Norman Albert Gustave Ohlenschlager

Commander Norman Albert Gustave Ohlenschlager, D.S.O., R.N., Retired (12 February, 1890 – 17 January, 1938) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Ohlenschlager passed out of Britannia with two and a half months additional seniority on 15 September 1906 and was immediately appointed to Prince of Wales. In August 1907, he joined the battleship Venerable in the Mediterranean.

Ohlenschlager was slightly wounded in the right hand by a pistol accident on 1 June 1908 aboard Venerable, obliging the ship to have to proceed to Queenstown to land him for medical attention. He was discharged from Plymouth Hospital on 10 July and placed back on the books of his ship at full pay, no days having been lost – suggesting perhaps this was not an accident for which he was to blame. He was not fully fit, however, before 10 November, 1908.

On 18 November 1911 he was appointed to Scorpion, which collided later that month with the Danish schooner Fryn (?). Ohlenschlager was cautioned to be more careful in future.

Ohlenschlager was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1912. On 24 July, he was admitted to Haslar with rubella. He was discharged at his own request five days later.

Ohlenschlager was appointed in command of the destroyer Lizard on 15 October, 1916. On 5 November, she collided with Garland and Ohlenschlager was informed that he was at fault for not keeping a better lookout before altering course to port.

Ohlenschlager was awarded a D.S.O. for displaying "great skill and gallantry in handling ship in the presence of a superior enemy force" during the Battle of Imbros in January 1918, even though he was unable to close to torpedo range against the Goeben and Breslau which were now operating under Ottoman auspices.

Post-War

On 17 December, 1919, Ohlenschlager was appointed in command of the destroyer Sirdar. He would be commended by the French Rear-Admiral, Adriatic for work he performed at Cattaro in the coming year with Sirdar.

Ohlenschlager was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 June, 1920. In April 1921, Captain Fremantle offered a unsatisfactory inspection of Sirdar, noting that Ohlenschlager had not offered sufficient attention to the cleanliness of the upper deck and platforms, nor to the watch and stations. The situation was dire enough to warrant further reporting. This report seems to have been satisfactory.

Ohlenschlager was blamed by a Court of Enquiry for a loss of stores from Vanessa in 1926. In 1928, allegations of smuggling in Restless earned Ohlenschlager the displeasure of the Commander-in-Chief and he was cautioned to be more careful in future.

Ohlenschlager was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Commander on 13 February, 1933.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Edward Brooke	Captain of H.M.S. Sprightly 11 Feb, 1916 – 15 Oct, 1916	Succeeded by Gerald N. Jones
Preceded by Edward Brooke	Captain of H.M.S. Lizard 15 Oct, 1916 – Dec, 1918	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Geoffrey N. Henson	Captain of H.M.S. Mons 15 Apr, 1919 – 13 Nov, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Edmund F. FitzGerald	Captain of H.M.S. Scout 13 Nov, 1919 – 17 Dec, 1919	Succeeded by Ernest L. Cardale
Preceded by Edmund F. FitzGerald	Captain of H.M.S. Sirdar 17 Dec, 1919 – 8 Jan, 1921	Succeeded by John W. Durnford
Preceded by Henry M. Coombs	Captain of H.M.S. Vanessa 25 Nov, 1921 – 15 Dec, 1922	Succeeded by Joseph H. L. Yorke
Preceded by Frederick H. G. Dalrymple-Hamilton	Captain of H.M.S. Violent 15 Dec, 1922 – 8 Jan, 1924[Inference]	Succeeded by Joseph H. L. Yorke
Preceded by Joseph H. L. Yorke	Captain of H.M.S. Vanessa 8 Jan, 1924 – 13 Jul, 1926	Succeeded by Gordon F. Hannay
Preceded by Tom B. V. Thomas	Captain of H.M.S. Restless 17 Dec, 1926 – 1 Dec, 1928	Succeeded by Charles F. Bush
Preceded by Gerald H. Thompson	Captain of H.M.S. Saladin 3 Oct, 1930 – 9 Dec, 1930	Succeeded by Trevor St. V. F. Tyler