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{{AdmRN}} {{SIR}} '''Lewis Bayly''', K.C.B., K.C.M.G., C.V.O., Royal Navy (28 September, 1857 &ndash; 16 May, 1938) was an officer of the [[Royal Navy]].

==Early Life & Career==
Bayly was born at Charlton, Kent, on 28 September, 1857, the third son of Captain Neville Bayly, of the Royal Horse Artillery, by his wife, Henrietta Charlotte, daughter of General Charles George Gordon, of the Royal Artillery.  He was a great-great-nephew of Admiral Sir Richard Keats.  He entered the [[Royal Navy]] as a Navigating Cadet on 15 July, 1870, and was appointed to the {{UK-1Britannia|f=t}} at Dartmouth, and left on 18 July, 1872, after the customary two years.  He gained nine months' time towards the rank of Navigating Midshipman, which rank he was rated on 18 October.  He was appointed to the frigate ''Ariadne'', which cruised the Atlantic and Mediterranean for a year.<ref>Bayly.  p. 18.</ref><ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/22.}}  f. 406.</ref>

In June 1879, Bayly dissappointed the Board of Admiralty with his "want of skill & diligence in navigation of the [[H.M.S. Lynx (1868)|''Lynx'']] on her way home."<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/38.}}  f. 79.</ref>

Bayly was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} on 10 August, 1881.{{Gaz|26534|4154|12 August, 1881}}

He was appointed to {{UK-Vernon}} on 9 September, 1883 to qualify as a torpedo Lieutenant.{{NLJul84|p. 250}}  He emerged with a first-class certificate in April, 1885, having been awarded a prize of £80.

Bayly was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} on 30 June, 1894.{{Gaz|26534|4154|20 July, 1894}}

After a brief stint in {{UK-Endymion}} in 1896 served as Commander under Captain [[Edward Harpur Gamble|Edward H. Gamble]] aboard the {{UK-Talbot|f=tp}} from mid-September until 31 March, 1899.<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/19.}} f. 444.</ref>

==Captain==
On 31 December, 1899, he was promoted to the rank of {{CaptRN}}.{{Gaz|27150|3|2 January, 1900}}  On 15 July, 1900, he was appointed Naval Attach&eacute; to the United States and Japan.<ref>{{TNA|ADM 196/39.}}  f. 84.</ref>  He ceased duty as Naval Attach&eacute; on 10 July, 1902.<ref>{{TNA|ADM 196/19.}}  f. 444.</ref>  His successor, Captain (later Admiral Sir) [[Dudley Rawson Stratford de Chair|Dudley R. S. de Chair]], later recalled that Bayly "had been recalled, owing to his rather indiscreet conduct there."<ref>De Chair.  p. 115.</ref>

He was appointed to command the {{UK-Talbot|f=t}} on 11 July.  He paid ''Talbot'' off on 12 August, 1904.  After a period abroad he was appointed in command of the {{UK-Queen|f=t}} on 20 November, and assumed command on 8 December.  On 5 March, 1905, he was appointed in command of {{UK-Attentive|f=t}} as {{Com2RN}} in command of Destroyer Flotillas in Home Waters.<ref>ADM 196/39.  f. 84.</ref>

On the occasion of the King's inspection of the Home Fleet Bayly was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (C.V.O.) on 3 August, 1907.{{Gaz|28048|5390|6 August, 1907}}

Bayly was appointed to the {{UK-Topaze|f=t}} as Commodore, Second Class, in charge of destroyers in commission with full crews, on 20 January, 1908.<ref>ADM 196/39.  f. 84.</ref>  On 22 March he was appointed a [[Naval Aide-de-Camp]] to King Edward VII, vice [[Thomas Philip Walker|Walker]].{{Gaz|28122|2261|24 March, 1908}}  He transferred his broad pendant to the {{UK-Blenheim|f=t}} on 26 April.  On 27 November he was appointed to {{UK-Terpsichore}} with the rank of {{Com1RN}} for command of the [[Royal Naval War College]].<ref>ADM 196/38.  f. 84.</ref>  [[Edmond John Warre Slade|Edmond J. W. Slade]], a predecessor in the post, told [[George Fowler King-Hall|George F. King-Hall]] that "he did not think Bayly a good choice."<ref>[https://sites.google.com/site/kinghallconnections/6800-g-half-pay-2---pt-1 King-Hall diary entry for 21 November, 1908.]</ref>

