Frederic Boyd Coppin

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.

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

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.

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

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

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."

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.

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.

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

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

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

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