Maitland Walter Sabine Boucher

Rear-Admiral Maitland Walter Sabine Boucher, D.S.O., Royal Navy (19 December, 1888 – ) served in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Boucher was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Boucher was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 November, 1909. He earned his qualification for navigational duties on 9 June, 1911.

He married Vera Hasler Helby at the Parish Church in Alverstoke, Hants on 27 January, 1912.

On 15 February, 1913, he was appointed to the torpedo gunboat Halcyon to serve as her navigating officer.

Great War

Boucher fought in Halcyon until 11 February, 1915 when he was appointed to Lowestoft as navigating officer.

Boucher was awarded the Shadwell Testimonial Prize in 1917 for surveying the entrance to Port Kalesai[?], Mytilene, on Lesbos.

Boucher was superseded in Lowestoft in November, 1917 and promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 November, 1917. On 1 March, 1918, he was appointed to Leviathan to be her navigator. He remained there until the end of 1918.

Post-War

He qualified for command of T.B.Ds. on 23 March, 1922.

Boucher was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1923.

Boucher became active in aviation, applying to take Part II of flying instruction instruction in January, 1925, awaiting improved health before tackling Part I. However, he was hospitalised with scarlet fever in early 1925 and was not found fit until 12 March. He was intensively flying before the year was out, being lent to the R.A.F. for instruction in "Air Matters" in May. It was recommended that he be instructed in how to conduct deck landings, and completed a preliminary course in this on 12 February, 1926. He applied to have a "(P)" designation next to his name in The Navy List to denote airplane pilot, but was denied this distinction at this early juncture. On 12 November, 1925 he was lent to the Air Ministry.

In 1928, Boucher was blamed for the loss of a pinnace from Argus. It was felt that he should not have employed the small craft in the prevailing weather conditions.

Boucher was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1930. Boucher was appointed in command of the light cruiser Champion in December, 1931.

Protracted medical issues afflicted him in the early 1930s, but he was declared fit for flying duties again in August, 1933.

Boucher completed a refresher course in deck landing at Gosport in May, 1935. On 17 December, 1937, he was appointed for duty inside the Admiralty in connection with transfer of the Fleet Air Arm to Admiralty Control. This lasted only until the turn of the new year when he was appointed as Director of Air Material. He quit that position when appointed to Victory in Portsmouth for a "Tactical Investigation" on 23 January, 1939. Boucher was then loaned to the Royal Australian Navy for two years, commencing on 3 March, 1939.

World War II

Boucher was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 15 January, 1941 and placed on the Retired List the following day. A request to be placed on the list of active flag officers was refused.

He was appointed to the Liverpool Convoy Pool on 22 September, 1943, to serve in the rank of Commodore, Second Class, R.N.R..

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Percy R. Vaughan	Captain of H.M.S. Totnes 31 Dec, 1918 – 5 Apr, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by ?	Senior Officer, Sixteenth Fleet Sweeping Flotilla 31 Dec, 1918 – 5 Apr, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Guy L. Cockburn	Captain of H.M.S. Leamington 5 Apr, 1919 – 15 Dec, 1921	Succeeded by David Wardlaw-Ramsay
Preceded by ?	Senior Officer, Fifteenth Fleet Sweeping Flotilla 5 Apr, 1919 – 15 Dec, 1921	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Stanley L. Willis	Captain of H.M.S. Argus 14 Oct, 1926 – 5 Nov, 1928	Succeeded by James W. Murray
Preceded by Norman A. Wodehouse	Captain of H.M.S. Champion 21 Dec, 1931 – 5 Dec, 1932	Succeeded by Arthur M. Peters
Preceded by Brian Egerton	Captain of H.M.S. Courageous 4 May, 1935 – 31 Jul, 1937	Succeeded by Charles A. A. Larcom