View source for Cecil Charles Brittain Vacher

{{CaptRN}} '''Cecil Charles Brittain Vacher''', D.S.O., Royal Navy, Retired (3 October, 1886 &ndash; 17 November, 1955) served in the [[Royal Navy]].

==Life & Career==
He spent a month at Haslar Royal Naval Hospital to be treated for appendicitis in March/April 1907.  After a month of rest, he was sent to join a navigation school for a pilotage course.

Vacher was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} on 30 January, 1908.  He was in {{UK-Goliath}} from April 1908 to April 1909.<ref>Vacher Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|}} Book 9, f. 313.</ref>

Vacher was gunnery officer in the {{UK-Implacable|f=t}} from 30 June, 1914 until being appointed to the {{UK-Undaunted|f=t}} on 19 December, 1914.  He served in her until being made gunnery officer in {{UK-Canterbury}} on 2 March, 1916, shortly after being promoted to the rank of {{LCommRN}} on 30 January, 1916.  ''Canterbury'' fought at the [[Battle of Jutland]], where she screened the {{UK-BCS|3}} along with {{UK-Chester|f=p}}, who was similarly detached from the {{UK-LCS|3}}.  His ship was lucky to escape the considerable damage sustained by ''Chester'', and Vacher was praised by Captain [[Percy Molyneux Rawson Royds|Percy Royds]] for "controlling the fire from the ship in the coolest manner from a very exposed position under an extremely heavy fire."

''Canterbury'' later fought at the [[Action of 23 July, 1916]], a running night action where she pursued a superior force of German destroyers.

He finished the war in this appointment, and was sent back to {{UK-Impregnable}} in May 1919, albeit not as gunnery officer this time.<ref>Vacher Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|}} Book 9, f. 313.</ref>

Vacher was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} on 30 June, 1920.<ref>Vacher Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|}} Book 9, f. 313.</ref>

On 15 June, 1926 Vacher was appointed to {{UK-Ajax}} for command of the {{UK-Constance|f=t}} upon her reducing to reserve.  Later in the year, he commanded the {{UK-Dahlia|f=t}} and then transferred to command of {{UK-Cornflower}}.<ref>Vacher Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|}} Book 9, f. 313.</ref>

Vacher was appointed in command of the {{UK-Terror|f=t}} on 2 September, 1929.  He remained in command for exactly two years, and then was appointed in command of {{UK-Argus}} on 3 September, 1931.<ref>Vacher Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|}} Book 9, f. 313.</ref>

Vacher was promoted to the rank of {{CaptRN}} as he was placed on the Retired List on 15 April, 1933.<ref>Vacher Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|}} Book 9, f. 313.</ref>

==World War II==
He reverted to the Retired List on 12 July, 1941.  Though he continued to be troubled by arthritis in his hip and knee, he was called up again.  He was finally reverted to the Retired List on 27 July, 1945 after having been in charge of the Naval Detention Quarters, Coatdyke Prison.<ref>Vacher Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|}} f. 252.</ref>

==See Also==
{{refbegin}}
* [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_rv=simple&_q=ADM+Cecil+Charles+Brittain+Vacher Service Records]
{{WP|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Charles_Brittain_Vacher}}
{{refend}}

<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
{{TabNaval}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Cloudesley Varyl Robinson|Cloudesley V. Robinson]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Constance (1915)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Constance'']]'''<br>''c''. May, 1926<ref>Vacher Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|}} Book 9, f. 313.</ref> &ndash; 15 Jun, 1926<ref>Vacher Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|}} Book 9, f. 313.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Dudley Burton Napier North|Dudley B. N. North]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[John Edward Loveluck|John E. Loveluck]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Dahlia (1915)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Dahlia'']]'''<br>25 Oct, 1926<ref>Vacher Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|}} Book 9, f. 313.</ref> &ndash; ''c''. Nov, 1926|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Evelyn Twysden Wickham|Evelyn T. Wickham]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Evelyn Twysden Wickham|Evelyn T. Wickham]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Cornflower (1916)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Cornflower'']]'''<br>''c''. Nov, 1926<ref>Vacher Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|}} Book 9, f. 313.</ref> &ndash; 26 Jan, 1927<ref>Vacher Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|}} Book 9, f. 313.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[John Noel Pelly|John N. Pelly]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Eric Quintin Carter|Eric Q. Carter]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Terror (1916)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Terror'']]'''<br>2 Sep, 1929{{NLJul31|p. 274}}<ref>Vacher Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|}} Book 9, f. 313.</ref> &ndash; 2 Sep, 1931<ref>Vacher Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|}} Book 9, f. 313.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Geoffrey Nicholson|Geoffrey Nicholson]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Claud Anthony Merriman|Claud A. Merriman]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Argus (1917)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Argus'']]'''<br>3 Sep, 1931<ref>Vacher Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|}} Book 9, f. 313.</ref> &ndash; 14 Oct, 1931<ref>Vacher Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|}} Book 9, f. 313.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Paul Felix Palmer Berryman|Paul F. P. Berryman]]'''}}
{{TabEnd}}
</div name=fredbot:appts>

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vacher, Cecil Charles}}

{{CatPerson|UK|1886|1955}}
{{CatCapt|UK}}
{{CatBritannia|September, 1901}}
{{CatGunneryOfficer|UK}}
{{CatRN}}