Ernest William Leir

Rear-Admiral Ernest William Leir, D.S.O., Royal Navy (26 February, 1883 – 2 August, 1971) was an officer in the Royal Navy during the Great War who saw considerable service in submarines.

Life & Career

Born the son of Reverend C. E. Lair, a rector in Somerset, Ernest Leir underwent examinations for several days commencing on 20 July, 1897 and gained entrance to the Britannia term of August, 1897, his 1260 marks placing him thirty-fifth in merit among the sixty-three candidates accepted as naval cadets.

Leir gained seven months' time on passing out of Britannia. His first appointments were in Powerful and Terrible, serving on the China Station, starting on 15 January, 1899. From there, he was lent for a month in command of T.B. 25 for annual manoeuvres on 21 July, 1903.

Leir was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 November, 1903.

In August, 1910, Captain Hall observed that Leir was "clever at lathe work. Very zealous. Thoroughly rec^d."

Appointed to Forth, additional for submarines, and to the Egmont, additional, for command of the Malta Submarine Flotilla on 25 July 1911.

He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 November, 1911.

He was appointed in command of the submarine E 4 in September, 1913.

Great War

On 28 August, 1914, Leir fought in the Battle of Heligoland Bight with his E 4 and was mentioned in despatches, gazetted 23 October.

Leir was promoted to the rank of Commander on 21 October, 1914.

On 24 January, 1915 at the Battle of Dogger Bank, his E 4 was one of four "E" class boats deployed for the Eighth Submarine Flotilla.

Upon leaving E 4 on 16 November, 1915 and being appointed in command of the submarine J 1, Captain (S) wrote a special a special report on Leir, recording that Leir "[h]as been senior S/M officer of 8th Flotilla since the outbreak of war & has been continuously employed in operations on the enemy's coast. All his work has been most ably carried out & his resourcefulness, coolness & keenness have been of the greatest value & & have afforded a splendid example to all in the Flotilla. He rescued Defender's whaler's crew off Heligoland, 28 August, 1914 : Sank an armed trawler 28 July, 1915 : Captured a German trawler 5 Sept 1915. (Captain S to COS 25/1/16)"

He was appointed in command of the steam-powered submarine K 3 6 April, 1916.

He was appointed in command of the destroyer Trident on 24 July, 1917, and assumed command of the Thirteenth Submarine Flotilla.

Leir was appointed in command of the flotilla leader Ithuriel in September, 1917.

Post-War

He was appointed in command of the scout cruiser Fearless on 7 March, 1919, and in command of Twelfth Submarine Flotilla.

Leir was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1919. On 25 July, he was appointed in command of H.M.S. Dolphin and an unspecified submarine flotilla. This appointment ended on 27 July, 1921 when he was superseded.

A memo from the Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth Station, Admiral Keyes dated 20 March, 1930 recommended that neither Leir nor Reginald St. Pierre Parry should be retained for employment at flag rank.

Leir was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 8 October and placed on the Retired List on 9 October, 1931.

World War II

Leir was active with the Liverpool and Leigh Convoy Pools from September, 1939. In 1942 he was mentioned in despatches for three years outstanding devotion to duty as a commodore of ocean convoys. He reverted to the Retired List on 11 September, 1945, to receive class 'A' benefits in the rank of Commodore, Second Class.

In April 1952, the Admiralty forwarded his service particulars to the Superintendent of the Somerset Constabulary in hopes that his service might grant him leniency on a charge of "unlawfully striking" the Reverend Harold George Cole, rector of Ditcheat. The Times reported the incident as follows:

... the alleged offence occurred on Sunday Morning, March 23. The rector officiated at a service and was assisted by the Rev. L. C. Mergerison. Rear-Admiral Leir left his place in the congregation in the course of the service.

