 1938[23]
Succeeded by
Harold T. C. Walker
Preceded by
Charles M. Forbes
Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Station
30 Nov, 1936[24] – 1938[25]
Succeeded by
Charles E. Kennedy-Purvis
Preceded by
Cuthbert W. Swithinbank
Naval Member of the Ordnance Committee
1 Nov, 1940[26] – 2 Jan, 1942[27]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Bernard W. F. Fairbairn
President of the Ordnance Committee
2 Jan, 1942[28] – 26 Aug, 1945[29]
Succeeded by
?

Footnotes

  1. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/263. Book 9, f. 302.
  2. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/263. Book 9, f. 302.
  3. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/263. Book 9, f. 302.
  4. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. Book 9, f. 302.
  5. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/263. Book 9, f. 302.
  6. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/263. Book 9, f. 302.
  7. Taylor. The Battlecruiser Hood. p. 230.
  8. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/263. Book 9, f. 302.
  9. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/263. Book 9, f. 302.
  10. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/263. f. 240.
  11. The Times (Issue 59306) (Wednesday, 29 January, 1975), p. 19, "Sir Francis Pridham. Naval Gunnery Expert".
  12. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. Book 9, f. 302.
  13. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. Book 9, f. 302.
  14. The Navy List. (February, 1929). p. 221.
  15. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. Book 9, f. 302.
  16. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. Book 9, f. 302.
  17. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. Book 9, f. 302.
  18. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. Book 9, f. 302.
  19. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. Book 9, f. 302.
  20. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. Book 9, f. 302.
  21. Taylor. The Battlecruiser Hood. p. 230.
  22. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. Book 9, f. 302.
  23. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. Book 9, f. 302.
  24. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. Book 9, f. 302.
  25. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. Book 9, f. 302.
  26. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/263. f. 240.
  27. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/263. f. 240.
  28. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/263. f. 240.
  29. Pridham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/263. f. 240.