Frederic Archibald Hunter Russel

Captain (retired) Frederic Archibald Hunter Russel (8 January, 1884 – ) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Russel was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 July, 1905.

Russel served in Fame, Hart and Otter before being appointed in Virago on 14 February, 1907. This last destroyer was grounded in 1907 and Russel was judged by a Court of Enquiry to have made an error in judgement. Admiral Moore, however, attested that he still had faith in Russel and so hre remained in Virago until being superseded on 1 May, 1907. In August, he was appointed to the battleship Vengeance before transferrring to the Britannia in October.

On 17 April, 1910, Russel received the first of a series of destroyer commands, this one being in command of Gipsy. In March 1911, when he was ostensibly in command of Dove, Russel hit a dock wall with Dee, having perhaps placed too much confidence in engines that were still under trial and in a temporary crew. His penultimate pre-war appointment was in command of the "C" Class destroyer Avon, commencing on 22 February, 1912. Russel was promoted while in command, to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 July, 1913.

He was appointed in command of the destroyer Kennet on 15 January, 1914 and was in her when war broke out.

Russel was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1917.

In March, 1918, he was appointed in command of the destroyer Trenchant.

Russel was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Captain on 7 July, 1930.

World War II

Russel was granted the acting rank of Captain on 10 November 1939.

He was appointed in command of the armed merchant cruiser Worcestershire on 10 October 1939 until handing over command to John Creswell on 7 October, 1941.

On 6 September, 1945, Russel was admitted to Cape Masonic Hospital with a diagnosis of "flatulent dyspepsia". In October he was deemed unfit for further naval service.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Robert H. Ames	Captain of H.M. T.B. 72 14 Jul, 1904	Succeeded by Stephen D. Tillard
Preceded by Stephen H. Morres	Captain of H.M.S. Gipsy 17 Apr, 1910 – May, 1910	Succeeded by Henry C. Rawlings
Preceded by Henry C. Rawlings	Captain of H.M.S. Spitfire May, 1910 – 1 Mar, 1911	Succeeded by Anthony W. Loveband
Preceded by Thomas K. Maxwell	Captain of H.M.S. Dove 1 Mar, 1911 – 24 Jan, 1912	Succeeded by Richard B. England
Preceded by Kenneth F. Sworder	Captain of H.M.S. Quail 24 Jan, 1912 – 22 Feb, 1912	Succeeded by Ralph Neville
Preceded by Cecil R. Hemans	Captain of H.M.S. Avon 22 Feb, 1912 – 15 Jan, 1914	Succeeded by Ralph M. Hall
Preceded by Edye K. Boddam-Whetham	Captain of H.M.S. Kennet 15 Jan, 1914 – 4 Aug, 1916	Succeeded by Gerald M. McKenna
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Rocket 15 Sep, 1916 – Feb, 1918	Succeeded by Frederic C. Bradley
Preceded by Frederic C. Bradley	Captain of H.M.S. Trenchant Mar, 1918 – 15 Oct, 1920	Succeeded by Hugh U. Fletcher
Preceded by Arthur M. Lecky	Captain of H.M.S. Warwick 15 Jan, 1923 – 1 Sep, 1925	Succeeded by William E. B. Magee
Preceded by Malcolm L. Goldsmith	Captain of H.M.S. Cambrian 11 Mar, 1926 – 17 Aug, 1926	Succeeded by Arthur Evans
Preceded by Harold G. C. Franklin	Captain of H.M.S. Cardiff Sep, 1929 – 22 Oct, 1929	Succeeded by Angus E. M. B. Cunninghame Graham
Preceded by Arnold Maitland-Dougall	Captain of H.M.S. Carysfort 22 Oct, 1929 – 5 Jan, 1930	Succeeded by Edward B. Cloete
Preceded by ?	Captain Superintendent, Dover 16 Dec, 1940 – 20 Nov, 1945	Succeeded by ?