==Flag Rank==
Bayly was promoted to the rank of {{RearRN}} on 2 December, 1908, vice [[Harry Campbell Reynolds|Reynolds]].{{Gaz|28202|9291|4 December, 1908}}

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 21 September, 1912.{{Gaz|28648|7107|27 September, 1912}}  He was invested with the insignia of the order by the King in an investiture at Buckingham Palace on 10 October.<ref>"Court Circular" (Court and Social).  ''The Times''.  Friday, 11 October, 1912.  Issue '''40027''', col A, p. 9.</ref>

On 1 January, 1914, he was appointed an Ordinary Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, in the Military Division of the Order of the Bath (K.C.B.).<ref>''The Edinburgh Gazette'': [http://www.edinburgh-gazette.co.uk/issues/12630/pages/7 no. 12630.  p. 7.]  2 January, 1914.</ref>

Upon learning of his appointment to take command of the {{UK-BS|1}} in June 1914, Bayly wrote to [[First Lord of the Admiralty|First Lord]] [[Winston Churchill]]: "Keep the people across the North Sea quiet till July, then, as soon as you like."<ref>Bayly to Churchill, 22 February 1914, CHAR 13/26, Chartwell MSS, Churchill Archive Centre, Churchill College.</ref>  On 23 July it was announced that Bayly's tenure in command of the First Battle Squadron would be three years rather than two.<ref>"Second Sea Lord" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Thursday, 23 July, 1914.  Issue '''40586''', col G, p. 10.</ref>

==Great War==
On 14 September Bayly was confirmed in the rank of Vice-Admiral, and on 20 December he was appointed to command the [[Channel Fleet (Royal Navy)|Channel Fleet]].<ref>ADM 196/38.  f. 84.</ref>

==Loss of the ''Formidable''==
During December the Sixth Battle Squadron had carried out gunnery practice off Portland.  Upon assuming command of the Channel Fleet on 17 December Bayly decided that the Fifth Battle Squadron should do the same at the end of the month.  The Admiralty gave its permission on 26 December, and at 10:00 on 30 December Bayly left Sheerness flying his flag in ''Lord Nelson'' with the battleships ''Agamemnon'', ''Queen'', ''Implacable'', ''Prince of Wales'', ''Venerable'', ''London'' and ''Formidable'', and the light cruisers ''Topaze'' and ''Diamond''.<ref>Carter.  ''The Rise and Fall of Portland Naval Base''.  p. 75.</ref>  At 1430 on the 30th the six escorting destroyers of the [[Harwich Force]] left the squadron at Folkestone.  Throughout the 31st, Bayly's ships carried out "excercises and manœvres" within twenty-five miles of Portland Bill.<ref name=Corbett57>Corbett.  ''Naval Operations''.  '''II'''.  p. 57.</ref><ref>The National Archives.  ADM 53/6729.  Log of H.M.S. ''Topaze''.</ref>  In the evening the ships went into night cruising stations, the battleships in line ahead two cables apart (approximately twelve hundred feet).  ''Formidable'' was the last battleship in line, with the light cruisers a mile astern of her.<ref name=Carter76>Carter.  ''The Rise and Fall of Portland Naval Base''.  p. 76.</ref>  Per an Admiralty Fleet Order, at 19:00 Bayly ordered a 16-point alteration of course when abreast the Needles, consequently steaming Westward.  Another 16-point turn was scheduled for 03:00 on 1 January.<ref name=Corbett57/>  There was a Southerly wind increasing from Force 4 to 5.  About 02:20 in the morning on New Year's Day, 1915, while the squadron was passing through a number of fishing craft, ''Formidable'' was struck by a torpedo on her starboard side abreast the fore funnel and was seen to haul out of line at 02:30.  Forty-five minutes later the German submarine which had fired the torpedo, ''U-24'', fired another torpedo into ''Formidable'', which sank at about 04:45.  Despite the best efforts of ''Topaze'' and ''Diamond'', out of a complement of 780 men ''Formidable'' lost 35 officers and 512 men dead, including Captain [[Arthur Noel Loxley|Arthur N. Loxley]].<ref name=Corbett59>Corbett.  ''Naval Operations''.  '''II'''.  p. 59.</ref>

