Harry Charles John Roberts West
Captain (retired) Harry Charles John Roberts West, (20 August, 1872 – 1 November, 1931) served in the Royal Navy. His health was seemingly terrible.
Life & Career
West entered Britannia in January, 1886 after placing twenty-ninth in order of merit of the forty candidates for naval cadetship that were accepted for acceptance following a round of examinations in late November, 1885.[1] He gained four months' time on passing out of Britannia. His first ship was Agincourt, of the Channel Squadron, appointed 1 September, 1888.
On 10 April 1894 West was reported from H.M.S. Excellent for misconduct in having "[illeg] out of the college of Portsmouth on two occasions." He was discharged to the shore six days later for three months and to forfeit that much time in seniority.
West was hospitalised in Haslar from 3 December 1894 until 11 January, 1895. He was sent back for eight days from 4 March, 1895. He returned to a new appointment in the second class battleship Anson in the Mediterranean. This proved a poor choice, as on 30 September 1895, West was invalided from Anson with fever. Sent home, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1895 but not found fit until 18 February, 1896.[2]
On 9 March 1898, West incurrent the Admiralty's severe displeasure by his "injudicious conduct" in hastily awarding a punishment not authorized by the Regulations to a man who had been tried at Court Martial for striking him. West was again invalided back to England in April, 1899. He took until mid September to regain fitness, but was to be restricted to harbour service for a time. When an effort was made to ready him for sea, an arduous process of evaluations failed to certify him as fit for sea until mid July 1901![3]
In August, 1901 West was appointed in command of the "R" Class destroyer Salmon. On 15-16 January, 1902, he was tried by Court Martial for hazarding the ship. Acquitted of the charge, he was removed from Salmon for a short stint in command of Dasher and then a succession of several other destroyers before finally being placed in command of Griffon in late 1902. West was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 31 December, 1903.[4]
On 21 July 1911, he was granted nineteen days sick leave, suffering from neuritis.[5]
When the war started, West was appointed to work at Spithead, becoming an acting commander on 14 April, 1916. On 12 May 1917 he was appointed in command of R.N. Seaplane Station, Cottewater. Though West was placed on the Retired List with the rank of Commander on 20 August, 1917, he remained at the Sea Plane Station and was given command of Stanford Camp, in addition, on 18 January, 1918. On 11 May 1918, he was appointed to Malta for the Staff of Captain Clifton Brown on the Greek Mission.
West was granted the rank of Captain (retired) for war service on 11 November, 1918.[6]
In 1919, he was evaluated by Rear Admiral Brown as "a very cheery, plucky officer with a gallant spirit" who "unfortunately suffers from ill health."
See Also
Bibliography
Naval Appointments | ||
Preceded by Charles P. Beaty-Pownall |
Captain of H.M.S. Porcupine 12 Aug, 1901[7] – Aug, 1901[8] |
Succeeded by George G. Codrington |
Preceded by Ivor F. Chichester |
Captain of H.M.S. Salmon Aug, 1901[9] – 17 Jan, 1902[10] |
Succeeded by Frederick B. Noble |
Preceded by Kerrison Kiddle |
Captain of H.M.S. Dasher 17 Jan, 1902[11][12] – 6 Mar, 1902[13] |
Succeeded by John G. de O. Coke |
Preceded by Henry G. Elliot Lane |
Captain of H.M.S. Havock 6 Mar, 1902[14] – 7 May, 1902[15] |
Succeeded by Sidney J. Meyrick |
Preceded by John F. Grant-Dalton |
Captain of H.M.S. Haughty 8 May, 1902[16] – 2 Sep, 1902[17] |
Succeeded by William H. D. Boyle |
Preceded by Harry L. Wells |
Captain of H.M.S. Seal 2 Sep, 1902[18] – 28 Oct, 1902[19] |
Succeeded by Lancelot N. Turton |
Preceded by John A. Gregory |
Captain of H.M.S. Griffon 28 Oct, 1902[20] – 1 Sep, 1904[21] |
Succeeded by William C. Castle |
Preceded by Robert W. F. Travers |
Captain of H.M.S. Skipjack 10 Jan, 1908[22][23] – 22 Jul, 1909[24] |
Succeeded by Rafe G. Rowley-Conwy |
Footnotes
- ↑ "Cadetships In The Navy." The Times (London, England), Saturday, Dec 05, 1885; pg. 8; Issue 31622.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.
- ↑ "Naval & Military intelligence" The Times (London). Friday, 17 January 1902. (36667), p. 9.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.
- ↑ The Navy List. (May, 1903). p. 265.
- ↑ The Navy List. (May, 1903). p. 265.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1909). p. 376.
- ↑ West Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/249. f. 384.