Reginald Ramsbotham

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Captain Reginald Ramsbotham, O.B.E., R.N. (1 May, 1891 – 1969) served in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

This article is based largely on the summary of Ramsbotham's papers at the Imperial War Museum.

Ramsbotham was promoted to the rank of Midshipman on 15 May, 1908[1] and was appointed to the battleship Albemarle on the same day,[2] serving in her into 1909. Later in 1909, he served in the battleship King Edward VII.

In 1909 and 1910 he served in Sapphire and Bellona. In 1910-11 he served in Vanguard.

Ramsbotham was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 June, 1913.[3]

He was appointed to the battleship Queen on 29 July, 1914, serving in her until 22 November 1914[4] when he was appointed to the destroyer Mentor for navigating duties.[5] This would establish the pattern of his wartime service, in which he served as navigating officer in a number of mostly small ships. He was appointed to the old torpedo gunboat Hazard, which was operating as a depot ship in support of a submarine flotilla, as navigator on 31 January, 1915.[6]

Ramsbotham was appointed to the destroyer Kempenfelt for navigation on 13 July, 1916, remaining there until at least October, 1917.[7] He later served in Shakespeare, Valkyrie and Montrose.[8]

After the war, he served as Navigating Officer of the flotilla leader H.M.S. Stuart as she assisted in the evacuation of White Russian troops and refugees from Black Sea ports in 1919 and 1920.

Ramsbotham was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 June, 1921.[9]

He served in the light cruiser Diomede on the China Station between 1922 and 1925 and in the aircraft carrier Eagle on the Mediterranean Station in 1926, in June of which year he was promoted to the rank of Commander.

Ramsbotham served for two years as executive officer in Hermes on the China Station in 1927 through about October 1929[10]

Ramsbotham was among the many notable naval officers who attended a Royal Navy Club dinner on 28 March, 1930 at the Hotel Victoria. Vice Admiral Frank Larken was presiding, and the Earl of Liverpool was the honoured guest. Jellicoe and Dreyer were also in attendance.[11]

He commanded the Royal New Zealand Navy sweeping sloop Laburnum in the Pacific from 28 August 1931 through 1938. His memoirs contain much colour regarding venereal disease and homosexual behaviour on these two ships during this period.

Ramsbotham served as King's Harbour Master and Captain of the Dockyard, Sheerness from 1935 through 1938 before becoming Inspector of Coastguard for Yorkshire and Lincolnshire from 1938 until 1951.

He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 1 April, 1938.[12]

See Also

Bibliography

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Charles E. Hotham
Captain of H.M.S. Laburnum
28 Aug, 1931[13] – Oct, 1933[14]
Succeeded by
Alexander H. Maxwell-Hyslop
Preceded by
Charles H. Champness
King's Harbour Master, Sheerness
2 Mar, 1935[15] – 5 Mar, 1938[16]
Succeeded by
Roderick L. Moore

Footnotes

  1. The Navy List. (July, 1908). p. 62.
  2. The Navy List. (July, 1908). p. 275.
  3. The Navy List. (December, 1914). p. 139.
  4. The Navy List. (December, 1914). p. 375c.
  5. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 356.
  6. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 394m.
  7. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 394v.
  8. "Naval Military, And Air Force." The Times (London, England), Monday, Feb 24, 1930; pg. 19; Issue 45445.
  9. Ramsbotham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/53/17. f. 16.
  10. "Naval, Military, And Air Force." The Times (London, England), Friday, Oct 04, 1929; pg. 9; Issue 45325.
  11. "Royal Navy Club." The Times (London, England), Saturday, Mar 29, 1930; pg. 14; Issue 45474.
  12. Ramsbotham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/53/17. f. 16.
  13. The Navy List. (January, 1933). p. 250.
  14. Ramsbotham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/53/17. f. 16.
  15. Ramsbotham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/53/17. f. 16.
  16. Ramsbotham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/53/17. f. 16.