Walter Herman Gordon Fallowfield

Captain Walter Herman Gordon Fallowfield (27 April, 1888 – 6 December, 1954) was an officer in the Royal Navy who served in both World Wars.

Life & Career

Born in Ayrshire, Fallowfield was raised by a Mrs. Mackintosh.

Fallowfield was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1910.

Fallowfield was appointed to Basilisk, part of the Malta Flotilla as first officer on 7 January, 1914. He was made her captain on 9 May, 1915 when Commander Henry Haire-Forster was invalided, and was credited in some sources with destroying U 32 on 8 May, 1918 in concert with H.M.S. Wallflower. Later analysis suggests, however, that it was Wallflower which sank U 32 and that Basilisk in company with the American armed yacht U.S.S. Lydonia sank UB 70 some 10 degrees further west, or more likely (in the view of German records) attacked and only damaged U 38.

Fallowfield was considered for a D.S.C. in light of this success, but this seemed to falter on procedural issues. Shortly after Basilisk paid off on 31 May, 1918, Fallowfield was appointed in command of the destroyer Marvel and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 June, 1918.

Fallowfield was appointed in command of the destroyer Veteran on 29 October, 1919.

Fallowfield was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1924.

Fallowfield was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1931.

On 26 October, 1936, Fallowfield took over command as Captain-in-Charge, H.M. Naval Establishments at Ceylon, vice Sandford. His tenure here lasted two years. In mid February 1939 he was made captain of the heavy cruiser Cumberland.

World War II

Fallowfield commanded the heavy cruiser Cumberland when she responded to bolster the blockade of Montevideo following the Battle of the River Plate in December 1939, bringing the vessel to the action from the Falklands, where she had been self refitting, in the commendable time of 34 hours. This was judged "a most creditable performance."

Fallowfield was placed on the Retired List on 9 July, 1941 and continued to serve in a variety of capacities, including an appointment in command of Malaya in late 1944 to early 1945 and of Kent

Fallowfield reverted to the Retired List as medically unfit on 12 April, 1946, as he had been judged mentally ill. Treatments for same continued to the end of his life, but he never regained his faculties despite some improvement in 1948.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Henry Haire-Forster	Captain of H.M.S. Basilisk 9 May, 1915 – 31 May, 1918	Succeeded by Villiers J. H. H. Sankey
Preceded by Evelyn H. B. L. Scrivener	Captain of H.M.S. Marvel 22 Jun, 1918 – 1 May, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by John M. Smith	Captain of H.M.S. Mameluke 1 May, 1919 – Oct, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Veteran 29 Oct, 1919 – May, 1921	Succeeded by Cecil H. H. Sams
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Dundee 23 Mar, 1933 – 12 Oct, 1935	Succeeded by John H. Edelsten
Preceded by Cecil S. Sandford	Captain in Charge, Ceylon 18 Sep, 1936 – Oct, 1938	Succeeded by Edward L. Berthon
Preceded by John C. Leach	Captain of H.M.S. Cumberland 15 Feb, 1939 – 29 Feb, 1940	Succeeded by The Hon. Guy H. E. Russell
Preceded by Francis H. W. Goolden	In Command, Shotley Training Establishment 21 May, 1940 – 25 Apr, 1944	Succeeded by William G. A. Robson
Preceded by Francis H. W. Goolden	Captain of H.M.S. Ganges 21 May, 1940 – 25 Apr, 1944	Succeeded by George L. D. Gibbs
Preceded by Donald H. Fuller	Captain of H.M.S. Malaya 5 Dec, 1944 – 26 Feb, 1945	Succeeded by Douglas C. Lang
Preceded by Douglas C. Lang	Captain of H.M.S. Kent 27 Feb, 1945 – 14 Oct, 1945	Succeeded by Philip H. Calderon