Richard Matthew King

Rear-Admiral Richard Matthew King, D.S.O., (2 November, 1883 – 15 December, 1969) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

The son of a Colonel with the 50th Queens Own Regiment.

King was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 2 November, 1904.

King was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 2 November, 1912.

King was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1916.

King was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1922.

King was appointed in command of the destroyer Nymphe on 18 August, 1913. He incurred the displeasure of Their Lordships in April, 1914 for losing a Flotilla Signal Book.

In May, 1918, King was appointed in command of the destroyer Radstock.

In July, 1924, King was appointed in command of the light cruiser Coventry.

In October, 1932, he was appointed in command of the battleship Iron Duke.

King was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 18 December, 1934 and placed on the Retired List the next day in accordance with Order in Council of 9 March, 1914.

World War II

In 1937, King was selected for war appointment and mobilised on 28 September, 1938.

On 28 September, 1939, he was appointed Flag Officer in Charge, Belfast. Superseded on 15 October, 1942, he eventually found himself appointed to the Liverpool Convoy Pool, serving as a Commodore, Second Class, R.N.R.. He was admitted to the Royal Marine Hospital with influenza on 24 February, 1943. He was found to have regained fitness on 14 April.

On 1 September, 1945, he reverted to the Retired List.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Vernon H. S. Haggard	Captain of H.M. T.B. 108 3 Jan, 1905 – 22 Oct, 1906	Succeeded by Edmond A. T. de P. de la Poer
Preceded by John O. Barron	Captain of H.M.S. Hardy 15 Jun, 1908 – 25 Aug, 1909	Succeeded by Stuart E. Holder
Preceded by Arthur G. H. Bond	Captain of H.M.S. Recruit 5 Aug, 1909	Succeeded by John C. Hodgson
Preceded by Percy Withers	Captain of H.M.S. Kennet 25 Nov, 1910 – 28 Apr, 1911	Succeeded by Philip H. Waterer
Preceded by Cecil R. Hemans	Captain of H.M.S. Coquette 28 Apr, 1911 – 10 May, 1911	Succeeded by Hugh Hamilton-Gordon
Preceded by The Hon. William S. Levenson-Gower	Captain of H.M.S. Nymphe 18 Aug, 1913 – Dec, 1915	Succeeded by Charles G. Naylor
Preceded by Charles G. Naylor	Captain of H.M.S. Musketeer Dec, 1915 – 25 Aug, 1916	Succeeded by Godfrey R. Chambers
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Radstock 25 Aug, 1916 – 6 May, 1918	Succeeded by Richard M. King
Preceded by Desmond Maxwell	Captain of H.M.S. Rigorous 14 May, 1918 – Jun, 1918	Succeeded by Edward C. Denison
Preceded by Richard M. King	Captain of H.M.S. Radstock Jun, 1918 – 11 Feb, 1919	Succeeded by Hamilton E. Snepp
Preceded by William J. Whitworth	Captain of H.M.S. Vidette 11 Feb, 1919 – 26 Jun, 1919	Succeeded by Edward McC. W. Lawrie
Preceded by Benjamin W. Barrow	Captain of H.M.S. Coventry 29 Jul, 1924	Succeeded by Herbert Fitzherbert
Preceded by George W. Taylor as Captain of Devonport Dockyard	Captain of Devonport Dockyard and Deputy Superintendent 12 Apr, 1930 – 15 Apr, 1932	Succeeded by Eric G. Robinson as Captain of Devonport Dockyard, Deputy Superintendent and King's Harbour Master
Preceded by Geoffrey Mackworth	Superintendent and King's Harbour Master, Devonport 12 Apr, 1930 – 3 Jan, 1933	Succeeded by Eric G. Robinson as King's Harbour Master, Devonport
Preceded by Guy L. Coleridge	Captain of H.M.S. Iron Duke 4 Oct, 1932 – 14 Oct, 1933	Succeeded by Hamilton C. Allen
Preceded by Claude C. Dobson	Captain of H.M.S. Cardiff 17 Oct, 1933 – 16 Jan, 1935	Succeeded by Hamilton C. Allen
Preceded by Claude C. Dobson	Senior Officer, Reserve Fleet, The Nore 17 Oct, 1933 – 16 Jan, 1935	Succeeded by Hamilton C. Allen
Preceded by Henry D. Wilkin as Senior Naval Officer, Belfast	Flag Officer in Charge, Belfast 24 Aug, 1939 – 15 Oct, 1942	Succeeded by ?