Geoffrey Corlett

Captain (retired) Geoffrey Corlett (20 January, 1882 – 16 January, 1932) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

As a Sub-Lieutenant, Corlett was aboard the 30 knotter H.M.S. Orwell engaged on night exercises off Corfu on 30 January, 1903 when she lost her bow to the third class protected cruiser Pioneer in a collision. Corlett found himself aboard the sinking bow and was able to escape to be picked up soon thereafter with a cut on his leg, "floating on a biscuit box." Lieutenant and Commander Percy Arthur Robarts was himself bodily transferred to Pioneer by the impact.

Corlett was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1903.

Corlett was appointed in command of the destroyer Moy on 19 October, 1909.

He was appointed in command of the destroyer Hind on 15 November, 1911.

Corlett was appointed in command of the Acheron Class destroyer Hind on 15 November, 1911 and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 31 December, 1911. His tenure in command of Hind proved unusually extensive, consuming the entirety of his career as a Lieutenant Commander, but it was hardly without incident. His destroyer collided with S.S. Steersman while mooring some time in 1912 and Corlett was advised to be more cautious in future. He was also faulted by a Court of Enquiry with damaging her propeller some time in 1912 or 1913, thereby incurring the displeasure of the Admiralty. He fouled a buoy on 14 March 1914 and was also blamed, it being thought that he attempted to pass too near the buoy in the prevailing conditions.

Great War

Shortly after falling ill for about two weeks, Corlett was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1915.

Superseded, finally, in Hind by Desmond Maxwell on 7 May, 1916, Corlett was appointed in command of the new "M" Class destroyer Narborough of the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla. He would command her at the Battle of Jutland. Corlett was recommended for promotion for his performance in action, having "led his division into action in a most gallant manner and fought a successful action with enemy destroyers in which they were forced to retire."

Corlett was not a hale physical specimen. Captain Farie noted that Corlett was "not energetic" and Captain Tweedie noted that he was "not physically fit for work in destroyers." Although his service record indicates no unusually dire medical issues, he would indeed die at a young age of symptoms one would associate with frailty.

In October, 1917, Corlett was appointed in command of the destroyer Verdun for a short time and then to Ulster. Here, he failed to impress Captain Charles Donnison Roper, "failing to to do utmost to carry out sailing orders." In consequence, Corlett was to be relieved in command to be given command in a "less important flotilla" than the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla. This meant he was appointed in command of the destroyer Badger on 22 February, 1918. This command would see him through the end of the war.

Post-War

Corlett was mentioned in despatches for his part in the bombardment of Durazzo, gazetted 17 March, 1919, having recently been awarded the Italian Silver Medal for Military Valor. He applied for command of an Atlantic Fleet destroyer in July of 1920.

After helping manage destroyers being deactivated after the war, Corlett was appointed in command of an unidentified ship on the China Station named Widgeon on 1 April, 1921, having joined her on 13 March. He served as Senior Naval Officer, Upper Yangtze until November, 1922 and he was superseded in Widgeon in one month later.

Corlett was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 31 March, 1923. He was promoted to the rank of Captain on his forty-fifth birthday on 20 June, 1929.

Corlett died at West Down House, Bradworthy from gangrene of a carbuncle of the neck and diabetes.

See Also

• Service Records
• Thirteenth D.F. (Royal Navy) at the Battle of Jutland
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by John R. Le H. Ward	Captain of H.M. T.B. 92 17 May, 1904	Succeeded by Sydney L. K. Lawford
Preceded by George H. Brown	Captain of H.M.S. Express 17 Mar, 1908 – 26 Mar, 1908	Succeeded by Frederick E. K. Strong
Preceded by Frank F. Rose	Captain of H.M.S. Ostrich 9 Jul, 1908 – 28 Jul, 1908	Succeeded by Richard A. A. Plowden
Preceded by George H. H. Holden	Captain of H.M.S. Crane 28 Jul, 1908 – 19 Oct, 1909	Succeeded by Clive C. H. Maitland-Addison
Preceded by Frank F. Rose	Captain of H.M.S. Moy 19 Oct, 1909 – 15 Nov, 1911	Succeeded by Douglas Faviell
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Hind 15 Nov, 1911 – 7 May, 1916	Succeeded by Hugh J. Woodward
Preceded by Desmond Maxwell	Captain of H.M.S. Narborough 7 May, 1916 – Oct, 1917	Succeeded by Edmond M. Bowly
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Verdun Oct, 1917 – 17 Oct, 1917	Succeeded by Evelyn C. O. Thomson
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Ulster 17 Oct, 1917 – 22 Feb, 1918	Succeeded by Arthur Henniker-Heaton
Preceded by Kenneth G. Ramsey	Captain of H.M.S. Badger 22 Feb, 1918 – 28 Mar, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Frederick T. Stringer	Captain of H.M.S. Saladin 28 Mar, 1919 – 1 May, 1919	Succeeded by Charles L. Evan-Thomas
Preceded by Henry G. L. Oliphant	Captain of H.M.S. Broke 1 May, 1919 – 17 Oct, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Edward G. de S. Jukes Hughes	Captain of H.M.S. Widgeon 1 Apr, 1921 – Dec, 1922	Succeeded by Montague G. B. Legge