Edward de Faye Renouf

Vice-Admiral Edward de Faye Renouf, C.B., C.V.O., Royal Navy, Retired (28 July, 1888 – 15 September, 1972) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Early Life & Career

Born in Vauxhall, Jersey, Renouf gained three and a half months time on passing out of Britannia in September, 1904 and joining the battleship Swiftsure.

On 7 June, 1906, he came down with pleurisy and pneumonia and was admitted to Chatham Hospital. he was found fit on 4 September, 1906.

Renouf was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 28 February, 1909.

In 1910, he devised an improved design for a torpedo director.

Renouf was appointed to H.M.S. Vernon at Portsmouth on 31 July, 1911, to qualify in torpedo duties.

He was appointed Lieutenant (T) of the dreadnought battleship Conqueror on 1 May, 1914.

On 19 November, 1914 Renouf was awarded the Royal Humane Society Silver Medal for gallantry in trying to save life on 14 October, 1914.

While in Conqueror, Renouf invented the Renouf Torpedo Tactical Instrument, a geometric calculating device helpful in determining how to achieve a viable attack position for firing torpedoes, or to help suggest maneuvers to prevent the enemy from attaining this same position. These devices would start to see manufacture and deployment as the war was ending. Renouf was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 28 February, 1917 and remained torpedo officer in Conqueror until 7 June, 1918 when he was appointed to Vernon to work in their electrical department.

Renouf continued to make important contributions in the field of torpedo control. In 1921, a gadget he'd created received passing mention in the Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1921, as it was similar to another device then being pursued.

Renouf was promoted to the rank of Commander on 21 December, 1921.

On 22 September, 1922, Renouf asked that his name be removed from a list of those to take the preliminary French interpreter's examination. In 1923, it appears that the service's trials of the various versions of his Renouf Torpedo Tactical Instrument were abandoned, and the equipment withdrawn from service.

Renouf was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1928.

In 1933, Renouf had to decline to accept the Chilean "Order of Merit" on his retirement as Naval Attaché to the embassy at Santiago.

Renouf was appointed in command of the light cruiser Sheffield vice Mark-Wardlaw on 9 August, 1938.

World War II

Renouf was superseded by Charles Arthur Aiskew Larcom in command of Sheffield on 14 December, 1939.

Renouf was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 5 January, 1940.

On 26 December, 1940, a Court of Enquiry into the torpedoing by Italian SM.79 torpedo bombers of H.M.S. Glasgow in Crete's Suda Bay on 3 December found that Renouf was responsible for a lack of preparedness and the severe displeasure of the Admiralty was expressed.

Renouf was placed on the Retired List on 3 April, 1941. He was to be restricted to shore service owing to medical issues requiring occasional hospitalisation. Eventually, he was cleared for general service some time in 1942.

Renouf was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral (retired) on 3 April, 1943. His last appointment began 20 November, 1944 as Naval Assistant to Deputy First Sea Lord (temporary), to continue to serve but in the rank of Rear-Admiral. He reverted to the Retired List on 5 December, 1945.

Renouf died peacefully in Jersey on 15 September, 1972.

See Also

• Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Charles O. Alexander	Fleet Torpedo Officer, Atlantic Fleet 26 Aug, 1925	Succeeded by Henry B. Rawlings
Preceded by Edward G. G. Hastings	Captain of H.M.S. Vampire 11 Jan, 1929 – 16 Jun, 1930	Succeeded by William H. Gell
Preceded by St. Aubyn B. Wake	Naval Attaché to H. M. Missions in South America 15 Aug, 1930 – 9 Dec, 1933	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Charles E. Turle	Captain of H.M.S. Orion 16 Jan, 1934 – 1 Apr, 1936	Succeeded by Eric J. P. Brind
Preceded by William P. Mark-Wardlaw	Captain of H.M.S. Sheffield 9 Aug, 1938 – 14 Dec, 1939	Succeeded by Charles A. A. Larcom
Preceded by Henry R. Moore	Rear-Admiral Commanding, Third Cruiser Squadron 2 May, 1940 – 4 Mar, 1941	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Herbert L. Heath	Rear-Admiral Commanding, Seventh Cruiser Squadron 18 Jul, 1940 – 6 Mar, 1941	Succeeded by Irvine G. Glennie