View source for Alastair Shand Cumming

{{CommRN}} '''Alastair Shand Cumming''', R.N., Retired (31 May, 1894 &ndash; 21 July, 1941) was an officer in the [[Royal Navy]].  His first name is misspelled as "Alistair" sin his Service Records.<ref name=duncan>Emails from his son, Duncan Cumming, 20230411 and 20230413.</ref>

==Life & Career==
The son of John Arthur Cumming, Esq., a member of the Indian Civil Service.

He was promoted to {{MidRN}} as he passed out of the Training Establishment on 15 January, 1912.{{NLMar13|p. 19}}  He was appointed to the {{UK-Colossus|f=t}}, and served in her through the [[Battle of Jutland]], being promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} with seniority 15 December, 1915.  He was admitted to Haslar Hospital to be treated for an ear condition in August, 1916.  He was soon ordered to return to ''Colossus'', but was sent back to Plymouth Hospital in a matter of weeks.<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>

On 1 March 1917, he was appointed to {{UK-Dolphin}} for a two month submarine course, after which he was appointed to {{UK-Maidstone}} to serve in her submarines.  Two service records indicate he was appointed to different submarines on 12 June, 1917:  {{UK-E29}} and {{UK-C24}}.  These, or this, appointment may have ended on 7 July 1918, when he was placed in {{UK-K5}}, on the books of {{UK-Fearless|f=p}}.  This lasted through late April, 1919, when he was appointed to {{UK-Thames|f=p}} and for the two and a half month Periscope Course.<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>

Following treatment at Haslar for a nasal obstruction, Cumming was appointed in command of the {{UK-L18|f=t}} on 6 December, 1920.<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>

Cumming was promoted to the rank of {{LCommRN}} on 15 December, 1923.  He passed a preliminary interpreter examination in French in 1924, and qualified as an interpreter in 1926.<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>

In 1925 while at the [[Royal Naval College, Greenwich]], Cumming developed a new circular plotting board for submarines.  It went into service and was for a time known as the [[Cumming Plotting Board]].<ref name=duncan/><ref>It is mentioned in “The History of British Submarine Command Systems" by Commander David Parry.</ref>

Cumming was placed on the Retired List at his own request with a gratuity of £1200 on 3 May, 1927.<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>

Cumming was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} on 31 May, 1934.<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>

Around 1938 when Alastair Cumming was conducting sea trials in {{UK-Ursula}}, he met Lieut. Commander George Phillips, who was to be in command.  Phillips was at that time developing improved foul weather gear for submariners and incorporated into its design a German leather two piece overall which Cumming used to wear, having acquired it at the end of World War I.  The new suit became known as the “Ursula Suit”, and there is (or was) an example of it on display at the Submarine Museum in Gosport.<ref name=duncan/>

==World War II==
Cumming received a total exemption from service, owing to his employment at [[Vickers-Armstrongs]].  He died in mid-1941 in Barrow-in-Furness.<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref><ref name=duncan/>

==See Also==
{{refbegin}}
* [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_rv=simple&_q=ADM+Shand+Cumming Service Records]
* [[H.M.S. Colossus at the Battle of Jutland]]
{{refend}}

<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
{{TabNaval}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Charles Edwin Arthur William Cox|Charles E. A. W. Cox]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. H 28 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''H 28'']]'''<br>3 Jul, 1919{{NLJun20|p. 782''a''}} &ndash; 20 Nov, 1920<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[William Derek Stephens|William D. Stephens]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Anthony Bevis Lockhart|Anthony B. Lockhart]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. L 18 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''L 18'']]'''<br>6 Dec, 1920<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>{{NLJan21|p. 799}} &ndash; 24 Jun, 1921<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Charles Henry Allen|Charles H. Allen]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Andrew Lancelot Besant|Andrew L. Besant]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. L 52 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''L 52'']]'''<br>23 Sep, 1922<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref> &ndash; 30 Apr, 1923<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Frank Delamain Morris|Frank D. Morris]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Lancelot Vivian Donne|Lancelot V. Donne]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. H 32 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''H 32'']]'''<br>30 Apr, 1923{{NLJul24|p. 243}} &ndash; 7 Sep, 1924<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Gerald Edward Colpoys|Gerald E. Colpoys]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Jermyn Rushbrooke|Jermyn Rushbrooke]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. L 53 (1919)|Captain of H.M.S. ''L 53'']]'''<br>17 Jul, 1926<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref> &ndash; 20 Nov, 1926<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[George Arthur Wallace Voelcker|George A. W. Voelcker]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[John Domvile Auchmuty Musters|John D. A. Musters]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. L 54 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''L 54'']]'''<br>20 Nov, 1926<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref> &ndash; 1 Apr, 1927<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Rupert Richard Devlin|Rupert R. Devlin]]'''}}
{{TabEnd}}
</div name=fredbot:appts>

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cumming, Alastair Shand}}

{{CatPerson|UK|1894|1941}}
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