Reginald Becher Caldwell Hutchinson

Captain (retired) Reginald Becher Caldwell Hutchinson, D.S.C. (18 August, 1882 – ) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Hutchinson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 September, 1902.

He incurred Their Lordships' "severe displeasure" in the grounding of T.B. 3 in 1909, and was superseded in command on account of this misstep on 22 July and was loaned to H.M.S. Vindictive to conduct a test of the Humber defences. On 23 September, 1909, he was appointed to the armoured cruiser Sutlej, having been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 September.

Hutchinson was appointed in command of the destroyer Thrasher of the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla on 10 September, 1912 and then to her flotilla-mate Success on 14 October. His command here would extend fully to the outbreak or war in August, 1914.

Great War

On 30 August, 1914, Hutchinson was superseded in command of Success and appointed in command of the destroyer Liberty.

When Able Seaman Edward W. Holmes drowned following the capsizing of a whaler off Gallipoli on 19 February 1915, a Court of Enquiry told Hutchinson to exercise greater caution in future.

Hutchinson was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1915. On 13 August, he was appointed in command of the Acasta Class destroyer Achates.

Hutchinson would command the destroyer Achates when she fought at the Battle of Jutland as part of the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla. Shortly after the battle, he was appointed in command of the Plover, which he would command into May of 1918, albeit with a temporary absence when he was admitted to a hospital ship on 28 July, 1916. He rejoined his command on 16 August.

He was appointed in command of the monitor M.31 on 20 June, 1918.

Post-War

Hutchinson was made Senior Naval Officer, Palestine on 21 December, 1918. This appointment ended in mid April, 1919. In May he was appointed to Thalia, additional, as S.N.O. "Thuro" (?). On 18 September, he was appointed to President for temporary service with the Naval Adviser to the Ministry of Labour.

Hutchinson was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Captain on 12 September, 1928.

World War II

Hutchinson was placed in command of the yacht Lady Vagrant upon her commissioning sometime around October, 1939. In mid 1940, he was placed in command of Calliope (a ship whose identity escapes me) and as Naval Officer in Charge, North Shields.

See Also

• Service Records
• Fourth D.F. (Royal Navy) at the Battle of Jutland
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Percy J. Helyar	Captain of H.M. T.B. 3 18 Sep, 1908 – 22 Jul, 1909	Succeeded by Herbert F. Littledale
Preceded by Thomas K. Maxwell	Captain of H.M.S. Thrasher 10 Sep, 1912 – 14 Oct, 1912	Succeeded by Henry V. Hudson
Preceded by Henry V. Hudson	Captain of H.M.S. Success 14 Oct, 1912 – 30 Aug, 1914	Succeeded by William Pennefather
Preceded by Henry E. Horan	Captain of H.M.S. Liberty 30 Aug, 1914 – 13 Aug, 1915	Succeeded by William J. F. Dunlop
Preceded by William J. F. Dunlop	Captain of H.M.S. Achates 13 Aug, 1915 – Jun, 1916	Succeeded by Frederick E. K. Strong
Preceded by Frederick E. K. Strong	Captain of H.M.S. Plover Jun, 1916 – 11 Jun, 1917	Succeeded by Walter C. Clark-Hall
Preceded by Reginald St. P. Parry	Captain of H.M.S. Plover 19 Jul, 1917 – 9 May, 1918	Succeeded by Kenneth C. Helyar
Preceded by Cecil J. Crocker	Captain of H.M.S. M.31 20 Jun, 1918 – 21 Dec, 1918	Succeeded by Francis L. Back
Preceded by Graham F. W. Wilson	Captain of H.M.S. Clematis 2 Jul, 1920 – Aug, 1922	Succeeded by Guy P. Bowles
Preceded by David J. R. Simson	Captain of H.M.S. Senator 4 Oct, 1927 – Nov, 1927	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Bernard A. W. Warburton-Lee	Captain of H.M.S. Tuscan Oct, 1927 – Nov, 1927	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Richard T. Down	Captain of H.M.S. Pegasus 12 Jun, 1928 – 18 Aug, 1928	Succeeded by Philip G. Wodehouse