William Spencer Leveson-Gower, Fourth Earl Granville

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Vice-Admiral THE RIGHT HONOURABLE William Spencer Leveson-Gower, Fourth Earl Granville, K.G., K.C.V.O., C.B., D.S.O., Royal Navy (11 July, 1880 – 25 June, 1953) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Leveson-Gower gained three months' time on passing out of Britannia. His first naval appointment was to Narcissus on the China Station, dated 15 June, 1896. This lasted until he was ordered home to join Dolphin on 25 July 1899, but this was swiftly cancelled in favour of Cleopatra of the Training Squadron on 29 July. At the end of October 1899, he was sent to join Cambrian.[1]

On 6 December 1901 he was appointed to Scout in the Mediterranean.

Leveson-Gower was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 26 June, 1902. On 1 August, 1902 Leveson-Gower was appointed to Hood but was almost immediately siphoned off to the torpedo gunboat Harrier for special service in the Red Sea. This encompassed some anti-slaving patrol work, as in November, he was reported to be in command of a slaving dhow called H.M.S. Irrepressible. In May, 1903 the British Ambassador in Constantinople wrote that "it is evident that Lt. Leveson-Gower acted not only with ability and determination in his naval capacity, but with such tact & judgment that such as to avoid arousing local susceptibilities, while inflicting a severe [illeg] on the pirates & on the Turkish Authorities."[2]

On 9 July 1903, Leveson-Gower left Aden for home, arriving 27 July in the grips of a fever which left him confined to bed. As he returned to health, he provided a useful report on the interior of Yemen.[3]

Judged fit on 10 November, on 2 December 1903 Leveson-Gower was appointed to the armoured cruiser Monmouth of the Cruiser Squadron, but he was ordered home at the end of January, 1904. On 25 February, he was appointed to the first class protected cruiser Crescent. Crescent paid off on 31 May, 1907 and on 16 July, Leveson-Gower received his first command appointment to Coquette. He was her captain until he was appointed to the destroyer Bat on 10 January, 1910.[4][5]

Leveson-Gower was superseded in Bat on 13 May 1910. On 3 June, 1910 he was appointed in command of Liffey.[6]

Leveson-Gower was appointed to the destroyer Nymphe on 16 May, 1911, to take command upon her commissioning. Sometime later that year, he was cautioned to be more careful following an accident involving one of her guns.[7]

On 10 June, 1913, Nymphe collided with Goldfinch and Sheldrake. Leveson-Gower was told he should keep an anchor watch set when the weather was turning sour. He was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1913 and left Nymphe when he was named to command destroyer Comet on 18 August, 1913.[8]

Great War

Leveson-Gower was transferred to command the "M" Class destroyer Marmion around August, 1915, operating as part of the newly-created Eleventh Destroyer Flotilla.

On 15 March 1916, Leveson-Gower was reported sick in hospital. Lieutenant-Commander Edward Brooke was ordered to temporarily replace him in command of Marmion. This apparently lasted until 4 May when Leveson-Gower likely resumed command. He finally was superseded by Herbert Inglis Nigel Lyon on 25 May, 1917.[9]

Leveson-Gower was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1918.[10]

Post-War

Leveson-Gower was appointed in command of the flotilla leader Stuart on 1 January, 1919.[11]

Leveson-Gower was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 10 October, 1929, vice Backhouse, promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral.[12]

He was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 8 May, 1935, vice Tweedie, and was placed on the Retired List on 9 May.[13]

In 1937, Leveson-Gower reported that he was serving under the Crown as Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man, to date 1 October, 1937.

World War II

There is no indication in the one Service Record consulted that Leveson-Gower was considered for service.

