View source for Dudley Rawson Stratford de Chair

[[File:De Chair, NPG x88131.jpg|thumb|right|350px|File:De Chair, NPG x88131.jpg|Admiral Sir Dudley R. S. de Chair, 1933.<br><small>© National Portrait Gallery, London.</small>]]

[[Admiral (Royal Navy)|Admiral]] {{SIR}} '''Dudley Rawson Stratford de Chair''', K.C.B., K.C.M.G., M.V.O., H<small>ON</small> LL.D. (McGill) R.N. (30 August, 1864 &ndash; 17 August, 1958) was an officer of the [[Royal Navy]].

==Life & Career==
De Chair was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}}, dated 19 May, 1885.{{Gaz|25514|4516|25 September, 1885}}

On 7 July 1887, he was loaned to command the {{UK-TB61|f=t}} for manoeuvres.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence".  ''The Times''.  Saturday, 2 July, 1887.  Issue '''32114''', col C, p. 12.</ref>

After another loan to {{UK-TB95}} for manoeuvres in 1895, De Chair was appointed to ''Vernon'' for command of {{UK-Vesuvius}} on 16 October.<ref>de Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.|}} f. 275.</ref>

De Chair was appointed to command {{UK-TB81}} on 15 June, 1897, for the annual manoeuvres,<ref>"The Naval Review at Spithead".  ''The Times''.  Wednesday, 9 June, 1897.  Issue '''35225''', col D, p. 10.</ref> and promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} on the 22nd,{{Gaz|26865|3443|22 June, 1897}} leaving ''Vesuvius'' on that milestone.<ref>de Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.|}} f. 275.</ref>

==Captain==
De Chair was promoted to the rank of {{CaptRN}} on 26 June, 1902.{{GazSup|27448|4198|26 June, 1902}} 

In a letter to the editor of ''The Navy List'' of 22 September, 1904, de Chair stated that his full name was now Dudley Rawson Stratford de Chair.<ref>{{TNA|ADM 196/42}}.  f. 259.</ref>

He was appointed in command of the {{UK-Bacchante|f=t}} in December 1905.{{MackieRNW}}

De Chair was appointed to ''Victory'' on 1 November, 1906, for command of the {{UK-Cochrane|f=t}}, building at [[Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company]]'s, Govan.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Thursday, 11 October, 1906.  Issue '''38148''', col A, p. 8.</ref><ref>De Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42}}.  f. 259.</ref>

Following King Edward VII's visit to Russia, de Chair was appointed a Member of the Fourth Class of the Royal Victorian Order (M.V.O.) on 10 June, 1908.{{Gaz|28148|4404|16 June, 1908}}

On 6 March, 1911 de Chair was appointed a Naval Aide-de-Camp to King George V, in place of [[Ernest Charles Thomas Troubridge|Ernest C. T. Troubridge]], promoted to flag rank.<ref>"Naval Appointments" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Monday, 13 March, 1911.  Issue '''39531''', col E, p. 4.</ref>

==Flag Rank==
On 31 July, 1912, de Chair was promoted to the rank of {{RearRN}}, vice [[Frederick Tower Hamilton|Frederick T. Hamilton]].{{Gaz|28632|5723|2 August, 1912}}  On 9 January, 1913 he was appointed [[Naval Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty]].<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Friday, 10 January, 1913.  Issue '''40105''', col G, p. 11.</ref>    He was loaned, briefly, to the Army in September of 1913.

On the occasion of King George V's birthday he was appointed an Ordinary Member of the Third Class, or Companion, in the Civil Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.) on 22 June, 1914.{{GazSup|28842|4876|22 June, 1914}}  On 29 June he was appointed [[Admiral of the Training Service]].<ref>"News in Brief" (News in Brief).  ''The Times''.  Tuesday, 30 June, 1914.  Issue '''40563''', col C, p. 14.</ref>

==Great War==
On 1 August, 1914, de Chair was appointed to {{UK-1Crescent}} as Rear-Admiral Commanding Cruiser Force B, also known as the {{UK-CS|10}}, the formation tasked with enforcing the distant blockade of Germany in the form of the Northern Patrol.  On 4 December he shifted his flag to the armed merchant cruiser {{UK-Alsatian}}, a switch that was reflective of how ill-suited to the North Sea's heavy weather and over-armed the old cruisers were for the mission.<ref>{{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref>

Evidently the First Sea Lord, [[Henry Bradwardine Jackson|Sir Henry B. Jackson]], broached to [[John Rushworth Jellicoe, First Earl Jellicoe|Sir John R. Jellicoe]] (Commander-in-Chief, Grand Fleet), the possibility of de Chair being appointed [[Gibraltar|Senior Naval Officer and Admiral Superintendent of Gibraltar Dockyard]].  On 23 July, 1915, Jellicoe wrote to Jackson:

