William Henderson Boys

Captain (retired) William Henderson Boys, R.N. (1 October, 1863 – ) served in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

The son of Rear-Admiral Boys passed out of H.M.S. Britannia on 24 July 1878 and was appointed to Boadicea on the Cape of Good Hope Station the next day. He would spend four years in her, and be granted the South African Medal 1877-79. In 1882, he would serve briefly in Thalia and then in Minotaur in the Mediterranean. He was awarded the Egyptian Medal, 1882.

Boys was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in October 1886.

Boys was appointed to the second class battleship Camperdown from 14 September 1892 until 9 May 1894, and oversaw diving operations to inspect and evaluate her condition after the ship rammed her flagship Victoria in 1893.

Boys served in the Great War, being appointed in command of the second class protected cruiser Sirius in September 1914. He commanded her through most of the war. In early 1918, he was to be appointed in command of the armed merchant cruiser Calgarian, but she was lost before he could join the ship. On 14 March, he was appointed to Crescent, additional, to serve as Senior Naval Officer, Aultbea, being granted the acting rank of Captain while serving in this appointment.

His next appointment was in October 1918, to President, additional, as Commodore of Convoy. This was predictably brief, and he ceased his duties on 24 December, 1918.

Boys was placed on the Retired List at the rank of Commander on 10 February, 1919. He was later granted the War Service rank of Captain dated 11 November, 1918.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Gerald W. Vivian	Captain of H.M.S. Sirius 15 Sep, 1914	Succeeded by Henry N. M. Hardy
Preceded by Frederick M. Walker	Senior Naval Officer, Aultbea Mar, 1918 – Oct, 1918	Succeeded by Hubert G. Alston