Mortimer L'Estrange Silver

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Vice-Admiral Mortimer L'Estrange Silver, C.B.E., Royal Navy, Retired (7 August, 1869 – 6 December, 1946) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Early Life & Career

Silver was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant with seniority of 1 September, 1891.[1]

On 6 October, 1902, Silver was appointed to Vernon for command of the Jaseur.[2] He was promoted to the rank of Commander dated 31 December.[3] He was appointed to the Pembroke on 2 May, and on 2 June was appointed to the new battleship Exmouth.[4]

On 18 May, 1904 he was appointed Commander of another new battleship, Prince of Wales.[5] He received a favourable inspection report in the ship, but was faulted for having disregarded regulations in permitting a collision with a steamship on 29 July, 1905. Silver was granted 47 days sick leave to travel back to England to have surgery on his neck, expiring at the end of November, 1905.[6]

Silver was appointed to the battleship Revenge on 12 July, 1906.[7] On 8 September he was appointed to commission the battleship Britannia.[8]

He was appointed to the Actæon, torpedo training ship at Sheerness, on 13 August, 1907,[9] and assumed command from Captain R. Hudlestone on 16 August.[10]

Captain

On 30 June, 1908, Silver was promoted to the rank of Captain.[11] He was succeeded by Commander A. B. F. Dawson on 31 August, 1909.[12]

On 31 January, 1910 he was appointed for a senior officers' gunnery course, and on 28 February was appointed for a torpedo course.[13] On 4 April he was appointed to President for a navigation course.[14] On 2 August he was appointed to the Topaze for command of the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla.[15] An officer who served under him at this time was Andrew Cunningham, later Admiral of the Fleet Viscount Cunningham. He later remembered Silver as "a kindly man."[16] Silver handed over command of the flotilla to Captain Raymond A. Nugent on 8 August, 1912.[17]

Silver was sent to Birkenhead on 15 August to take command of the new light cruiser Melbourne, constructed for the Royal Australian Navy.[18]

Great War

In September, 1916, Silver was appointed Captain of the Dockyard and Deputy Superintendent and King's Harbour Master at Chatham.[19]

In September, 1918, he was admitted to Chatham Naval Hospital for two weeks for cataract surgery. He received three months home shore duty after being discharged.[20]

Post-War and Retirement

On 27 June, 1919, he was appointed a Commander of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.) for "valuable services as Captain of the Dockyard and King's Harbour Master, Chatham."[21] He was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 3 October, vice Brock,[22] and was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 4 October.[23] He was advanced to the rank of Vice-Admiral on the Retired List on 18 January, 1925.[24]

Bibliography

  • "Vice-Admiral M. L'E. Silver" (Obituaries). The Times. Tuesday, 10 December, 1946. Issue 50630, col E, p. 7.

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
James T. Bush
Captain of H.M. T.B. 59
8 Jul, 1896[25]
Succeeded by
George Johnstone
Preceded by
Henry Strickland
Captain of H.M.S. Jaseur
6 Oct, 1902[26][27] – 31 Dec, 1902[28]
Succeeded by
Robert W. Johnson
Preceded by
Ralph Hudleston
Captain of H.M.S. Actæon
13 Aug, 1907[29][30] – 31 Aug, 1909[31]
Succeeded by
Arthur B. F. Dawson
Preceded by
Reginald Y. Tyrwhitt
Captain of H.M.S. Topaze
2 Aug, 1910[32][33] – 31 Jul, 1912[34]
Succeeded by
Charles J. Wintour
Preceded by
Reginald Y. Tyrwhitt
Captain (D), Fourth Destroyer Flotilla
2 Aug, 1910[35][36] – 31 Jul, 1912[37]
Succeeded by
Wilfred Henderson
Preceded by
Bertram S. Evans
Captain of H.M.S. Minerva
1 Aug, 1912[38] – 8 Aug, 1912[39]
Succeeded by
Charles D. Johnson
Preceded by
?
Captain (D), Sixth Destroyer Flotilla
1 Aug, 1912[40] – 8 Aug, 1912[41]
Succeeded by
Charles D. Johnson
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.A.S. Melbourne
1 Oct, 1912[42] – 20 Sep, 1916[43]
Succeeded by
William E. Goodenough
Preceded by
Arthur D. Ricardo
Deputy Superintendent and King's Harbour Master, Chatham Dockyard
24 Oct, 1916[44] – 10 Oct, 1919[45]
Succeeded by
Charles S. Wills
Preceded by
Ernest H. Grafton
Captain of Chatham Dockyard
24 Oct, 1916[46] – 10 Oct, 1919[47]
Succeeded by
Charles S. Wills
 

Footnotes

  1. The London Gazette: no. 26203. p. 4987. 22 September, 1891.
  2. "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 8 October, 1902. Issue 36893, col A, p. 4.
  3. The London Gazette: no. 27512. p. 4. 2 January, 1903.
  4. "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 13 May, 1903. Issue 37079, col E, p. 12.
  5. "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Friday, 13 May, 1904. Issue 37393, col D, p. 11.
  6. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  7. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Saturday, 14 July, 1906. Issue 38072, col C, p. 8.
  8. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Saturday, 1 September, 1906. Issue 38114, col B, p. 8.
  9. The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 272.
  10. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Saturday, 17 August, 1907. Issue 38414, col A, p. 6.
  11. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 28151. p. 4644. 26 June, 1908.
  12. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 1 September, 1909. Issue 39053, col E, p. 12.
  13. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 20 January, 1910. Issue 39174, col C, p. 4.
  14. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Friday, 18 March, 1910. Issue 39223, col D, p. 4.
  15. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Tuesday, 5 July, 1910. Issue 39316, col C, p. 9.
  16. Cunningham. p. 47.
  17. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Friday, 2 August, 1912. Issue 39967, col F, p. 2.
  18. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Monday, 12 August, 1912. Issue 39975, col B, p. 4.
  19. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 553.
  20. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  21. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 31421. p. 8066. 27 June, 1919.
  22. The London Gazette: no. 31610. p. 12892. 21 October, 1919.
  23. The London Gazette: no. 31610. p. 12891. 21 October, 1919.
  24. The London Gazette: no. 33015. p. 591. 27 January, 1925.
  25. "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), 3 July, 1896; pg. 12.
  26. "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 8 October, 1902. Issue 36893, col A, p. 4.
  27. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  28. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  29. The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 272.
  30. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  31. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  32. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Tuesday, 5 July, 1910. Issue 39316, col C, p. 9.
  33. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  34. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  35. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Tuesday, 5 July, 1910. Issue 39316, col C, p. 9.
  36. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  37. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  38. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  39. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  40. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  41. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  42. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  43. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  44. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  45. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  46. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.
  47. Silver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 46.