See Also

  • Service Records
  • "The Earl Granville" (Obituaries). The Times. Friday, 26 June, 1953. Issue 52658, col E, pg. 8.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Henry F. H. Wakefield
Captain of H.M.S. Coquette
16 Jul, 1907[14][15] – 10 Jan, 1910[16]
Succeeded by
Maurice C. Bomford
Preceded by
Eric Q. Carter
Captain of H.M.S. Bat
10 Jan, 1910[17][18] – 13 May, 1910[19]
Succeeded by
Arthur Henniker-Heaton
Preceded by
John H. Bainbridge
Captain of H.M.S. Liffey
3 Jun, 1910[20][21] – 16 May, 1911[22]
Succeeded by
George O. Hewett
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Nymphe
16 May, 1911[23][24] – 18 Aug, 1913[25]
Succeeded by
Richard M. King
Preceded by
Kerrison Kiddle
Captain of H.M.S. Comet
18 Aug, 1913[26][27] – Aug, 1915[28][Inference]
Succeeded by
Hugh T. Prichard
Preceded by
Hugh T. Prichard
Captain of H.M.S. Marmion
Aug, 1915[29] – 25 May, 1917[30]
Succeeded by
Edward Brooke
Preceded by
?
Captain of H.M.S. Valkyrie
28 May, 1917[31][32] – 24 Oct, 1917[33]
Succeeded by
Aubrey T. Tillard
Preceded by
?
Captain of H.M.S. Scott
29 Jan, 1918[34][35] – 15 Aug, 1918[36]
Succeeded by
Vessel Lost
Preceded by
Anselan J. B. Stirling
Captain of H.M.S. Saumarez
12 Oct, 1918[37][38] – 1 Jan, 1919[39]
Succeeded by
Lewis G. E. Crabbe
Preceded by
Anselan Stirling
Captain (D), Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla
12 Oct, 1918[40] – 1 Jan, 1919[41]
Succeeded by
Percival H. G. James
Preceded by
Lewis G. E. Crabbe
Captain of H.M.S. Stuart
1 Jan, 1919[42][43] – 5 Jan, 1921[44]
Succeeded by
Charles A. Fremantle
Preceded by
Roger L'E. M. Rede
as Commander (D), Sixth Destroyer Flotilla
Captain (D), Sixth Destroyer Flotilla
1 Jan, 1919[45][46]
Succeeded by
Charles A. Fremantle
Preceded by
Denis G. Thynne
Captain of H.M.S. Woolwich
13 Jan, 1922[47][48] – 4 Apr, 1924[49]
Succeeded by
George W. McO. Campbell
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Cornwall
11 Jul, 1927[50][51] – Jun, 1929[52]
Succeeded by
Arthur N. Dowding
Preceded by
Theodore J. Hallett
Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Scotland
6 Jul, 1931[53] – 12 Jul, 1933[54][55]
Succeeded by
Everard J. Hardman-Jones
 

Footnotes

  1. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  2. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  3. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  4. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  5. The Navy List. (April, 1910). p. 282.
  6. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  7. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  8. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  9. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  10. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  11. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 911a.
  12. The London Gazette: no. 33542. p. 6476. 11 October, 1929.
  13. The London Gazette: no. 34159. p. 3048. 10 May, 1935.
  14. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  15. The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 295.
  16. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  17. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  18. The Navy List. (April, 1910). p. 282.
  19. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  20. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  21. The Navy List. (April, 1910). p. 282.
  22. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  23. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  24. The Navy List. (August, 1913). p. 350.
  25. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  26. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  27. The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 393b.
  28. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  29. The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 396aa.
  30. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  31. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  32. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 398q.
  33. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  34. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  35. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 398q.
  36. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  37. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  38. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 398q.
  39. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  40. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  41. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  42. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  43. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 911a.
  44. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  45. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  46. The Navy List. (January, 1920). p. 868.
  47. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  48. The Navy List. (January, 1923). p. 845.
  49. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  50. The Navy List. (February, 1929). p. 227.
  51. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  52. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  53. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  54. Leveson-Gower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/178. f. 182.
  55. Superseded that day. Hardman-Jones Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46. f. 152.