Arthur Gordon Smith

Vice-Admiral Arthur G. Smith, c. 1919.
Portrait: © National Portrait Gallery, London.

Vice-Admiral SIR Arthur Gordon Smith, C.M.G. (30 March, 1873 – 10 October, 1953) was an officer of the Royal Navy during the First World War. He changed his name to Arthur Gordon-Smith by Deed Poll in 1936.

Life & Career

Smith placed last in order of merit of the forty candidates for naval cadetship that were accepted for acceptance to Britannia from a round of examinations in late November, 1885.

Smith was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 14 May, 1893.

Smith was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1903.

Smith was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1909.

He assumed command of the first class protected cruiser Endymion in October 1910, remaining in that position until mid 1912.

On 8 January, 1913, he was lent to the Royal Australian Navy to serve as captain of the second class protected cruiser Encounter.

He was placed in command of Dominion in December, 1917 and remained in this post until April of 1918. Oddly, he also appears to be shown in command of Commonwealth during this period, spanning her refit over the winter of 1917-18.

In the Birthday Honours of 4 June, 1917, Smith was appointed a Companion in the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (C.M.G.) for his war services.

Smith was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 10 October, 1920.

Smith was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on the Retired List on 1 March, 1926.

See Also

• Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Henry L. Mawbey	Captain of H.M.S. Endymion 4 Oct, 1910 – 26 Jun, 1912	Succeeded by George B. W. Young
Preceded by John Nicholas	Captain of H.M.S. Jupiter 26 Jun, 1912 – 4 Oct, 1912	Succeeded by Herbert A. Adam
Preceded by Bertram M. Chambers	Captain of H.M.S. Encounter 8 Jan, 1913 – 28 Jan, 1914	Succeeded by Charles La P. Lewin
Preceded by Constantine H. Hughes-Onslow	Second Naval Member of the Australian Naval Board 28 Jan, 1914	Succeeded by George P. Thomson
Preceded by Herbert W. Richmond	Captain of H.M.S. Commonwealth 26 Apr, 1917 – 17 Aug, 1917	Succeeded by Arthur G. Smith
Preceded by Adolphus H. Williamson	Captain of H.M.S. Dominion 4 Dec, 1917 – Apr, 1918	Succeeded by Lionel E. H. Royle
Preceded by Arthur G. Smith	Captain of H.M.S. Commonwealth Apr, 1918 – 15 Nov, 1918	Succeeded by George R. B. Blount
Preceded by Henry B. Pelly	Commodore-in-Command, Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth 15 Nov, 1918 – 30 Oct, 1920	Succeeded by John W. L. McClintock