Geoffrey Corlett

From The Dreadnought Project
Jump to: navigation, search

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.[1][2]

Corlett was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1903.[3]

Corlett was appointed in command of the destroyer Moy on 19 October, 1909.[4]

He was appointed in command of the destroyer Hind on 15 November, 1911.[5]

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.[6]

Great War

Shortly after falling ill for about two weeks, Corlett was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1915.[7]

Superseded, finally, in Hind by Desmond Maxwell on 7 May, 1916, Corlett was appointed in command of the new "M" Class destroyer Narborough of the Thirteenth Destroyer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.[8] 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."[9]

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.[10]

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.[11]

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.[12]

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.[13]

Corlett died at West Down House, Bradworthy from gangrene of a carbuncle of the neck and diabetes.[14]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
John R. Le H. Ward
Captain of H.M. T.B. 92
17 May, 1904[15]
Succeeded by
Sydney L. K. Lawford
Preceded by
George H. Brown
Captain of H.M.S. Express
17 Mar, 1908[16] – 26 Mar, 1908[17]
Succeeded by
Frederick E. K. Strong
Preceded by
Frank F. Rose
Captain of H.M.S. Ostrich
9 Jul, 1908[18] – 28 Jul, 1908[19]
Succeeded by
Richard A. A. Plowden
Preceded by
George H. H. Holden
Captain of H.M.S. Crane
28 Jul, 1908[20][21] – 19 Oct, 1909[22]
Succeeded by
Clive C. H. Maitland-Addison
Preceded by
Frank F. Rose
Captain of H.M.S. Moy
19 Oct, 1909[23][24] – 15 Nov, 1911[25]
Succeeded by
Douglas Faviell
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Hind
15 Nov, 1911[26][27] – 7 May, 1916[28]
Succeeded by
Hugh J. Woodward
Preceded by
Desmond Maxwell
Captain of H.M.S. Narborough
7 May, 1916[29] – Oct, 1917[30]
Succeeded by
Edmond M. Bowly
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Verdun
Oct, 1917[31] – 17 Oct, 1917[32]
Succeeded by
Evelyn C. O. Thomson
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Ulster
17 Oct, 1917[33][34] – 22 Feb, 1918[35]
Succeeded by
Arthur Henniker-Heaton
Preceded by
Kenneth G. Ramsey
Captain of H.M.S. Badger
22 Feb, 1918[36][37] – 28 Mar, 1919[38]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Frederick T. Stringer
Captain of H.M.S. Saladin
28 Mar, 1919[39] – 1 May, 1919[40]
Succeeded by
Charles L. Evan-Thomas
Preceded by
Henry G. L. Oliphant
Captain of H.M.S. Broke
1 May, 1919[41][42] – 17 Oct, 1919[43]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Edward G. de S. Jukes Hughes
Captain of H.M.S. Widgeon
1 Apr, 1921[44][45] – Dec, 1922[46]
Succeeded by
Montague G. B. Legge

Footnotes

  1. "The Collision off Corfu". The Times (London, England), Friday, Feb 06, 1903; pg. 8; Issue 36997.
  2. "The Accident off Corfu". The Times (London, England), Friday, Feb 13, 1903; pg. 4; Issue 37003.
  3. The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 17.
  4. The Navy List. (April, 1910). p. 347.
  5. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 331.
  6. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  7. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  8. Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. p. 46.
  9. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  10. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  11. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  12. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  13. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  14. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  15. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  16. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  17. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  18. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  19. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  20. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  21. The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 297.
  22. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  23. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  24. The Navy List. (April, 1910). p. 347.
  25. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  26. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  27. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 394p.
  28. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  29. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  30. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  31. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  32. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  33. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  34. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 398o.
  35. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  36. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  37. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 737.
  38. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  39. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  40. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  41. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  42. The Navy List. (June, 1919). p. 746.
  43. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  44. "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), 8 Dec. 1920, p. 8.
  45. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.
  46. Corlett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/47. f. 252.