Frederic Boyd Coppin

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Commander (retired) Frederic Boyd Coppin (13 September, 1883 – 26 October, 1944) was an officer in the Royal Navy. His first name also appears as Frederick in some sources.

Life & Career

Coppin emerged from Britannia and spent two weeks in Devonport before being appointed to join the Magnificent on 1 June, 1899.[1]

Coppin was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 April, 1905.[2]

Coppin took command of Mermaid in December 1910 in order to take her home from Gibraltar. He then took passage in Talbot to travel out to assume an appointment in command of the "D" Class destroyer Stag dated 11 February 1911.[3][4]

Coppin was released from command of Stag on 11 March 1913 and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 1 April, 1913.[5]

He was appointed in command of the destroyer Llewellyn on 17 August, 1914.[6] Coppin was ordered from Llewellyn on 24 January, 1915 and was appointed to St. George as first and gunnery officer on the 29th.[7]

In April, 1917 while in command of Gladiolus, Coppin collided with a trawler. The circumstances could not have been flattering to him, as his service record contains the note that he was to be "relieved as he appears to show a complete lack of appreciation of his responsibilities in cd." Vice-Admiral Bayly recorded that he found Coppin "fairly sat[isfactory]", but "not suitable for the South Coast of Ireland in war."[8]

On 20 May 1918, he was invalided at Gibraltar with asthma, to be sent home at earliest opportunity. Coppin did not regain fitness until after the end of the war, but did start work as Assistant Senior Naval Officer, Kingstown on 3 August before switching to work on the staff of Davidson.

Post-War

Declared fit for active service on 17 January, 1919, Coppin received a strong recommendation from Captain Royds in mid-October after working with minesweepers based at Dover. He left Dover when the base was closed on 17 October, 1919.[9]

On 5 February, 1920 Coppin returned from one month in Switzerland and took up residence at Little Hill at Buddle on Salterton, Devon. On 28 February, he was appointed to Hermione as executive officer and received a positive report from Commodore Trelawny. Coppin was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 5 October, 1920.[10]

Coppin was promoted to the rank of Commander (retired) on 13 September, 1923.[11]

In Winter of 1937, Coppin went to South Africa on account of his health.

World War II

Appointed 28 May 1940, R.N.O, Littlehampton.

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Gordon R. Bald
Captain of H.M. T.B. 98
14 Jan, 1908[12][13] – 5 Apr, 1909[14]
Succeeded by
Francis H. W. Goolden
Preceded by
?
Captain of H.M. T.B. 28
6 Apr, 1909[15][16] – 14 Jun, 1910[17]
Succeeded by
Hugh C. Johnson
Preceded by
George H. Knowles
Captain of H.M.S. Racehorse
14 Jun, 1910[18] – 14 Aug, 1910[19]
Succeeded by
Cyril Callaghan
Preceded by
Cyril Callaghan
Captain of H.M.S. Kestrel
15 Aug, 1910[20] – Dec, 1910[21]
Succeeded by
Gerald C. Harrison
Preceded by
Herbert E. W. C. Whyte
Captain of H.M.S. Mermaid
Dec, 1910[22] – Jan, 1911[23]
Succeeded by
Alan F. W. Howard
Preceded by
The Hon. Edward B. S. Bingham
Captain of H.M.S. Stag
11 Feb, 1911[24] – 11 Mar, 1913[25]
Succeeded by
George F. A. Mulock
Preceded by
Hugh B. Mulleneux
Captain of H.M.S. Llewellyn
17 Aug, 1914[26][27] – 24 Jan, 1915[28]
Succeeded by
Geoffrey S. Fleetwood Nash
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Gladiolus
30 Dec, 1915[29][30] – 10 May, 1917[31]
Succeeded by
Horace Walker
Preceded by
Leonard W. Patch
Captain of H.M.S. Wistaria
11 May, 1917[32][33] – 20 May, 1918[34]
Succeeded by
Harald E. Wharton

Footnotes

  1. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  2. The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 17.
  3. The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 378.
  4. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  5. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  6. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 349.
  7. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  8. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  9. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  10. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  11. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  12. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  13. The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 401.
  14. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  15. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  16. The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 401.
  17. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  18. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  19. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  20. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  21. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  22. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  23. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  24. The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 378.
  25. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  26. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  27. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 349.
  28. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  29. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  30. The Navy List. (October, 1916). p. 394q.
  31. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  32. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.
  33. The Navy List. (August, 1917). p. 399g.
  34. Coppin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/143/156. f. 164.