Eldred Stuart Brooksmith
Captain Eldred Stuart Brooksmith, D.S.C., R.N.(3 September, 1889 – 3 December, 1931) served in the Royal Navy.
Life & Career
Born in Woolwich, the son of J. Brooksmith, Barrister.
On 30 September, 1910, Brooksmith was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.[1]
Brooksmith was appointed in command of the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 2 on 29 July, 1914.[2]
Brooksmith served as gunnery officer in Severn from 7 March, 1915. In this capacity, he helped destroy the German cruiser Königsberg in the Rufiji delta with the assistance of aerial spotting. On 29 July, 1916 when he was appointed to Vengeance as gunnery officer.
On 4 May, 1917, he was appointed to Ceres to act as her gunnery officer.[3]
He was awarded the D.S.C. on 15 July, 1917 for action at Bagamoyo in 1916, where he was "in sole command of the defences of the southern part of the defence lines at Bagamoyo, when he showed conspicuous ability; also contributed largely to the successful firing by the monitors."[4][5]
Brooksmith was partly blamed for carelessness in an accident that occurred during a full calibre firing practice in Ceres held on 31 January, 1918 after a Court of Enquiry.
Brooksmith was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 September, 1918.[6]
Post-War
Brooksmith was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1923.
Brooksmith served in Iron Duke from 10 January 1930 until 9 July, 1931, being promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1931. He was appointed in command of the destroyer Vivien on 10 August, 1931. He was blamed for "his failure to act in a seamanlike manner" in a collision between Vivien and Vidette on 20 October, 1931. He transferred to command of Valorous soon thereafter and immediately took ill, being sent ashore on 27 November, 1931 with pneumonia. He died at Garthsea [?] Nursing Home, Dunfermline of pneumonia and carditis on 3 December, 1931. He was buried on 7 December at plot 42A at Douglas Bank Cemetery, Dunfermline.
See Also
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Myles A. Blomfield |
Captain of H.M. T.B. 2 29 Jul, 1914[7] – 22 Oct, 1914 |
Succeeded by Arthur F. Crutchley |
| Preceded by ? |
Superintendent of Anti-Gas Training, Portsmouth Feb, 1920[8] – 12 Dec, 1921 |
Succeeded by Harold G. Campbell |
| Preceded by Robin B. Martin |
Captain of H.M.S. Moth 29 Jan, 1924[9] – mid 1924 |
Succeeded by Noel A. Beal |
| Preceded by Douglas A. Budgen |
Captain of H.M.S. Vivien 10 Aug, 1931 – c. Nov, 1931 |
Succeeded by Robert C. Woollerton |
| Preceded by John Drinkwater |
Captain of H.M.S. Valorous c. Nov, 1931 – 3 Dec, 1931 |
Succeeded by David J. R. Simson |
Footnotes
- ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 11.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1914). p. 400.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 755.
- ↑ Naval-History.net.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1918). p. 2144.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 27.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1914). p. 400.
- ↑ "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Monday, February 9, 1920, Issue 42329, p.25.
- ↑ Logbook of H.M.S. Despatch, at Hong Kong. Thanks to Paul Money for this.
