Walter Maurice Ellerton

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Admiral Walter M. Ellerton as a Captain, 1919.
Portrait: © National Portrait Gallery, London.

Admiral Walter Maurice Ellerton, C.B., Royal Navy, Retired (5 August, 1870 – 27 November, 1948) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Born in Crewe the son of the Reverend J. Ellerton of Essex.

On 28 January, 1892, Ellerton was confirmed in the rank of Sub-Lieutenant, dated 14 May, 1890.[1]

Four men were killed in a torpedo-handling accident on 9 February, 1897 when Gibraltar was under the command of Captain Harry Francis Hughes-Hallett and was operating out of Zanzibar. Lieutenant Ellerton was directing the quarterly examination of the dry primers for the torpedoes, the work being carried out by Leading Seaman Arthur Moxley and Able Seaman Albert Rock. After the pistols and primers had been examined and returned to their cases, the last one so examined by Ellerton was found by Lieutenant Calthrop to be outside of its case in pieces, with its safety pin removed. The explosion occurred soon afterward, and Moxley, who had been sitting on a box, was "blown to atoms". Three other men were injured so badly that they died that night. A fifth man survived, but could provide no helpful information as to the events leading up to the explosion.[2]

Later in 1897, his destroyer Sunfish collided with the barge Ellen. He was cautioned to be more careful in future.[3]

Ellerton was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1904.[4] He was appointed to the first class protected cruiser Powerful on 1 September, 1905.[5]

He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1910.[6]

From 6-15 July 1912, he was sent to the Olympic games in Stockholm to study various forms of physical training.

In January 1913, he was made captain of the armoured cruiser King Alfred, which would be odd, as he was appointed Captain of the armoured cruiser Carnarvon on 28 January, 1913.[7]

He was appointed in command of the armoured cruiser Cornwall on 8 January, 1914.[8]. It would be a command he would retain through much of the war.

Great War

On the occasion of the King's birthday he was appointed an Ordinary Member of the Third Class, or Companion, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.) on 4 June, 1917.[9]

Post-War

On 1 January, 1919, Ellerton assumed the position of Director of Training and Staff Duties on the Naval Staff. He was succeeded on 1 January, 1921, by Captain Vernon H. S. Haggard.[10] On 2 July he was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral, vice Gurner.[11]

Ellerton was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 4 October, 1926, vice Alexander-Sinclair.[12]

See Also

Bibliography

  • "Admiral W. M. Ellerton" (Obituaries). The Times. Tuesday, 30 November, 1948. Issue 51242, col E, pg. 7.

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Alexander Farrington
Captain of H.M.S. Sunfish
27 Sep, 1897[13] – 30 Jul, 1898[14]
Succeeded by
Robert G. D. Dewar
Preceded by
Alexander L. Duff
Captain of H.M.S. Thrasher
30 Jul, 1898[15] – 6 Oct, 1898
Succeeded by
Thomas D. Pratt
Preceded by
F. Alban A. G. Tate
Captain of H.M.S. Pactolus
25 Aug, 1901[16]c. Sep, 1901[17]
Succeeded by
Gerald C. A. Marescaux
Preceded by
John D. Edwards
Captain of H.M.S. King Alfred
Jan, 1913[18] – Feb, 1913
Succeeded by
Reginald L. Crichton
Preceded by
Warren H. D'Oyly
Captain of H.M.S. Carnarvon
28 Jan, 1913[19]
Succeeded by
Harry L. d'E. Skipwith
Preceded by
Michael H. Hodges
Captain of H.M.S. Cornwall
8 Jan, 1914[20]
Succeeded by
Herbert A. Adam
Preceded by
The Hon. Victor A. Stanley
Captain of H.M.S. Erin
26 Apr, 1917[21][22][23]
Succeeded by
Herbert W. Richmond
Preceded by
Herbert W. Richmond
Director of Training and Staff Duties
1 Jan, 1919[24]
Succeeded by
Vernon H. S. Haggard
Preceded by
Henry B. Pelly
as Rear-Admiral in Charge, Gibraltar
Senior Officer, Gibraltar
2 Jan, 1923[25] – 7 Mar, 1925[26]
Succeeded by
Richard G. A. W. Stapleton-Cotton
as Rear-Admiral in Charge, Gibraltar
Preceded by
Herbert W. Richmond
Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station
4 Oct, 1925[27][28]
Succeeded by
Bertram S. Thesiger

Footnotes

  1. The London Gazette: no. 26253. p. 543. 2 February, 1892.
  2. "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Friday, Mar 05, 1897; pg. 7; Issue 35143.
  3. Ellerton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 153.
  4. The London Gazette: no. 27691. p. 4182. 1 July, 1904.
  5. The Navy List. (January, 1907). p. 357.
  6. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 28452. p. 4. 2 January, 1911.
  7. The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 291.
  8. The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 299.
  9. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30111. p. 5454. 4 June, 1917.
  10. "Naval and Military" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Saturday, 12 November, 1921. Issue 42876, col D, p. 4.
  11. The London Gazette: no. 32384. p. 5487. 8 July, 1921.
  12. The London Gazette: no. 33209. p. 6440. 8 October, 1926.
  13. Ellerton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/153. f. 153.
  14. Ellerton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/153. f. 153.
  15. The Navy List. (October, 1898). p. 303.
  16. Ellerton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 153.
  17. This is a guess.
  18. Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
  19. The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 291.
  20. The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 393h.
  21. Ellerton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 153.
  22. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 393n.
  23. Day of month taken from predecessor. Stanley Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 432.
  24. The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. p. 123.
  25. Ellerton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 153.
  26. Ellerton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 153.
  27. Wikipedia article on East Indies Station
  28. Day of year from predecessor. Richmond Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/89. f. 49.