<blockquote>I should very much doubt de Chair's liking Gibraltar.  It would - if precedents go for anything - be fatal to his future.  He is a very first rate sea officer & is suited to any command afloat.  I should doubt his caring to leave 10<sup>th</sup> CS for anything but a sea command and I should be very sorry to see him placed in a position which might prejudice his future.  I do not want to suggest that he should not leave 10<sup>th</sup> CS if the winter is expected him to try him too highly, but only to beg that if he goes it may be to a sea command.<ref>Letter of 23 July, 1915.  Jackson Papers.  National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth.  MSS. 255/4/9.</ref></blockquote>   

On 1 January, 1916, he was appointed an Additional Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (K.C.B.).{{GazSup|29423|80|31 December, 1915}}  He was superseded in command of the Tenth Cruiser Squadron on 6 March, and on the same day was appointed Naval Adviser at the Foreign Office in matters of concerning enemy trade.<ref>{{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref>

===Ashore===
On 30 May de Chair received an honorary LL.D. from McGill University, Montreal, along with Arthur Balfour, Lieutenant-General G. T. M. Bridges, and Sir Cecil Spring-Rice, British Ambassador to the United States.<ref>''The New York Times''.  31 May, 1917.</ref>

===Back Afloat===
De Chair was appointed Acting Vice-Admiral Commanding the {{UK-BS|3}} on 26 September, 1917, with his flag in [[H.M.S. Dreadnought (1906)|H.M.S. ''Dreadnought'']].<ref>{{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref>  He was confirmed in the rank of Vice-Admiral on 5 October.{{GazSup|30336|10605|16 October, 1917}}

In his memoirs de Chair gave his account of the end of his tenure as Vice-Admiral Commanding the Third Battle Squadron:

<blockquote>A few days later, after Jellicoe had been so unjustly dismissed, and while my flagship was still coaling, I received an urgent telegram from Wemyss to go to the Admiralty.  On arrival I was greeted warmly by him, but I was still boiling over with indignation about Jellicoe's dismissal, and the way Wemyss had betrayed him.  When Wemyss began talking of filling vacancies at the Admiralty, and asked me to take one of the posts on the Board of Admiralty vacated by one of the admirals who had resigned in consequence of Jellicoe's dismissal, I told him that I would not and could not take and post at the Admiralty, as I felt so keenly the disgraceful manner in which Jellicoe had been treated.  I added that I was surprised that any naval officer on the Board of Admiralty could remain there, as it looked as if they condoned this action of Jellicoe's dismissal.  In fact, I expressed myself forcibly, and let myself go, and left him after a scene which did me no good and had disastrous results, in so far that, shortly afterwards I was relieved of my command and put on half-pay&mdash;and that in war-time, when I might have been of use afloat, as I was essentially a sea officer.<ref>de Chair.  ''The Sea is Strong''.  pp. 237-238.</ref></blockquote>

Having hauled down his flag on 21 April, 1918,<ref>{{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref> de Chair went to Bracknell for "a delightful rest."<ref>Memoirs.  Volume V.  p. 69.  De Chair Papers.  Imperial War Museum.  PP/MCR/C4.  Reel 2.</ref>  However,

<blockquote>One day in June 1918 I met Admiral Thursby in London.  He said, "I hear you are to relieve me as [[Admiral Commanding Coastguard and Reserves|Admiral Commanding Coast Guards and Reserves]]!"  I was dumbfounded, as I had hoped to join Beatty in the Grand Fleet.  However, Thursby told me it was only a stepping-stone to better things, so I felt more at ease, but still I thought I should be offered the post formally and hear the reason.  Nothing however happened, and I was abruptly told I was appointed.<ref>Memoirs.  Volume V.  p. 74.  De Chair Papers.  Imperial War Museum.  PP/MCR/C4.  Reel 2.</ref></blockquote>

Consequently he was appointed Admiral Commanding Coastguard and Reserves on 23 July.<ref>{{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref>  De Chair later wrote, "As time went on, I realised that I could expect very little help from the Admiralty, but Beatty, the C.-in-C. of the Grand Fleet, wrote to me that he expected to have me with him on one of the first vacancies of his Battle Squadrons in the Grand Fleet, so I worked on in the hope of getting to sea again, and taking part in any action that might transpire."<ref>Memoirs.  Volume V.  p. 79.  De Chair Papers.  Imperial War Museum.  PP/MCR/C4.  Reel 2.</ref>