After the service the two clergymen were crossing the road when the Rear-Admiral asked the rector when he was going to get a reply to some letters, and was told "in due course." The clergymen then went to their car. The Rear-Admiral said the rector was "no going to get away with it," and he lay down by the back wheels of the car, which was parked with its nose against the wall. At first the rector could not start his car, as he had forgotten to turn on the ignition. When he did so the car at the third attempt sprang into life, and apparently so did the Admiral, because he was lying just under the exhaust.

The Rear-Admiral then got up, went to the front of the war, and rained blows on the rector, who was left with blood flowing from his nose and lacerations of the upper lip. The rector offered no resistance, but simply turned his head to one side."

Following his defence at Bridgwater Quarter Sessions on 25 April, Leir was fined and ordered to pay the costs of his prosecution.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Vincent B. Molteno	Captain of H.M. T.B. 25 21 Jul, 1903 – 18 Aug, 1903	Succeeded by Eustace R. D. Long
Preceded by Adrian St. Vincent Keyes	Captain of H.M.S. Onyx 1 Nov, 1908 – 8 Aug, 1910	Succeeded by Francis A. N. Cromie
Preceded by ?	Commander (S), Malta Submarine Flotilla 8 Jan, 1912 – Oct, 1913	Succeeded by George H. Pownall
Preceded by Francis A. N. Cromie	Captain of H.M.S. E 4 Oct, 1913 – 16 Nov, 1915	Succeeded by Julian T. Tenison
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. K 3 6 Apr, 1916 – 22 Apr, 1917	Succeeded by Herbert W. Shove
Preceded by ?	Commander (S), Thirteenth Submarine Flotilla 22 Apr, 1917 – 24 Jul, 1917	Succeeded by Ernest W. Leir
Preceded by Edmond J. G. Mackinnon	Captain of H.M.S. Trident 24 Jul, 1917 – Sep, 1917	Succeeded by Clarence W. E. Trelawny
Preceded by Harry R. Godfrey	Captain of H.M.S. Ithuriel Sep, 1917 – 7 Mar, 1919	Succeeded by William R. D. Crowther
Preceded by Ernest W. Leir	Commander (S), Thirteenth Submarine Flotilla Oct, 1917 – 7 Mar, 1919	Succeeded by William R. D. Crowther
Preceded by Charles J. C. Little	Captain of H.M.S. Fearless 7 Mar, 1919 – 25 Jul, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by George A. Saltren-Willett as Lieutenant-Commander (S), First Submarine Flotilla	Captain (S), First Submarine Flotilla 7 Mar, 1919 – 25 Jul, 1919	Succeeded by George B. Lewis
Preceded by Alexander H. Quicke	Captain of H.M.S. Dolphin 25 Jul, 1919 – 27 Jul, 1921	Succeeded by Max K. Horton
Preceded by Arthur B. Hughes	Assistant Captain of Chatham Dockyard 15 Mar, 1922 – 10 Feb, 1923	Succeeded by Alban E. T. Tate
Preceded by Charles S. Wills	Deputy Superintendent and King's Harbour Master, Chatham Dockyard 14 Feb, 1923 – 1 Feb, 1924	Succeeded by Cyril I. Horton
Preceded by Charles S. Wills	Captain of Chatham Dockyard 14 Feb, 1923 – 1 Feb, 1924	Succeeded by Alfred F. B. Carpenter
Preceded by Alexander R. Palmer	Captain of H.M.S. Triad 1 Feb, 1924 – 4 Feb, 1926	Succeeded by Reginald St. P. Parry
Preceded by Alexander R. Palmer	Senior Officer, Persian Gulf 6 Mar, 1924 – 4 Feb, 1926	Succeeded by Reginald St. P. Parry
Preceded by Cyril St. C. Cameron	Captain of H.M.S. Spenser 12 Apr, 1926 – c. early 1927	Succeeded by Leonard S. Holbrook
Preceded by Cyril St. C. Cameron	Captain of H.M.S. Seymour c. early 1927 – 15 Nov, 1927	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Leonard L. P. Willan	Commodore-in-Charge, Portland 23 Apr, 1929 – 23 Apr, 1931	Succeeded by Hugh S. Shipway