John Tulloch Cull
Wing Commander John Tulloch Cull, D.S.O., R.N. (22 August, 1887 – 12 April, 1662) was an officer in the Royal Navy.
Life & Career
Born in Colombo.
Cull was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 March, 1909.[1]
Cull was appointed in command of the submarine C 25 on 5 October, 1911.[2]
He received his aviation certificate on 15 January, 1914. He was promoted to the rank of Flight Lieutenant on 1 July 1914.
Cull was promoted to the rank of Flight Commander on 22 February, 1915 and was appointed to the R.N.A.S. the next day.
Cull would earn his D.S.O. for conducting "two resolute and successful reconnaissances of Königsberg on the East Coast of Africa under heavy fire" on 6 and 11 July 1915 as the enemy cruiser sought refuge in the Rufiji River. His observer on the sorties was Flight Sub-Lieutenant Arnold.
During the first day's firing, the monitors Mersey and Severn approached as near as their draughts would allow and undertook a methodic fire on Königsberg as observer Arnold signalled back spotting reports to correct the fire. Just six hits were scored from 635 shells fired by the British ships, and only 78 shots were followed by a spotting correction received by the ships.
Cull's plane was forced down by battle damage in the second day's firing, but the British found their mark, devastating the German cruiser. Cull reported:
We started planning down towards the Mersey though the Severn was much nearer; I did not want to interfere with her fire just now though all shots were falling before the forebridge of the Konigsberg. On our way down Flight Sub Lieutenant Arnold continued very coolly sending corrections, and gave one very important one “H.T. all forward”, bringing the Severn shots from forward to amidships, and we had the satisfaction of seeing shells falling on the middle of the Konigsberg before we lost sight of her. He also informed the Mersey we were hit and asked them to send a boat.
He was promoted to the rank of Squadron Commander on 1 January, 1916.
Cull was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 March, 1917.
He was promoted to the rank of Wing Commander on 30 June, 1917. He was granted a permanent commission as a Wing Commander in the Royal Air Force on 1 August, 1919.
See Also
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Reginald T. Dimsdale |
Captain of H.M.S. A 9 15 Dec, 1910[3] – 5 Oct, 1911 |
Succeeded by John A. Gaimes |
| Preceded by Herbert Call |
Captain of H.M.S. C 25 5 Oct, 1911[4][5] – 13 Dec, 1913[6] |
Succeeded by Henry G. Higgins |
Footnotes
- ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 19.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 395a.
- ↑ The Monthly Navy List. (March, 1911). p. 350.
- ↑ Cull Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/94. f. 100.
- ↑ "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), 7 Oct. 1911, p. 10.
- ↑ Cull Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/94. f. 100.
