Orrell Bake

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Commander (retired) Orrell Bake (12 February, 1886 – ) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Born in London, Bake gained two months' time on passing out of Britannia on 15 September 1902 and being appointed to the armoured cruiser Aboukir in the Mediterranean. He would serve in Duncan, Cæsar and finally Topaze before being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1908.[1]

On 17 February, 1913, Bake was admitted to Plymouth Hospital with syphilis Types I and II. he was found fit on 26 March.

Bake was appointed Lieutenant in Command of the destroyer Cygnet on 5 June, 1914.[2] She collided with S.S. Glenbrook during a mooring operation through what was determined to be an error on either Bake's part or that of the steamer's commanding officer, but no damage was done. However, on 10 December, 1914, Cygnet was damaged when she collided while entering Felixstowe Dock. Though Bake was merely cautioned in this instance, in March 1915 he collided with Brighton Queen and for this he was superseded in command and sent to the first class protected cruiser Powerful where he would assume gunnery duties. Shortly thereafter, he was sent to Excellent for a short gunnery course.[3]

On 17 June, 1916, Bake was appointed to Theseus for gunnery duties. Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 31 December, 1916, he was superseded on 31 December, 1917. After some time in Portsmouth, Bake was appointed in command of the destroyer Leonidas on 19 March, 1918.[4]

On 7 September 1918, S.S. Persia was torpedoed and Bake impressed the Admiralty with the services he rendered in the aftermath, which resulted in no loss of life.[5]

Post-War

Bake left Leonidas when he was was appointed in command of the destroyer Rapid on 1 February, 1919.[6]

Bake was appointed to the drill ship President, for service in the Admiralty Compass Department as an Assistant, 1st Class and Establishment Officer on 1 October, 1920.

From March 1924, Bake alternated between having charge of a group of destroyers in reserve and unpaid time. Bake was finally placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Commander on 1 June, 1927.[7]

World War II

On 4 September, 1939, Bake was appointed as Sea Transport Officer, Newhaven. An appointment as District Sea Transport Officer, Poole dated 15 June, 1940 was cancelled in favour of one as District Sea Transport Officer, Barrow-in-Furness with acting rank of Captain on 19 June.

On 19 August 1941, Bake was appointed as District Sea Transport Officer, Iceland (C) with acting rank of Captain. He was ordered to return to Portsmouth on 19 January, 1942.

On 2 March, 1942, Bake was ordered to proceed in H.M.S. Stag to Alexandria where he would become District Sea Transport Officer, Egypt on 22 April. On 2 May, however, Bake was placed on the seriously ill list with malaria. He was able to recover and be removed from the list on 10 May. On 9 May 1944, he was to revert to the Retired List, but this was cancelled and the following day he was appointed to Stag, additional, as N.C.S.O., Suez vice Laidlaw, R.N.R..[8]

Bake would serve in a variety of similar capacities through the end of the war, including as Naval Chief Staff Officer on staff of Flag Officer, Levant and Eastern Mediterranean vice Keeley.[9]

Personal Life

Bake married Dora Flint at Parish of St. Paul at Sheerness, on 24 September, 1914. He would divorce Dora on 23 June, 1952 and marry Nancy Joan Biggs on 6 September, 1952.[10]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Roy Bacchus 		Captain of H.M.S. Cygnet
5 Jun, 1914[11][12] – c. 15 Apr, 1915[13] 		Succeeded by
Charles E. Wilson
Preceded by
Aubrey E. D. Moore 		Captain of H.M.S. Leonidas
19 Mar, 1918[14][15] – 1 Feb, 1919[16] 		Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Roland Leeds 		Captain of H.M.S. Rapid
1 Feb, 1919[17] – 1 Oct, 1920[18] 		Succeeded by
James C. Colvill
Preceded by
James C. Colvill 		Captain of H.M.S. Rapid
3 Mar, 1924[19][20] – 23 Oct, 1924[21] 		Succeeded by
Ralph W. Wilkinson
Preceded by
Ralph W. Wilkinson 		Captain of H.M.S. Rapid
14 Apr, 1925[22] – 22 Jun, 1925[23][24] 		Succeeded by
?

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. f. 288.
  2. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 300.
  3. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. f. 288.
  4. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. f. 288.
  5. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. f. 288.
  6. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. f. 288.
  7. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. f. 288.
  8. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. f. 236.
  9. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. f. 236.
  10. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. ff. 288, 236.
  11. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. f. 288.
  12. ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 393h.
  13. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. f. 288.
  14. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. f. 288.
  15. ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 830.
  16. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. f. 288.
  17. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. f. 288.
  18. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. f. 288.
  19. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. f. 288.
  20. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1924). p. 262.
  21. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. f. 288.
  22. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. f. 288.
  23. ↑ Bake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/237. f. 288.
  24. ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1926). p. 262.

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