Rupert Stanley Gwatkin-Williams

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Captain (retired) Rupert Stanley Williams, C.M.G. (2 February, 1875 – 2 August, 1949) served in the Royal Navy. He altered his last name to Rupert Stanley Gwatkin-Williams on 9 November, 1903, taking on the maiden name of his new bride, Evelyn.

Life & Career

Williams entered the training ship H.M.S. Britannia in January, 1889, having ranked foremost of forty-five successful candidates for naval cadetships with 1,321 marks.[1]

Williams gained a considerable twelve months time on passing out of Britannia in December, 1890. He was promoted to the rank of Midshipman on 15 January, 1891[2] and was appointed to the armoured cruiser Imperieuse, additional, on 27 January, 1891, to be appointed to her when she next re-commissioned.[3] This occurred on 27 January, 1891 and he went in her out to the China Station.[4]

He served throughout the Boxer campaign and was present at the taking of the forts at Taku.[5]

Williams was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 14 June, 1896.[6]

Gwatkin-Williams was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1907.[7]

On 2 March, 1909, Gwatkin-Williams was court martialled for not reporting the grounding of H.M.S. Seal, for making a false report in the ship's log, and making misleading entries in the log. He was severely reprimanded and dismissed the ship. Upon being superseded on 14 March, 1909, Gwatkin-Williams was appointed to President for service with the Queenstown Coast Guard. He would still be there when he elected to retire at his own request on 30 June, 1912, having refused permission to accept the rank of Captain. He was superseded in his Coast Guard appointment in September.[8]

Great War

Gwatkin-Williams reported by letter upon outbreak of war that he had learned Portuguese and offering his services as an interpreter. This offer was noted and in the meantime, he was instead appointed in command of the armed boarding steamer Tara, a packet boat which had formerly been named Hibernia. She first operated off Ireland, but was sunk under his command by U 35 at the Gulf of Sollum near Egypt. Gwatkin-Williams was taken prisoner along with his crew and eventually placed under the watch of Arabs. On 14 March, 1916 they were rescued at Bir Hakeim by the Duke of Westminster's armoured car brigade. This was reported to the Admiralty by a letter from the Commander-in-Chief on the 18th. On the 26th, he was admitted to hospital in Alexandria, suffering from "slight neurasthenia."

Gwatkin-Williams was promoted to the rank of Captain on 6 April, 1916 as he pleaded that he might be offered to the Portuguese Navy for service. He was informed that there was no opportunity for this odd career option.[9]

In June, 1917, the Senior Naval Officer, White Sea reported that Gwatkin-Williams had acted with great judgment in dealing with a submarine raid on shipping. On 25 April, 1918, he joined the armed merchant cruiser Edinburgh Castle as her Captain. He was appointed a C.M.G. for his services in charge of Auxiliary Patrols, White Sea, gazetted 3 June, 1918.[10]

On 21 January, 1919, Gwatkin-Williams asked to be appointed as Vice-Consul at New York or elsewhere in the United States. He was reverted to the Retired List on 30 March, 1919.[11]

He died on 2 August, 1949 at his home at Twickenham.[12]

Personal Life

In addition to his 1903 marriage, which brought him two sons and a daughter, he married Florence Margaret Cross. This union had a son, who died at sea in 1944 and a daughter.[13]

See Also

  • Service Records
  • Gwatkin-Williams, Captain R.S.. (c. 1921) Prisoners of the Red Desert, Being a Full and True History of the Men of the Tara. Thornton Butterworth, LTD, London.
  • Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Colin K. MacLean
Captain of H.M.S. Roebuck
21 Mar, 1904[14] – 15 Sep, 1904[15]
Succeeded by
Frank F. Rose
Preceded by
Randal Methven Lambert
Captain of H.M.S. Ribble
15 Sep, 1904[16][17] – 1 Apr, 1905[18]
Succeeded by
Arthur H. Oldham
Preceded by
Arthur H. Oldham
Captain of H.M.S. Racehorse
1 Apr, 1905[19] – 1 Jan, 1906[20]
Succeeded by
Frank F. Rose
Preceded by
Frank F. Rose
Captain of H.M.S. Ranger
1 Jan, 1906[21] – 1 Nov, 1906[22]
Succeeded by
John B. Thomas
Preceded by
Charles W. Cock
Captain of H.M.S. Zebra
1 Nov, 1906[23][24] – 21 Mar, 1907[25]
Succeeded by
Harold G. Innes
Preceded by
Harold G. Innes
Captain of H.M.S. Erne
21 Mar, 1907[26] – 15 Jun, 1908[27]
Succeeded by
Claude Seymour
Preceded by
Harold V. Dundas
Captain of H.M.S. Seal
15 Jun, 1908[28][29] – 14 Mar, 1909[30]
Succeeded by
George J. Todd
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Tara
9 Aug, 1914[31] – 5 Nov, 1915[32]
Succeeded by
Vessel Lost
Preceded by
Charles E. W. Pyddoke
Captain of H.M.S. Intrepid
25 May, 1916[33][34] – 18 Dec, 1916[35]
Succeeded by
Rupert S. Gwatkin-Williams
Preceded by
Rupert S. Gwatkin-Williams
Captain of H.M.S. Intrepid
31 Mar, 1917[36] – 17 Jan, 1918[37]
Succeeded by
Stuart S. Bonham-Carter
Preceded by
Herbert J. T. Marshall
Captain of H.M.S. Edinburgh Castle
Feb, 1918[38] – 25 Feb, 1919[39]
Succeeded by
Edwin M. Palmer

Footnotes

  1. "Cadetships In The Navy." The Times (London, England), Tuesday, Dec 18, 1888; pg. 10; Issue 32572.
  2. The Navy List. (April, 1891). p. 63.
  3. The Navy List. (April, 1891). p. 228.
  4. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  5. "Captain R. S. Gwatkin-Williams." The Times (London, England), Tuesday, Aug 09, 1949; pg. 7; Issue 51455.
  6. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  7. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  8. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  9. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  10. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  11. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  12. "Captain R. S. Gwatkin-Williams." The Times (London, England), Tuesday, Aug 09, 1949; pg. 7; Issue 51455.
  13. "Captain R. S. Gwatkin-Williams." The Times (London, England), Tuesday, Aug 09, 1949; pg. 7; Issue 51455.
  14. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  15. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  16. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  17. The Navy List. (October, 1904). p. 368.
  18. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  19. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  20. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  21. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  22. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  23. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  24. The Navy List. (March, 1907). p. 398.
  25. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  26. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  27. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  28. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  29. The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 374.
  30. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  31. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  32. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  33. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  34. The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 395l.
  35. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  36. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 394s.
  37. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  38. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.
  39. Gwatkin-Williams Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/83. f. 93.