After being severely censured by the Admiralty for his perceived mishandling of his squadron, Bayly asked for a Court-Martial, but this was refused.  He was relieved in command of the Channel Fleet by Vice-Admiral Bethell on 17 January and was appointed President of the [[Royal Naval College, Greenwich]] on 18 January.  On the same day the Prime Minister, Herbert H. Asquith, wrote to Venetia Stanley: "Winston tells me that they have recalled Lewis Bayly from the command of the Channel Fleet as a consequence of his loss of 'Formidable', & have put Admiral Bethell in his place.  It is rather disquieting, for Bayly was supposed to be almost the pick of our younger Admirals.  Bethell, whom I used to see on the C.I.D., is to my thinking no flier.  We really seem to have better reserves in the way of Commanders in the Army than in the Navy."<ref>Quoted in Gilbert.  ''Winston S. Churchill.  Volume III.  Companion Part I''.  p. 427.</ref>

Fisher was scathing, writing to Churchill on 14 January, "He has lost our confidence and that is sufficient reason for his removal <u>and no other reason should be given him!</u>  When you give your housemaid warning - however excellent she may be - you don't have to explain.  You don't like her so she goes!"<ref>Churchill Papers.  Churchill Archives Centre, Cambridge.  CHAR 13/57/49.</ref>

By 23 January however Fisher was advocating Bayly being given command of a squadron of monitors,<ref>Quoted in Gilbert.  ''Winston S. Churchill.  Volume III.  Companion Part I''.  p. 443.</ref> presumably as part of one of the many invasion plans being mooted at this time.

On 18 June Jellicoe wrote to Admiral [[Henry Bradwardine Jackson|Sir Henry B. Jackson]], the new First Sea Lord, about combatting the submarine menace: "I suggest Bayly for the general command of all East coast patrols, but giving him a striking force that is kept concentrated."<ref>Jackson Papers.  National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth.  MSS 255/4/2.</ref>

==Coast of Ireland==
He was appointed Senior Officer on the [[Coast of Ireland]] on 20 July, 1915 and assumed command on 22 July.  His title was changed to Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Ireland on 4 June, 1917.<ref>ADM 196/38.  f. 84.</ref>  The German submarine campaign was at its height and the frequent sinkings in the Western Approaches could only be checked by extremely vigorous defence measures and by exploiting new methods of attacking the submarines.  Bayly had all the qualities for conducting the anti-submarine campaign, but for the first two years he never had sufficient ships for the large area for which he was responsible, until, in 1917, welcome reinforcements from the United States began to arrive.

Bayly was promoted to the rank of {{AdmRN}} on 23 October, 1917, vice [[Sackville Hamilton Carden|Carden]], placed on the Retired List.{{Gaz|30369|11474|6 November, 1917}}  In the King's Birthday Honours of 3 June, 1918, Bayly was appointed an Additional Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, in the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (K.C.M.G.).{{GazSup|30723|6530|3 June, 1918}}  He struck his flag on 1 April, 1919.  His request for his service in Ireland to count as Foreign Service for leave purposes was refused.<ref>ADM 196/38.  f. 101.</ref>

==Retirement==
On 1 July, 1919, Bayly was placed on the Retired List at his own request.{{Gaz|31433|8390|4 July, 1919}}

In 1921 Bayly visited the United States as the guest of the Queenstown Association, a club formed by officers who had served under him from 1915 to 1918, and of which he was vice-president. In 1934 he was again the guest of the American navy when, at the Naval Academy at Annapolis, he unveiled a memorial, which the Secretary of the Navy had granted him permission to erect, to his American chief of staff, Vice Admiral Pringle.

