Christopher Powell Metcalfe

Captain (retired) Christopher Powell Metcalfe, D.S.O., R.N. (25 March, 1873 – 30 September, 1935) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Metcalfe entered the navy direct from Worcester on 6 July, 1888.

Metcalfe was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in June, 1895.

In October, 1901, Metcalfe started a seventeen month appointment on the books of the elderly Duke of Wellington, performing general duties with the Portsmouth Dockyard Reserve. In March 1903, he was appointed in command of the gunboat Kinsha, back on the China Station.

Metcalfe was awarded the Shadwell Testimonial of 1905 for a survey of a river in China and was promoted to the rank of Commander in December, 1905.

In November 1907, he damaged the propellers of Rother. On the 29th, the Admiralty expressed its displeasure and asked him to be more careful in future.

Metcalfe was placed on the Retired List on 6 April, 1911 with the rank of Captain.

Metcalfe was appointed in command of the destroyer Wear on 6 September, 1914.

After the battleship Irresistible struck a mine on 18 March, Metcalfe placed Wear alongside and rescued nearly the entire crew "under a very heavy fire which caused several casualties

He was temporarily superseded in command in late July 1915 to be employed on the beach at the Dardanelles. On 13 September, he was made an assistant Beachmaster at Mudros.

He was hospitalized in Alexandria in late November 1915 with a sprained knee.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Robert W. Dalgety	Captain of H.M.S. Fawn 15 Jan, 1901 – 14 Mar, 1901	Succeeded by Francis H. Mitchell
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Brazen 14 Mar, 1901 – 7 Oct, 1901	Succeeded by Robert L. Way
Preceded by John A. Ingles	Captain of H.M.S. Star c. mid Oct, 1901	Succeeded by Henry C. R. Brocklebank
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Kinsha 10 Mar, 1903 – 28 Nov, 1904	Succeeded by Percy Crabtree
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Widgeon 28 Nov, 1904 – 14 Mar, 1905	Succeeded by Geoffrey B. Spicer-Simson
Preceded by Harry R. Godfrey	Captain of H.M.S. Charger 29 Aug, 1905 – 31 Mar, 1906	Succeeded by Reginald G. Copleston
Preceded by William S. F. Forbes	Captain of H.M.S. Rother 31 Mar, 1906 – 29 Sep, 1908	Succeeded by George F. Hyde
Preceded by Vivian H. G. Bernard	Captain of H.M.S. Argonaut 29 Sep, 1908 – 31 Aug, 1909	Succeeded by Carlton V. de M. Cowper
Preceded by Henry D. Wilkin	Captain of H.M.S. Edgar 16 Apr, 1909 – Jun, 1909	Succeeded by Charles L. Napier
Preceded by Arthur B. F. Dawson	Captain of H.M.S. Ghurka 31 Aug, 1909 – 17 Nov, 1909	Succeeded by Herbert N. Hunter
Preceded by Henry M. Fothergill	Captain of H.M.S. Wear 6 Sep, 1914 – 16 Sep, 1915	Succeeded by Wellwood G. C. Maxwell
Preceded by Percival H. Warleigh	Captain of H.M.S. Minerva 4 Jul, 1915 – c. mid Jul, 1915	Succeeded by Francis H. M. Jackson
Preceded by Stanley R. Miller	Assistant Director of Naval Equipment 11 Aug, 1916 – 13 Apr, 1918	Succeeded by Hugh T. Walwyn
Preceded by Guy M. Marston	Captain of H.M.S. Arlanza 13 Apr, 1918 – 1 Jan, 1919	Succeeded by ?