Vivian Ronald Brandon
Captain (retired) Vivian Ronald Brandon, (1 April, 1882 – 3 January, 1944) served in the Royal Navy. An expert surveyor who was fluent in German, and with some French and Spanish, he was well suited for intelligence work.
Life & Career
Born in Hammersmith and raised by his mother, Brandon gained eight months' time on passing out of Britannia.
He passed out of Britannia in December, 1897 ranked second of the sixty-four cadets who passed out, with 1901 marks.[1]
Brandon was awarded the Ryder Memorial Prize for 1901 for placing highest in the examination in French at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich.
He qualified as an Interpreter in German.
Brandon was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 July, 1902. He gained the second-highest number of marks in navigation, missing the Beaufort Testimonial by two marks.
On 29 May 1903, Brandon gained a fourth-class certificate as an assistant surveyor. By 1909, successive examinations would grant him a first-class certificate, and Commander Walter of Merlin would write in December 1907 that Brandon's knowledge of surveying was "far above average."
On 24 January, 1910, Brandon was placed on the books of President for leave to Germany, where he faced four years of confinement at the fortress of Glatz on a charge of espionage under the Imperial Law of July 1893. He and Captain Bernard Frederick Trench, R.M.L.I. had been arrested near Borkum, where they had been collecting information about fortifications, guns, searchlights, and water depths for the Admiralty. The trial was held in Leipzig.[2]
He was incarcerated from August 1910 to 21 May, 1913. Upon his return, the Board of Admiralty decided to let him keep his pay and time while he was under German incarceration.
Brandon was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 July, 1910.
Brandon was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1914.
Brandon was promoted to the rank of Acting Captain on 22 July, 1918.
Post-War
Brandon was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Captain (retired) on 1 December, 1927.
See Also
Bibliography
- The Espionage Trial At Leipzig. The Times (London, England), Wednesday, Dec 21, 1910; pg. 10; Issue 39461.
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Bernard E. Prichard |
Captain of H.M.S. Bramble 17 Jan, 1914 – 5 Aug, 1914 |
Succeeded by John E. P. Bickford |
| Preceded by Raymond A. Nugent |
Assistant Director of Naval Intelligence Division 22 Aug, 1918 – 15 Apr, 1919 |
Succeeded by Edward O. Cochrane |
| Preceded by Gilbert G. P. Hewett |
Captain of H.M.S. Odin Feb, 1920 – 24 Sep, 1920 |
Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by George F. L. L. Page |
Captain of H.M.S. Cyclamen 24 Sep, 1920 – 29 May, 1923 |
Succeeded by Guy L. Coleridge |
Footnotes
