Robert Wilberforce Myburgh

Captain (retired) Robert Wilberforce Myburgh, R.N. (23 July, 1873 – ) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Myburgh gained six months' time on passing out of Britannia.

Myburgh was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 October, 1895.

On 1 October 1902, Myburgh was appointed Lieutenant in Command of the destroyer Wizard. A Court of Enquiry found that Lieutenant Myburgh had displayed a want of judgement after Wizard and Starfish collided on 3 February 1903.

On 23 September 1904, Myburgh saved a seaman from drowning at Lamlash and was subsequently awarded a testimonial on vellum from the Royal Humane Society.

Myburgh was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1908.

Myburgh was appointed in command of the destroyer Star on 2 February, 1910.

On 15 August 1910, Myburgh was appointed in command of the destroyer Albacore. In May 1911, Albacore collided with Spiteful and Myburgh attracted all the blame for having traveled up Portsmouth harbour to take a difficult berth in a strong SSW wind and a strong flood tide when he had only hand steering gear available to him. He had not informed anyone that his steam steering gear was defective and had failed to ask for assistance.

He was appointed in command of the battleship Hood on 25 July, 1911.

Post-War

Myburgh was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Captain on 5 June, 1921.

Myburgh was admitted to Royal Naval Hospital Chatham with osteoarthritis on 18 June 1940. He was released three days later.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Henry W. Osburn	Captain of H.M.S. Fawn 2 Apr, 1902 – mid Jun, 1902[Inference]	Succeeded by Bertram O. F. Phibbs
Preceded by Bertram O. F. Phibbs	Captain of H.M.S. Conflict mid 1902 – 22 Jul, 1902	Succeeded by Charles W. Chipp
Preceded by Henry W. Osborn	Captain of H.M.S. Wizard 1 Oct, 1902 – 12 Oct, 1902	Succeeded by Robert W. Myburgh
Preceded by Robert W. Myburgh	Captain of H.M.S. Wizard 8 Nov, 1902 – 14 Apr, 1903	Succeeded by Herbert M. Denny
Preceded by Reginald L. Crichton	Captain of H.M.S. Speedy 10 Jan, 1908 – 18 Jan, 1909	Succeeded by Maurice D. Evans
Preceded by James W. G. Innes	Captain of H.M.S. Star 2 Feb, 1910 – 15 Aug, 1910	Succeeded by Richard W. U. Bayly
Preceded by Edward O. Gladstone	Captain of H.M.S. Albacore 15 Aug, 1910 – 25 Jul, 1911	Succeeded by Forster D. Arnold-Forster
Preceded by John C-T. Glossop	Captain of H.M.S. Hood 25 Jul, 1911 – 1 Feb, 1913	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Arthur W. Torlesse as Captain of H.M.S. Royalist	Captain of H.M.S. Colleen 8 Feb, 1913 – 26 May, 1915	Succeeded by Charles A. W. Wrightson