Hugh Beaumont Robinson

Captain (retired) Hugh Beaumont Robinson, D.S.O., R.N. (26 December, 1883 – ) served in the Royal Navy as a signal officer.

Life & Career

Born in Southampton, the son John Robinson, Manager of the National Provincial Bank of England.

Upon passing out of the training ship H.M.S. Britannia in January, 1900, Robinson joined the second class protected cruiser Juno of the Training Squadron. On 2 June, he was appointed to the armoured cruiser Warspite in the Pacific, in which he would spend two years until she paid off on 1 July, 1902.

On 30 July 1902 he was appointed to the battleship Majestic in the Channel as acting Sub-Lieutenant. Though his appointment was to end in mid May 1903, he was appointed back to the ship, additional, to participate in the Annual Manoeuvres of 1903.

He served in Erebus or Ranger and Victorious before being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 August, 1905.

Robinson then served in the first class protected cruiser Powerful until the end of 1907 and then in the battleship New Zealand through July 1909.

On 31 July 1909 he was appointed to Victory to attend the Long Course at the Portsmouth Signal School. He emerged in November 1909, qualified for Lieutenant (S).

With signals now as his specialty, he spent 1910 in Lord Nelson as Flag Lieutenant to Rear-Admiral Doveton Sturdee, who was Rear-Admiral in the First Division, Home Fleet. He remained in the same capacity to the formation in 1911, this time to R/A Peirse in the dreadnought battleship St. Vincent.

Robinson spent a month on the sick list from 14 August 1911, placd there by the senior officer, First Battle Squadron, but his diagnosis is not specified. From 14 September to 23 October 1916 he would be sidelined by varicose veins, and 8 October 1917 with appendicitis.

On 5 January 1912 he was sent back to join Sturdee as his flag lieutenant for the Third Cruiser Squadron, first serving in the armoured cruiser Good Hope. The two men would shift with the flag to H.M.S. Bacchante on 27 February 1912 and finally to Shannon on 5 March 1912.

Robinson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 August, 1913. He left 3 C.S. when he was appointed to the Portsmouth Signal School on 19 November 1913. On 22 June 1914 he was temporarily made 1st officer at the school. War would soon intervene.

Upon the Test Mobilisation of July 1914, Robinson was made flag lieutenant to R/A, Training Squadron in the destroyer Crescent. On 4 December, 1914 he was made flag lieutenant to R/A de Chair in the armed merchant cruiser Alsatian of the First Cruiser Squadron.

On 4 April 1916 he was appointed to the massive battleship Royal Sovereign as she was being completed. He then served in her, seemingly not as a signals officer, for over a year and a half, being promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1917.

On 8 October 1917 he was diagnosed with appendicitis. This required him to be hospitalised. It would not be until 3 January 1918 that he was declared fit for shore service.

On 7 January 1918 he was appointed to Hecla. This posting allowed him to recover his strength and he was declared fully able on 3 April. The remainder of his wartime service was a jumble of appointments. He would first spend two weeks in the light cruiser Chester, and four months in the armoured cruiser Duke of Edinburgh before being appointed to the aging battleship Glory on 5 September 1918.

Inter-War

Robinson left Glory in late June 1919 for duty with Captain Altham, in lieu of a wireless telegraphy officer. He participated in the Dvina River Expedition and received a D.S.O. for his services on the staff of the senior officer.

In July and August 1920, he had permission to travel in Scandinavia. Also in that year, he was thanked for his service on a Naval War Trophies Committee. In 1921, he was approved to carry out the duties of the Senior Officer, Cardiff "on an emergency arising."

Robinson was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Captain on 29 December, 1929, adjusted from the 26th.

In May 1936 he was granted permission to proceed to New South Wales to serve as private secretary to the governor for a minimum period of three years. He was also to spend about one month in the United States after leaving Newfoundland, in about January 1936.

World War II

Robinson was mobilised on 28 September 1938 and made Extended Defence Officer for Scapa.

In early 1940 he spent some time in His Majesty's Hospital Ship Amapoora to be treated for bronchitis. Discharged from the ship on 19 February 1940, he was recommended for duty in England on 19 March. In May of 1940, he was given a position in as Deputy Chief Naval Adviser and to work in censorship, vice Lang.

In 1942, he was to "visit as convenient" the British Censorship Headquarters in Jamaica and Trinidad and the Combined British/American Centres at San Juan and the Canal Zone Stations at Bilbao and Christobal "as necessary."

In 1944, his appointment as British Naval Censorship Representative in Washington was terminated due to (or along with?) the return of "Captain R. & 2nd Offr. A. K. Winser, W.R.N.S.".

In 1948 he was granted permission to proceed abroad to Australia.

Personal Life

On 12 April 1913, he married Dorothy Bagshawe Carver at Holy Trinity Church, Brompton. The marriage would be dissolved by the High Court on 27 June, 1927.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Bibliography

Naval Appointments
Preceded by John H. K. Clegg	In Charge, Devonport Signal School 7 Mar, 1921 – 1 Apr, 1922	Succeeded by John H. C. Minter
Preceded by Victor E. Ward	Captain of H.M.S. Magnolia 14 Mar, 1924 – 14 Mar, 1926[Inference]	Succeeded by Harold F. B. Handley
Preceded by Roger L'E. M. Rede as Captain in Charge, Port Edgar	Commander in Charge, Port Edgar Base 21 Apr, 1928 – 1 Oct, 1928	Succeeded by Base Closed
Preceded by Alan G. D. Twigg	Captain of H.M.S. Ambrose 19 Nov, 1928 – 10 Jul, 1929	Succeeded by Alfred W. Sprott