==Post-War==
De Chair was promoted to the rank of {{AdmRN}} on 25 November, 1920, vice [[Stuart Nicholson|Nicholson]].{{Gaz|32162|12300|14 December, 1920}}

==Governor of New South Wales==
On 8 November, 1923 de Chair was appointed Governor of the State of New South Wales in the Commonwealth of Australia{{Gaz|32878|7655|9 November, 1923}} and was placed on the Retired List at his own request dated 1 November in order to take up the appointment.{{Gaz|32878|7655|9 November, 1923}}

Commenting on the Premier of New South Wales, de Chair later wrote, his "lack of scruple gave me a great and unpleasant surprise."<ref>Memoirs.  Volume VI.  p. 86.  De Chair Papers.  Imperial War Museum.  PP/MCR/C4.  Reel 2.</ref>

==See Also==
{{refbegin}}
{{WP|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dudley_de_Chair}}
{{refend}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
*"Adm. Sir Dudley de Chair" (Obituaries).  ''The Times''.  Tuesday, 19 August, 1958.  Issue '''54233''', col D, p. 10.
*Clune, David; Griffith, Gareth (2006).  ''Decision and Deliberation: The Parliament of New South Wales 1856-2003''.  Sydney: The Federation Press.  ISBN 1-86287-591-X.
*de Chair, Admiral Sir Dudley (1961).  ''The Sea is Strong''.  London: George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd..
{{refend}}

==Papers==
{{refbegin}}
*[http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1030007740 Papers in the possession of the Imperial War Museum.  Catalogue numbers 7865 P38-41 & PP/MCR/C4.]
{{refend}}

==Service Records==
{{refbegin}}
*{{TNA|ADM 196/87.|D8115371}}
*{{TNA|ADM 196/42.|D7602171}}
*{{TNA|ADM 196/20.|D7590792}}
{{refend}}

