Charles Thomas Alexander Bunbury

Captain Charles Thomas Alexander Bunbury, O.B.E., R.N., Retired (16 February, 1881 – 11 November, 1950) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Bunbury was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 July, 1902.

On 1 April, 1910, Bunbury was appointed as Commander Instructor for the R.N.V.R. at Bristol. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 July, 1910.

He was appointed to the light cruiser Gloucester as her first and gunnery officer on 31 July, 1912. Bunbury was promoted to the rank of Commander while in this appointment on 30 June, 1915. and left Gloucester when she paid off on 7 January, 1916. On 30 January, 1916, he was appointed in command of Express.

Bunbury was appointed in command of the destroyer Minos on 22 May, 1917.

Post-War

Although he had received a scatching evaluation from Captain (D) Sixth Destroyer Flotilla Percy Withers in January, 1918 which said he was "stupid at times", when Bunbury left Minos for Miranda in May, 1919, he received an unusually effusive evaluation, stating that he "possesses seamanlike administrative & organizing ability of v. high order. His ship is a model of efficiency, cleanliness, happiness. [The] latter largely due to his tact & way in which he asserts himself to the doings of his offrs & men. [illeg] of initiative. The highest opinion of his unusually technical ability is held by Capt. Sparks."

On 1 October, 1919, he was appointed in command of the destroyer Sorceress.

Bunbury was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Captain on 16 February, 1927.

World War II

Bunbury was appointed in command of the yacht Rhodora on 9 September 1939. She was lost under his command to a collision on 7 September, 1940. On 12 September 1940, Bunbury was appointed in command of the armed merchant cruiser Dunnottar Castle, temporary, vice Spencer-Cooper, being granted the acting rank of Captain while holding this appointment. Spencer-Cooper took back command on 25 October, but Bunbury was again given charge on 5 December. He left on 1 July, 1942.

On 1 September, 1942, Bunbury was appointed to Saker II, additional, for command of Asbury Park Barracks in New Jersey, U.S.A.. His appointment here was terminated on 21 May 1944 and he reverted to the Retired List the following day. Oddly, the appointment in command of Asbury Park was repeated, from 1 October 1942 until 23 March, 1944.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Stephen H. S. Moxly	Captain of H.M.S. Express 30 Jan, 1916 – 21 Jun, 1916	Succeeded by Frank Pattinson
Preceded by Horace Walker	Captain of H.M. T.B. 28 21 Jun, 1916 – 3 May, 1917	Succeeded by Roy Gill
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Truculent 3 May, 1917 – 22 May, 1917	Succeeded by Ernest H. B. Williams
Preceded by Ernest H. B. Williams	Captain of H.M.S. Minos 22 May, 1917 – May, 1919	Succeeded by George E. L. Atwood
Preceded by George E. L. Atwood	Captain of H.M.S. Miranda May, 1919 – 1 Oct, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Henry P. Boxer	Captain of H.M.S. Sorceress 1 Oct, 1919 – 15 Jul, 1921	Succeeded by Malcolm Murray
Preceded by Apsley D. M. Cherry	Captain of H.M.S. Erebus 25 Sep, 1921 – 25 Sep, 1923	Succeeded by Charles G. C. Sumner
Preceded by John G. Bower	Captain of H.M.S. Pandora 25 Jan, 1923 – 25 Jan, 1923	Succeeded by John F. Hutchings as Captain of H.M.S. Dolphin