Thomas Norman James

Vice-Admiral Thomas Norman James, C.B., M.V.O., Royal Navy (21 December, 1878 – 25 September, 1965) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Early Life & Career

James was made a Lieutenant on 30 June, 1901.

After two months in command of Wear, on 28 May, 1906 James was appointed in command of the "A" Class destroyer Zebra and then rapidly moved to Hardy. Some illegible difficulty he experienced in command of the Zebra prompted a comment from the Rear-Admiral (D) that James was "unsuitable for cd. of a destroyer. shd be sent to a bigger ship." He was superseded in Hardy on 20 September 1906 and appointed to the battleship Formidable on 2 October, 1906 until some time later in that year when he was appointed to the second class protected cruiser Diana.

James was appointed next to a series of small cruisers, as first and gunnery officer in Topaze from late 1908, to the same role in Boadicea for one year beginning on 27 July, 1909 and finally to be first officer in Enchantress on 29 July, 1910.

James was promoted to the rank of Commander and re-appointed, temporarily in Enchantress on 30 June, 1913.

Great War

On 18 August, James was appointed to assist the office of the Second Sea Lord at the Admiralty. This appointment was so sticky that he was still at it when he was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1917. James was not to be freed from desk work until being appointed in command of the battlecruiser Australia on 1 September, 1918 and Flag Captain to Rear-Admiral Commanding, Second Battle Cruiser Squadron.

Post-war

On 5 August, 1919, he was appointed Flag Captain to Rear-Admiral George Price Webley Hope in the light cruiser Cardiff, leading the Third Light Cruiser Squadron.

He served as captain of the battlecruiser Courageous from October 1923 until April, 1924, then over to command Centurion. Finally, he would serve as Captain of the Fleet, Atlantic Fleet, and then serve as captain of Warspite and Queen Elizabeth. He was finally superseded in her, his last seagoing command, in June, 1928.

Flag Rank

Promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 27 May, 1929, James undertook a Senior Officers' Training Course and then accepted an appointment to be Rear-Admiral in Charge & Admiral Superintendent, Gibraltar on 20 March, 1931. He assumed command at Gibraltar on 21 April and was superseded by Francis Murray Austin on 2 May, 1933. He was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 1 March, 1934.

James was appointed Buckinghamshire on National Service Committee in 1939. In September of that year, he was admitted to the Royal Naval Hospital, Chatham to be successfully treated for diverticulitis. There is no indication that he was summoned to serve in the Second World War.

James died at home on 25 September, 1965. His funeral took place at Seer Green Parish Church at 2 p.m. on Wednesday 29 September.

Papers

• Papers in the possession of the National Maritime Museum.

Service Records

• The National Archives. ADM 196/142.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/125.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/90.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/45.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by William F. Benwell	Captain of H.M. T.B. 97 1900 – 24 Sep, 1901	Succeeded by John M. Wallis
Preceded by George G. Codrington	Captain of H.M.S. Wear 17 Apr, 1906 – 28 May, 1906	Succeeded by Albert M. H. Phillips
Preceded by Robert J. Buchanan	Captain of H.M.S. Zebra 28 May, 1906 – 3 Aug, 1906	Succeeded by Charles W. Cock
Preceded by Charles W. Cock	Captain of H.M.S. Hardy 3 Aug, 1906 – 20 Sep, 1906	Succeeded by Edward H. F. Boughey
Preceded by Oliver Backhouse	Captain of H.M.A.S. Australia 1 Sep, 1918 – 8 Apr, 1919	Succeeded by Claude L. Cumberlege
Preceded by Arthur Bromley	Captain of H.M.S. Cardiff 5 Aug, 1919 – 12 Jan, 1921	Succeeded by Colin K. MacLean
Preceded by Charles D. Johnson	Captain of H.M.S. Marlborough 24 Jan, 1922 – Mar, 1922[Inference]	Succeeded by George Trewby
Preceded by John M. Casement	Captain of H.M.S. Courageous 3 Oct, 1923 – 24 Apr, 1924	Succeeded by Thomas N. James
Preceded by Humphrey W. Bowring	Captain of H.M.S. Centurion 24 Apr, 1924 – 29 Apr, 1924	Succeeded by Thomas N. James
Preceded by Thomas N. James	Captain of H.M.S. Courageous 29 Apr, 1924 – 29 Apr, 1924	Succeeded by Aubrey Lambert
Preceded by Thomas N. James	Captain of H.M.S. Centurion 30 Apr, 1924 – 1 Aug, 1924	Succeeded by Gerard A. Wells
Preceded by Francis A. Marten	Captain of the Fleet, Atlantic Fleet 1 Aug, 1925	Succeeded by Sidney J. Meyrick
Preceded by George K. Chetwode	Captain of H.M.S. Warspite 6 Aug, 1927	Succeeded by Hubert S. Monroe
Preceded by Hubert S. Monroe	Captain of H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth Dec, 1927 – Jun, 1928	Succeeded by Wilfrid A. Egerton
Preceded by Berwick Curtis	Rear-Admiral in Charge & Admiral Superintendent, Gibraltar 20 Mar, 1931 – 2 May, 1933	Succeeded by Francis M. Austin