Lionel John Garfit Anderson

Captain (retired) Lionel John Garfit Anderson, D.S.O., (25 January, 1877 – 18 October, 1958) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Anderson gained six months' time on passing out of Britannia in July 1893 and received an appointment to serve in Rodney in the Channel Squadron, dated 17 August, 1893.

Anderson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1899.

On 8 January, 1903, Anderson was appointed to Odin as first lieutenant at the Cape of Good Hope, remaining in her until she paid off on 9 November, 1904. Returning to England in Simoom in December, on 18 January, 1905 he received the first of a series of destroyer commands that would extend fully eight years, this first being in Vigilant.

Anderson was appointed Lieutenant & Commander of the destroyer Ure on 25 January, 1909 and contributed to her good performance in torpedo firing exercises that year. In June 1910, he was appointed in command of the last destroyer he'd be in before the war broke out – Beagle. After a satisfactory inspection in 1911, a July 1912 inspection found fault with the cleanliness of her guns and the readiness of the crew to use them well. In November, 1912, Beagle collided with the Portland Breakwater due to what was determined to be careless navigation.

Anderson was re-appointed in command of Beagle following his promotion to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1912. On 3 February, 1913, Anderson left Beagle to attend Torpedo and Gunnery Courses and on 15 March received an appointment to the battleship Magnificent as executive officer. On 1 July, he was moved to Exmouth. He would be in her when war broke out until 29 October, 1914 when he received orders to await an appointment in Devonport. On 3 November, 1914, this appointment was realised as one in command of the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 25, replacing the ailing Commander Joseph Armand Shuter.

Anderson had an uncommonly long appointment in T.B. 25 before finally being appointed in command of the Lightfoot Class flotilla leader Marksman on 13 July, 1917. The stress of the service proved too much for him, however, as a telegram from Dover on 8 December, 1917 indicated he was ashore suffering from a mental breakdown. He was sent to Chatham Hospital. As he had been recommended for shore duty only, on 11 December Anderson was superseded in Marksman and was appointed to Wallington, additional for command of the depot at Immingham.

On 25 August, 1918, this appointment was renewed and Anderson was assigned the additional responsibilities of duty on the staff of Vice-Admiral, East Coast as Maintenance Commander. Having been recently found fit again for sea service, and a recent appraisal of his work at Immingham having concluded that he was doing a terrible job, Anderson was appointed in command of the third class protected cruiser Amethyst on 5 November, 1918.

Post-War

Anderson commanded Amethyst until mid May, 1919 when he was placed in charge of the Detention Barracks at Devonport. He served there exactly three years, performing "most satisfactorily". Following some unpaid time, Anderson was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Captain on 25 January, 1923.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Walter J. C. Lake	Captain of H.M.S. Vigilant 18 Jan, 1905 – 1 Apr, 1905	Succeeded by Bertram O. F. Phibbs
Preceded by Anselan J. B. Stirling	Captain of H.M.S. Shark 1 Apr, 1905 – 25 Apr, 1905	Succeeded by Walter G. Jones
Preceded by John Nicholas	Captain of H.M.S. Recruit 27 Apr, 1905 – 20 Oct, 1905	Succeeded by Edward O. Gladstone
Preceded by Edward O. Gladstone	Captain of H.M.S. Teazer 20 Oct, 1905 – 10 Nov, 1905	Succeeded by William Cadman
Preceded by Bertram O. F. Phibbs	Captain of H.M.S. Vigilant 10 Nov, 1905 – 12 Jan, 1906	Succeeded by Frank Powell
Preceded by Frank Powell	Captain of H.M.S. Vulture 12 Jan, 1906 – 28 May, 1906	Succeeded by Reginald St. P. Parry
Preceded by Archibald T. Stewart	Captain of H.M.S. Myrmidon 28 May, 1906 – 25 Jan, 1909	Succeeded by James Bayley
Preceded by Osmond J. Prentis	Captain of H.M.S. Ure 25 Jan, 1909 – 20 Jun, 1910	Succeeded by Herbert M. Denny
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Beagle 20 Jun, 1910 – 3 Feb, 1913	Succeeded by Harry R. Godfrey
Preceded by Joseph A. Shuter	Captain of H.M. T.B. 25 3 Nov, 1914 – 13 Jul, 1917	Succeeded by Robert L. Alexander
Preceded by Norton A. Sulivan	Captain of H.M.S. Marksman 13 Jul, 1917 – 11 Dec, 1917	Succeeded by Victor L. A. Campbell
Preceded by Gerard C. Pigou	Captain of H.M.S. Amethyst 5 Nov, 1918 – 15 May, 1919	Succeeded by ?