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
*"Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly" (Obituaries).  ''The Times''.  Tuesday, 17 May, 1938.  Issue '''47996''', col B, p. 18.
*Bayly, Admiral Sir Lewis (1939).  ''Pull Together!: The Memoirs of Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly''.  London: George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd..
*{{DeChairTheSeaIsStrong}}
{{refend}}

==See Also==
{{WP|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Bayly_(Royal_Navy_officer)}}

==Service Records==
{{refbegin}}
*{{TNA|ADM 196/87.|D8115310}}
*{{TNA|ADM 196/38.|D7864004}}
*{{TNA|ADM 196/22.|D7578241}}
*{{TNA|ADM 196/19.|D7590226}}
{{refend}}

{{TabAppts}}
{{Appt
|[[First Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)|Rear-Admiral Commanding,<br>First Cruiser Squadron]]|[[Stanley Cecil James Colville|The Hon. Stanley C. J. Colville]]|1911 &ndash; 1913|<small>Renamed First Battle Cruiser Squadron</small>
}}
{{Appt
|[[First Battle Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)|Rear-Admiral Commanding,<br>First Battle Cruiser Squadron]]|<small>Former First Cruiser Squadron</small>|1913|[[David Richard Beatty, First Earl Beatty|David R. Beatty]]
}}
{{Appt
|[[Channel Fleet (Royal Navy)|Vice-Admiral Commanding,<br>Channel Fleet]]|Sir Cecil Burney|1914 &ndash; 1915|[[Alexander Edward Bethell|The Hon. Sir Alexander E. Bethell]]
}}
{{TabEnd}}
[[Category:People with old TabAppts]]
<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
{{TabNaval}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Charles Langdale Ottley|Charles L. Ottley]]'''|'''[[H.M. T.B. 80 (1886)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 80]]'''<br>22 Jul, 1890<ref>"Naval Intelligence".  ''The Times''.  Friday, 19 July, 1890.  Issue '''33068''', col C, p. 12.</ref> &ndash; 25 Aug, 1890<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/19.}} f. 415.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[William Lowther Grant|William L. Grant]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Dudley Rawson Stratford de Chair|Dudley R. S. de Chair]]'''|'''[[H.M. T.B. 60 (1886)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 60]]'''<br>8 Jul, 1891<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/19.}} f. 415.</ref> &ndash; 14 Aug, 1891<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/19.}} f. 415.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Arthur Kipling Waistell|Arthur K. Waistell]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Frederick Tower Hamilton|Frederick T. Hamilton]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Rattlesnake (1886)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Rattlesnake'']]'''<br>21 Jul, 1892 &ndash; ''c''. 18 Aug, 1892{{INF}}|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Lewis Bayly|Lewis Bayly]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Lewis Bayly|Lewis Bayly]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Rattlesnake (1886)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Rattlesnake'']]'''<br>11 Jul, 1893 &ndash; 21 Aug, 1893|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Thomas Charles Fenton|Thomas C. Fenton]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Archibald Thomas Carter|Archibald T. Carter]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Indefatigable (1891)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Indefatigable'']]'''<br>29 Jul, 1899<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/39.}}  f. 79.</ref> &ndash; 17 Sep, 1899<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/19.}} f. 444.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Frederick Livington Campbell|Frederick L. Campbell]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Reginald Neville Custance|Reginald N. Custance]]'''|'''[[Naval Attaché (Royal Navy)|Royal Navy Naval Attaché at Washington, D.C.]]'''<br>15 Jul, 1900<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/38.}}  f. 84.</ref> &ndash; 10 Jul, 1902<ref>{{TNA|ADM 196/19.}}  f. 444.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Dudley Rawson Stratford de Chair|Dudley R. S. De Chair]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Frederick George Stopford|Frederick G. Stopford]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Talbot (1895)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Talbot'']]'''<br>11 Jul, 1902<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/39.}}  f. 84.</ref>{{NLMay03|p. 306}}|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Henry James Langford Clarke|Henry J. L. Clarke]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Alfred Leigh Winsloe|Alfred L. Winsloe]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Queen (1902)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Queen'']]'''<br>8 Dec, 1904<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/39.}}  f. 84.</ref> &ndash; 4 Mar, 1907<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/19.}} f. 444.