Edward Balfour Cloete

Rear-Admiral Edward Balfour Cloete (10 April, 1885 – 31 May, 1947) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Cloete was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 July, 1905.

Cloete was appointed to the armoured cruiser H.M.S. Aboukir for navigating duties in August, 1914.

On 6 July 1917, he was appointed to Canada as navigating officer. Promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1917, Cloete remained in Canada until 19 May 1918 when he was sent to the Hydrographic Department. On 19 June, he was appointed Naval Assistant to the Hydrographer.

Post-War

Cloete was appointed in command of the gunboat Tarantula on 7 May, 1920.

Cloete was appointed to Revenge as Fleet (N) Officer on 15 August, 1924.

Cloete was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1925 and superseded as Fleet (N) Officer the next day.

He was appointed in command of the light cruiser Lowestoft on 17 November, 1926.

In November, 1929, he was appointed in command of the light cruiser Carysfort.

As he completed an appointment in command of Boscawen in mid-1936, Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Kelly recorded that Cloete had excelled at the posting, but in consideration of possible advancement to flag rank, he considered him as being "quite unsuitable as a Flag Officer at Sea."

Cloete was promoted to Rear-Admiral on 21 June, 1936.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by George S. Brown	Captain of H.M.S. Tarantula 17 May, 1920 – Jan, 1922	Succeeded by Cecil J. Crocker
Preceded by John H. D. Cunningham as Master of the Fleet, Atlantic Fleet	Fleet Navigating Officer, Atlantic Fleet 15 Aug, 1924 – 15 Aug, 1925	Succeeded by John G. P. Vivian
Preceded by George W. Taylor	Captain of H.M.S. Lowestoft 17 Nov, 1926 – 11 Dec, 1928	Succeeded by John H. Young
Preceded by Frederic A. H. Russel	Captain of H.M.S. Carysfort 3 Nov, 1929 – 4 May, 1931	Succeeded by James R. C. Cavendish
Preceded by Herbert A. Buchanan-Wollaston	Senior Officer, Reserve Fleet Devonport 3 Nov, 1929 – 4 May, 1931	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Alan R. Dewar	Captain of H.M.S. Mackay 10 Dec, 1931 – Dec, 1932	Succeeded by Frederick R. M. Johnson
Preceded by Alan R. Dewar	Captain (D), First Destroyer Flotilla 10 Dec, 1931 – Dec, 1932	Succeeded by Charles F. Harris
Preceded by Reginald St. P. Parry	Captain of Portsmouth Dockyard 13 Feb, 1933 – 3 May, 1935	Succeeded by Peter Skelton
Preceded by Francis E. Travers	Captain of Training Ship H.M.S. Boscawen 9 May, 1935 – 12 Jul, 1936	Succeeded by James Powell
Preceded by John H. K. Clegg	Commodore-in-Charge, Portland 9 May, 1935 – 21 Jul, 1936	Succeeded by James Powell