Henry Haire-Forster
Captain Henry Haire-Forster, R.N., Retired (7 September, 1878 – 22 October, 1936) was an officer in the Royal Navy.
Life & Career
Born in Monaghan, Ireland, the son of Reverend A. Haire-Forster, Henry gained twelve months' time upon leaving the training ship Britannia in July, 1894 as a Midshipman.[1]
Haire-Forster was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in July, 1899. On 1 October of the next year, he went to Excellent to qualify for Gunnery duties, having gained a certificate in two years previously.[2]
Gunnery appointments in Hawke and Revenge followed in 1903 through 1905 before he returned to Excellent in August, 1905. Additional training made him ready for a two year appointment as first and gunnery officer in the second class protected cruiser Challenger starting in 1906.
Haire-Forster served in Argyll of the Fifth Cruiser Squadron from February 1910 to March 1912. Captain Culme-Seymour would opine that his Lieutenant was "v. able all round. Regret he has not yet been promoted."[3]
He married Alfreda Lamb on 20 July, 1912 and was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December.[4]
Haire-Forster was appointed in command of the destroyer Savage on 10 January, 1913.[5] He was accorded Their Lordships' "severe displeasure" in the death of three men in an accident in July, 1914. It was deemed that Haire-Forster had shown a lack of seamanship more so than neglect in the affair. In November, Captain (D), Third Destroyer Flotilla Fox evaluated him, noting that Haire-Forster lacked experience and "require[d] more power of cd."[6]
Great War
On 20 November, 1914, Haire-Forster was appointed in command of the destroyer Basilisk.[7]
He was invalided home out of this posting aboard S.S. Simla on 10 June, 1915 due to "retinal hyperaesthesia." He arrived in England on the 19th of June and was found fit for renewed service on 24 August.[8]
Haire-Forster commanded the River Class destroyer H.M.S. Kale from September 1915 to mid-April 1917. On 16 November 1915, he damaged her propeller through an apparent want of care.[9]
On 13 August, 1917 he was sent to hospital with neurasthenia. On 24 September, he was declared fit for shore service only. He was found fit on 4 October, but on the 23rd was specifically declared unready for work in a seagoing destroyer.
In October, 1917, he was seemingly (service record very hard to read) charged with being drunk aboard a naval ship, but was acquitted. Nonetheless, he was soon superseded in the ship and was assigned to Attentive to be "Mail Distributing Officer", though this was cancelled in favour of a task that is illegible. On 27 February, 1918, he was appointed serve as an assistant to Captain (D) in Attentive.[10]
On 21 May, 1918, Haire-Forster was appointed in command of the monitor M.33. In September, he left the ship, to return to England.[11]
Post-war
Haire-Forster was placed on the Retired List on account of non-service with the rank of Captain on 29 October, 1920.[12]
See Also
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Benjamin W. Barrow |
Captain of H.M.S. Savage 10 Jan, 1913[13][14] – 20 Nov, 1914[15] |
Succeeded by Edwin A. Homan |
| Preceded by Edwin A. Homan |
Captain of H.M.S. Basilisk 20 Nov, 1914[16][17] – 10 Jun, 1915[18] |
Succeeded by Walter H. G. Fallowfield |
| Preceded by Berwick Curtis |
Captain of H.M.S. Kale 6 Sep, 1915[19] – 14 Apr, 1917[20] |
Succeeded by Harold E. Denison |
| Preceded by Francis A. Clutterbuck |
Captain of H.M.S. Laertes 14 Apr, 1917[21][22] – 29 Oct, 1917[23] |
Succeeded by Lionel G. Foote |
| Preceded by Quintin B. Preston-Thomas |
Captain of H.M.S. M.33 21 May, 1918[24] – Sep, 1918[25] |
Succeeded by Leonard W. Patch |
Footnotes
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 468.
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 468.
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 468.
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 468.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 371.
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 468.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 280.
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 468.
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 468.
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 468.
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 468.
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 468.
- ↑ The Navy List. (November, 1914). p. 379a.
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 468.
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 468.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 392h.
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 468.
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 468.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 395o-p.
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. ?.
- ↑ "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Tuesday, Apr 17, 1917; pg. 13; Issue 41454.
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 468.
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 468.
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 468.
- ↑ Haire-Forster Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 468.