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Ernest Charles Thomas Troubridge|Ernest C. T. Troubridge]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Reginald Yorke Tyrwhitt, First Baronet|Reginald Yorke Tyrwhitt]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Attentive (1904)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Attentive'']]'''<br>5 Mar, 1907<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/39.}}  f. 84.</ref> &ndash; 19 Jan, 1908<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/19.}} f. 444.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Wilmot Stuart Nicholson|Wilmot S. Nicholson]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Henry Blackett|Henry Blackett]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Topaze (1903)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Topaze'']]'''<br>20 Jan, 1908<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/39.}}  f. 84.</ref> &ndash; 26 Nov, 1908<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/19.}} f. 444.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Edward Francis Benedict Charlton|Edward F. B. Charlton]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Robert Swinburne Lowry|Robert S. Lowry]]'''|'''[[Royal Naval War College|In Command of the Royal Naval War College]]'''<br>27 Nov, 1908<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/38/796.}}</ref> &ndash; 23 Feb, 1911<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/19/414.}}</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Henry Bradwardine Jackson|Sir Henry B. Jackson]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Stanley Cecil James Colville|The Hon. Stanley C. J. Colville]]'''|'''[[First Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)|Rear-Admiral Commanding, First Cruiser Squadron]]'''<br>24 Feb, 1911 &ndash; early Jan, 1913{{ToL|Cruiser Squadrons Renamed|Monday, Jan 13, 1913; pg. 11; Issue 40107}}|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Ernest Charles Thomas Troubridge|Ernest C. T. Troubridge]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''Formation previously known as {{UK-CS|1}}'''|'''[[First Battle Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)|Rear-Admiral Commanding, First Battle Cruiser Squadron]]'''<br>late 1912<ref>This date could range from 23 November, 1912 to March, 1913.</ref> &ndash; 1 Mar, 1913|Succeeded by<br>'''[[David Richard Beatty, First Earl Beatty|Sir David R. Beatty]]'''<br><small>as '''Vice-Admiral Commanding, First Battle Cruiser Squadron'''</small>}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Cecil Burney, First Baronet|Cecil Burney]]'''|'''[[Third Battle Squadron (Royal Navy)|Vice-Admiral Commanding, Third Battle Squadron]]'''<br>1 Jul, 1913<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/19.}} f. 444.</ref> &ndash; 21 Jun, 1914<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/19.}} f. 444.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Edward Eden Bradford|Sir Edward E. Bradford]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Stanley Cecil James Colville|The Hon. Sir Stanley C. J. Colville]]'''|'''[[First Battle Squadron (Royal Navy)|Vice-Admiral Commanding, First Battle Squadron]]'''<br>22 Jun, 1914<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/19.}} f. 444.</ref> &ndash; 19 Dec, 1914<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/19.}} f. 444.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Cecil Burney, First Baronet|Sir Cecil Burney]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Cecil Burney, First Baronet|Sir Cecil Burney]]'''|'''[[Fifth Battle Squadron (Royal Navy)|Vice-Admiral in Command, Fifth Battle Squadron]]'''<br>20 Dec, 1914<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/38.}}  f. 39.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Alexander Edward Bethell|The Hon. Sir Alexander E. Bethell]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Alexander Edward Bethell|The Hon. Sir Alexander E. Bethell]]'''|'''[[Royal Naval College, Greenwich|President of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich]]'''<br>18 Jan, 1915<ref>Bayly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/38.}}  f. 84.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Henry Bradwardine Jackson|Sir Henry B. Jackson]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Charles Henry Coke|Sir Charles H. Coke]]'''|'''[[Coast of Ireland|Senior Officer on the Coast of Ireland]]'''<br>20 Jul, 1915{{NLOct15|p. 4}}|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Reginald Godfrey Otway Tupper|Reginald G. O. Tupper]]'''<br><small>as '''Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches'''</small>}}
{{TabEnd}}
</div name=fredbot:appts>

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bayly, Lewis}}

{{CatPerson|UK|1857|1938}}
{{CatBritannia|July, 1870}}
{{CatTorpedoOfficer|UK}}
{{CatAdm|UK}}
{{CatInterpreter|UK}}

[[Category:Vice-Admirals Commanding, Channel Fleet (Royal Navy)]]
{{CatRN}}