<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
{{TabNaval}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[H.M. T.B. 61 (1885)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 61]]'''<br>7 Jul, 1887<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence".  ''The Times''.  Saturday, 2 July, 1887.  Issue '''32114''', col C, p. 12.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Charles Monro Masters|Charles M. Masters]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Edmond John Warre Slade|Edmond J. W. Slade]]'''|'''[[H.M. T.B. 60 (1886)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 60]]'''<br>18 Jul, 1889{{ToL|The Naval Manœuvres|Monday, 15 July, 1889.  Issue '''32751''', col B, p. 3}}|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Lewis Bayly|Lewis Bayly]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Leonard Coryton Lister|Leonard C. Lister]]'''|'''[[H.M. T.B. 72 (1885)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 72]]'''<br>11 Jul, 1893<ref>de Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.|}} f. 275.</ref> &ndash; 19 Aug, 1893<ref>de Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.|}} f. 275.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Harry Louis d'Estoteville Skipwith|Harry L. d'E. Skipwith]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[H.M. T.B. 95 (1894)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 95]]'''<br>8 Jul, 1895<ref>de Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.|}} f. 275.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Reginald Hugh Spencer Bacon|Reginald H. S. Bacon]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Arthur Russell Hulbert|Arthur R. Hulbert]]'''|'''[[H.M. T.B. 83 (1889)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 83]]'''<br>24 Jul, 1895{{ToL|The Naval Manoeuvres|July 19, 1895, Issue 34633, p.14}}<ref>de Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.|}} f. 275.</ref> &ndash; 5 Aug, 1895<ref>de Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.|}} f. 275.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Harold Ernest Browne|Harold E. Browne]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Reginald Hugh Spencer Bacon|Reginald H. S. Bacon]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Vesuvius (1874)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Vesuvius'']]'''<br>16 Oct, 1895<ref>de Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.|}} f. 275.</ref> &ndash; 22 Oct, 1897<ref>de Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.|}} f. 275.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Trevylyan Dacres Willes Napier|Trevylyan D. W. Napier]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Reginald Hugh Spencer Bacon|Reginald H. S. Bacon]]'''|'''[[H.M. T.B. 95 (1894)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 95]]'''<br>8 Jul, 1896{{NMI|3 July, 1896; pg. 12}}|Succeeded by<br>'''[[James Fownes Somerville|James F. Somerville]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Reginald Hugh Spencer Bacon|Reginald H. S. Bacon]]'''|'''[[H.M. T.B. 81 (1885)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 81]]'''<br>15 Jun, 1897<ref>"The Naval Review at Spithead".  ''The Times''.  Wednesday, 9 June, 1897.  Issue '''35225''', col D, p. 10.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Frederick Charles Ulick Vernon Wentworth|Frederick C. U. V. Wentworth]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Lewis Bayly|Lewis Bayly]]'''|'''[[Naval Attaché (Royal Navy)|Royal Navy Naval Attaché at Washington, D.C.]]'''<br>10 Sep, 1902<ref>De Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref> &ndash; 31 Aug, 1904<ref>De Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Frank Edward Cavendish Ryan|Frank E. C. Ryan]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Henry Venn Wood Elliott|Henry V. W. Elliott]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Bacchante (1901)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Bacchante'']]'''<br>1 Dec, 1905<ref>De Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref> &ndash; 1 Nov, 1906<ref>De Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Robert John Prendergast|Robert J. Prendergast]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''New Command'''|'''[[H.M.S. Cochrane (1905)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Cochrane'']]'''<br>1 Nov, 1906<ref>De Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref> &ndash; 5 Jan, 1909<ref>De Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Cecil Spencer Hickley|Cecil S. Hickley]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Alexander Ludovic Duff|Alexander L. Duff]]'''|'''[[Third Sea Lord|Naval Assistant to the Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy]]'''<br>5 Jan, 1909<ref>De Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref> &ndash; 27 Jul, 1911<ref>De Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.  Date inferred from commissioning of {{UK-Colossus}}</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[William Reginald Hall|W. Reginald Hall]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''New Command'''|'''[[H.M.S. Colossus (1910)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Colossus'']]'''<br>27 Jul, 1911<ref>De Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref>{{NLAug12|p. 294}} &ndash; 10 Aug, 1912<ref>De Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[William Edmund Goodenough|William E. Goodenough]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[David Richard Beatty, First Earl Beatty|David Beatty]]'''|'''[[Naval Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty|Naval Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty]]'''<br>9 Jan, 1913<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Friday, 10 January, 1913.  Issue '''40105''', col G, p. 11.</ref> &ndash; 1 Jun, 1914<ref>De Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Horace Lambert Alexander Hood|The Hon. Horace L. A. Hood]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[David Richard Beatty, First Earl Beatty|David Beatty]]'''|'''[[Sixth Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)|Rear-Admiral Commanding, Sixth Cruiser Squadron]]'''<br>15 Jul, 1913<ref>de Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[William Lowther Grant|William L. Grant]]'''<br><small>as '''Rear-Admiral Commanding, Mediterranean Cruiser Squadron'''</small>}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Edmund Radcliffe Pears|Edmund R. Pears]]'''<br><small>as '''In Charge of Boys' Training Service'''</small>|'''[[Training Service (Royal Navy)|Admiral of the Training Service]]'''<br>29 Jun, 1914<ref>"News in Brief" (News in Brief).  ''The Times''.  Tuesday, 30 June, 1914.  Issue '''40563''', col C, p. 14.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Cecil Frederick Dampier|Cecil F. Dampier]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Charles Lionel Napier|Charles L. Napier]]'''<br><small>as '''Rear-Admiral Commanding, Tenth Cruiser Squadron'''</small>|'''[[Tenth Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)|Rear-Admiral Commanding, Cruiser Force B]]'''<br>1 Aug, 1914{{SMNLFeb16|p. 7}} &ndash; 6 Mar, 1916<ref>De Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Reginald Godfrey Otway Tupper|Sir Reginald G. O. Tupper]]'''<br><small>as '''Vice-Admiral Commanding, Tenth Cruiser Squadron'''</small>}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Herbert Leopold Heath|Sir Herbert L. Heath]]'''|'''[[Third Battle Squadron (Royal Navy)|Vice-Admiral Commanding, Third Battle Squadron]]'''<br>26 Sep, 1917{{UKCeased|p. 4}} &ndash; 21 Apr, 1918<ref>De Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Douglas Romilly Lothian Nicholson|Sir Douglas R. L. Nicholson]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Cecil Fiennes Thursby|Sir Cecil F. Thursby]]'''|'''[[Admiral Commanding Coastguard and Reserves|Admiral Commanding Coastguard and Reserves]]'''<br>23 Jul, 1918{{NLDec18|p. 1109}} &ndash; 23 Jul, 1921<ref>De Chair Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 259.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Morgan Singer|Sir Morgan Singer]]'''}}
{{TabEnd}}
</div name=fredbot:appts>

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:De Chair, Dudley}}

{{CatPerson|UK|1864|1958}}
{{CatBritannia|January, 1878}}
{{CatAdm|UK}}
[[Category:Knights Commanders of the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Knights Commanders of the Most Distinguished Orders of Saint Michael and Saint George]]
[[Category:Companions of the Civil Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Members of the Fourth Class of the Royal Victorian Order]]
{{CatRN}}