Percival Henry Gwynne James

Captain Percival Henry Gwynne James, (12 May, 1896 – ) served in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

The son of Francis R. James, Esq., solicitor.

James served in the battleship Collingwood from the moment he passed out of the Training Establishment on 15 September, 1913 through 5 January, 1917, fighting in her at the Battle of Jutland. Following a course in Torpedo Control at H.M.S. Vernon, he was appointed to the destroyer Redoubt on 1 February, 1917.

James was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 November, 1917 and served in Redoubt through the end of the war.

James was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 November, 1925.

James was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1931.

James was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1938.

World War II

On 1 December, 1938, he was appointed as Naval Liaison Officer, Shanghai, vice Edwards. He held this post until being appointed in command of the Capetown Class light cruiser H.M.S. Capetown on 4 November, 1940. His time in command of the ship would be interspersed with periods of ill health during which Lt. Cdr. Henry Hutchinson Robson took over temporary command of the ship. The cause is not stated, but in 1946 he was hospitalised with phthisis. On 10 November 1940, he grounded the ship, eliciting displeasure in so doing. The ship was torpedoed by Template:IT-MAS213 off Eritrea on 6 April, 1941. A Board of Enquiry faulted his judgement in handling the aftermath, and the ship was placed under repair for a year thereafter.

Placed on the Retired List as medically unfit on 12 January, 1948.

See Also

• Service Records

Bibliography

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Alfred C. Collinson	Captain of H.M.S. Stormcloud 14 Aug, 1925 – Mar, 1929	Succeeded by Henry F. Waight
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Antelope 2 Dec, 1929 – 5 Mar, 1931	Succeeded by Percival H. G. James
Preceded by Ion B. B. Tower	Captain of H.M.S. Wolsey 5 Mar, 1931 – c. Jun, 1931	Succeeded by Charles M. Blackman
Preceded by Percival H. G. James	Captain of H.M.S. Antelope c. Jun, 1931 – Jan, 1932	Succeeded by John A. Giffard
Preceded by Herbert A. C. Lane	Captain of H.M.S. Fearless 3 Jan, 1936 – 18 Jan, 1938	Succeeded by Kenneth L. Harkness
Preceded by William A. R. Cartwright	Captain of H.M.S. Mackay 28 Sep, 1938 – 9 Oct, 1938	Succeeded by Philip L. Vian
Preceded by William Spencer Leveson-Gower	Captain (D), Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla 28 Sep, 1938 – 9 Oct, 1938	Succeeded by Jocelyn S. C. Salter
Preceded by Terence H. Back	Captain of H.M.S. Capetown 3 Nov, 1940 – 19 Jun, 1941	Succeeded by Henry H. Robson
Preceded by Henry H. Robson	Captain of H.M.S. Capetown 24 Sep, 1941 – 17 Nov, 1942	Succeeded by Henry H. Robson
Preceded by Cecil S. Sandford	Captain of H.M.S. Iron Duke 24 Mar, 1943 – 12 Jan, 1944	Succeeded by ?