William Gabbett Ashton Shuttleworth

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William Gabbett Ashton Shuttleworth (8 July, 1883 – ) was an officer in the Royal Navy. In World War II, he was in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.

Life & Career

Despite being blamed for not searching for a lost torpedo in January, Shuttleworth was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1908.[1]

In March, 1911, a Captain Grant noted that Shuttleworth had assisted in inventing an "ingenious contrivance to teaching spotting." Based on the date and their mutual recent service in the third class protected cruiser Prometheus on the Australian Station, it seems possible that this device was developed in concert with Percival Henry Warleigh and another officer.[2][3]

Shuttleworth was appointed Lieutenant & Commander of the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 98 on 31 October, 1911.[4]

Shuttleworth was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 June, 1913.[5]

Great War

On 25 August, 1917, Shuttleworth was appointed in command of the "M" Class destroyer Minion. On 17 September, 1917, the First Sea Lord concurred with "the remarks of Commodore (T) that this officer when in cmd of Minion committed a serious error in judgement & showed a lack of appreciation of his responsibilities & a want of initiative in allowing the Swedish steamer Gotha to proceed on her voyage after being boarded, with a cargo of aeroplanes & parts."[6]

Shuttleworth was appointed in command of the destroyer Viscount on 25 February, 1918.

Shuttleworth was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1918.[7]

Interbellum

On 1 September, 1919, as his command of Skilful was nearing its end, Shuttleworth was offered a post as an officer instructor in the Mining Division.

He was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 18 June, 1920.[8]

In 1927, it was determined that his service did not qualify him for a step in rank upon reaching the age of 45.

World War II

In 1937, Shuttleworth applied to be re-employed. In 1938, he was given a position at the Contraband Control Base, Haifa. It lasted just from late October to late November. In early 1940, he was brought back as the Commanding Officer of the Humber Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, ranking as a Captain, R.N.V.R.. On 1 March, he was given position at the Firth of Forth as Chief Executive Officer, with the rank of retired Commander.[9]

On 1 July, 1940, Shuttleworth was appointed in command of H.M.S. Wolfe (an armed merchant cruiser previously named Montcalm) vice Sumner. He stayed in her until 3 December, 1941.[10]

He was given the acting rank of Captain when appointed to the converted M.T.B. depot ship Vienna on 15 January, 1942, guiding her through trials and into service in the Mediterranean. He left in May, 1943 and returned to Britain in the Hannibal with the rank of Commander (retired).[11]

Shuttleworth remained active in a variety of postings through the end of the war, including as a Liaison Officer and then Officer in Command, Permanent Naval Staff (while attached to Orlando) in 1943. He was appointed in command of the repair ship H.M.S. Wayland (formerly named Antonia) in 1944.[12]

Shuttleworth was advanced to the rank of Captain on 3 September, 1945 and not superseded in command of Wayland until 30 June, 1946.[13]

He was reverted to the Retired List on 26 August, 1946.[14]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Frederick W. Law
Captain of H.M. T.B. 111
27 Mar, 1906[15][16] – 1 Feb, 1908[17]
Succeeded by
Edward C. Watson
Preceded by
Henry P. Boxer
Captain of H.M. T.B. 042
2 Jun, 1911[18] – 30 Jun, 1911[19]
Succeeded by
William G. A. Shuttleworth
Preceded by
James R. M. M. Crichton
Captain of H.M. T.B. 065
1 Jul, 1911[20] – 2 Aug, 1911[21]
Succeeded by
Thomas R. Row
Preceded by
William G. A. Shuttleworth
Captain of H.M. T.B. 042
2 Aug, 1911[22] – 31 Oct, 1911[23]
Succeeded by
Roger V. de Halpert
Preceded by
Alexander G. Fleming
Captain of H.M. T.B. 98
31 Oct, 1911[24][25] – 1 May, 1914[26]
Succeeded by
Martin J. C. de Meric
Preceded by
Stephen H. S. Moxly
Captain of H.M. T.B. 34
15 Sep, 1914[27][28] – 18 Dec, 1915[29]
Succeeded by
James A. Douglas-Hamilton
Preceded by
William G. Howard
Captain of H.M.S. Foxhound
18 Dec, 1915[30][31] – 25 Aug, 1917[32]
Succeeded by
Donal S. McGrath
Preceded by
Henry C. Rawlings
Captain of H.M.S. Minion
25 Aug, 1917[33][34] – 23 Feb, 1918[35]
Succeeded by
Frederick R. M. Johnson
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Viscount
25 Feb, 1918[36] – 16 Apr, 1919[37]
Succeeded by
John M. Porter
Preceded by
Valentine Searles-Wood
Captain of H.M.S. Skilful
16 Apr, 1919[38][39] – 1 Oct, 1919[40]
Succeeded by
Mark Singleton

Footnotes

  1. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  2. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  3. Warleigh Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/334. f. 369.
  4. The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 401.
  5. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  6. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  7. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  8. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  9. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  10. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  11. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  12. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  13. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  14. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  15. The Navy List. (March, 1907). p. 399.
  16. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  17. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  18. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  19. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  20. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  21. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  22. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  23. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  24. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  25. The Navy List. (December, 1913). p. 401a.
  26. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  27. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  28. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 401.
  29. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  30. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  31. The Navy List. (August, 1917). p. 393w.
  32. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  33. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  34. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 395r.
  35. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  36. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 936.
  37. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  38. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.
  39. The Navy List. (October, 1919). p. 908.
  40. Shuttleworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/165. f. 569.