Percy Ralph Passawer Percival

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Captain (retired) Percy Ralph Passawer Percival, D.S.O., R.N. (13 July, 1886 – ) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

The son of Captain Harold Franz Passawer Percival, A.S.C., Percy was born in Vienna.[1]

On 18 May, 1907 he was appointed to Ure, but he was relieved of duty on 2 December, "owing to seasickness when on a destroyer" and sent to join the armoured cruiser Roxburgh of the First Cruiser Squadron. In December, however, he was blamed for a collision between Roxburgh and a steamboat of Magnificent.[2]

On 29 August, 1908, Percival left Roxburgh and the next day appointed to the destroyer Flying Fish. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1908.[3]

On 15 December, 1909, he was appointed in command of an armed launch Mayhue in the Persian Gulf. He was superseded in her on 4 February, 1910.[4]

Great War

Percival was appointed in command of the destroyer Mermaid on 21 April, 1914.[5]

On 15 January, 1916, Afridi collided with the trawler Caulonia and it was deemed that Percival should have been on deck at the time.[6]

Percival was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 31 December, 1916.[7]

On 24 January, 1917, Percival was appointed in command of the destroyer Morris.

On 21 March, 1918, Percival was in command of Morris during an action against enemy destroyers off the Belgian Coast. He was awarded a bar to his D.S.O. for "[keeping] good station during the first stage of the action, opening fire with Botha, on the latter being disabled showed great initiative in continuing and pressing home the action, torpedoing and sinking an enemy torpedo boat. Showed great promptitude in taking Botha into tow and brought her safely into harbour."[8]

Post-War

Percival was appointed in command of the destroyer Petard on 20 March, 1919. He damaged the ship while closing Sabrina. Captain (D) Sparks considered that the fault lay with Percival.

He was appointed in command of the destroyer Romola on 11 March, 1920.

Percival was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1922.[9]

Percival was appointed in command of the leader Broke on 21 January, 1932. There is no note in his Service Record to indicate when this appointment ended, and it might have run until he was placed on the Retired List with the rank of Captain on 28 July, 1932.[10]

World War II

Percival served in a variety of capacities, first as Naval Officer in Charge, Swansea. In 1943 he was appointed in charge of a W.R.N.S. Air Training Establishment.

He was dispersed in 1946.

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
George C. Dillon
Captain of H.M.S. Mermaid
21 Apr, 1914[11][12] – 8 Dec, 1915[13]
Succeeded by
Richard Harter
Preceded by
Hugh R. Troup
Captain of H.M.S. Afridi
8 Dec, 1915[14][15] – 24 Jan, 1917[16]
Succeeded by
Francis T. Hare
Preceded by
Edward S. Graham
Captain of H.M.S. Morris
24 Jan, 1917[17][18] – Mar, 1919[19]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
John C. Tovey
Captain of H.M.S. Ursa
23 Jan, 1918[20] – 7 Feb, 1919[21]
Succeeded by
Philip A. Heyder
Preceded by
Clement L. Long
Captain of H.M.S. Petard
20 Mar, 1919[22][23] – 11 Mar, 1920[24]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Edward C. Thornton
Captain of H.M.S. Romola
11 Mar, 1920[25][26] – 10 Feb, 1922[27]
Succeeded by
Francis E. Wright
Preceded by
Lawrence D'O. Bignell
Captain of H.M.S. Rowena
11 Mar, 1920[28] – 27 Apr, 1920[Inference]
Succeeded by
Patrick B. Crohan
Preceded by
Francis E. Wright
Captain of H.M.S. Restless
10 Feb, 1922[29] – Apr, 1922[30]
Succeeded by
Tom B. V. Thomas
Preceded by
Kenneth A. Beattie
Captain of H.M.S. Wakeful
13 Apr, 1922[31][32] – 23 Jan, 1923[33]
Succeeded by
Ernest Beeley
Preceded by
Herbert M. Ellis
Captain of H.M.S. Taurus
10 Jul, 1924[34][35] – 21 Aug, 1924[36]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Claude L. Bate
Captain of H.M.S. Vanquisher
28 Aug, 1924[37] – Oct, 1926
Succeeded by
Geoffrey S. Holden
Preceded by
Lawrence D'O. Bignell
Captain of H.M.S. Serapis
28 Dec, 1926[38] – Mar, 1929[39]
Succeeded by
John M. Porter
Preceded by
Frederick M. C. Curtis
Captain of H.M.S. Vindictive
17 Jan, 1930[40] – 19 Sep, 1930[41]
Succeeded by
Charles G. Stuart
Preceded by
Arthur G. Harris
Captain of H.M.S. Keppel
14 Nov, 1930[42][43] – 21 Jan, 1932[44]
Succeeded by
Cecil R. E. W. Perryman
Preceded by
Eric J. Shelley
Captain of H.M.S. Broke
21 Jan, 1932[45] – 28 Jul, 1932[46]
Succeeded by
Harry S. Murray-Smith

Footnotes

  1. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  2. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  3. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  4. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  5. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 356.
  6. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  7. The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 88.
  8. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  9. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  10. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  11. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  12. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 396a.
  13. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  14. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  15. The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 391d.
  16. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  17. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  18. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 849.
  19. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  20. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  21. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  22. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  23. The Navy List. (June, 1919). p. 867.
  24. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  25. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  26. The Navy List. (December, 1920). p. 857.
  27. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  28. "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Saturday, Mar 13, 1920; pg. 6; Issue 42358.
  29. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  30. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  31. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  32. The Navy List. (January, 1923). p. 840.
  33. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  34. "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Friday, Jun 20, 1924; pg. 5; Issue 43683.
  35. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  36. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  37. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  38. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  39. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  40. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  41. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  42. The Navy List. (July, 1931). p. 248.
  43. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  44. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  45. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  46. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.