Charles John Briggs: Difference between revisions

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On the authority of Marder, Briggs was apparently called "the old sheep farmer" by Battenberg and Fisher, successive First Sea Lords.<ref>Marder.  '''I'''.  p. 418.</ref>  In 1911 Fisher informed [[Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill|Winston S. Churchill]], the new First Lord of the Admiralty, that Briggs and his D.N.O., [[Archibald Gordon Henry Wilson Moore|Gordon Moore]], were "Slugs who want you to perpetuate Battleships of the <u>Tortoise</u> type[,] all armour and no speed and d&mdash;d costly as compared with a <u>far cheaper, far faster</u> and <u>63 per cent more powerful ship!!</u>"<ref>Churchill.  ''Winston S. Churchill.  Companion Volume II.  Part 2''.  p. 1349.</ref> [[Ernest Charles Thomas Troubridge|Ernest Troubridge]] however considered Briggs "clever".<ref>Troubridge to Battenberg. 12 November 1911. MB1/T9/47. Battenberg MSS. University of Southampton. Quite what this says about Briggs depends on the reader's opinion of Troubridge!</ref>
On the authority of Marder, Briggs was apparently called "the old sheep farmer" by Battenberg and Fisher, successive First Sea Lords.<ref>Marder.  '''I'''.  p. 418.</ref>  In 1911 Fisher informed [[Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill|Winston S. Churchill]], the new First Lord of the Admiralty, that Briggs and his D.N.O., [[Archibald Gordon Henry Wilson Moore|Gordon Moore]], were "Slugs who want you to perpetuate Battleships of the <u>Tortoise</u> type[,] all armour and no speed and d&mdash;d costly as compared with a <u>far cheaper, far faster</u> and <u>63 per cent more powerful ship!!</u>"<ref>Churchill.  ''Winston S. Churchill.  Companion Volume II.  Part 2''.  p. 1349.</ref> [[Ernest Charles Thomas Troubridge|Ernest Troubridge]] however considered Briggs "clever".<ref>Troubridge to Battenberg. 12 November 1911. MB1/T9/47. Battenberg MSS. University of Southampton. Quite what this says about Briggs depends on the reader's opinion of Troubridge!</ref>


At Portsmouth on 1 July, 1912, he hoisted his flag in the battleship [[H.M.S. Venerable (1899)|''Venerable'']] as Acting Vice-Admiral Commanding the Fourth Squadron.  The following day he transferred his flag to [[H.M.S. Exmouth (1901)|''Exmouth'']].<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Tuesday, 2 July, 1912.  Issue '''39940''', col D, p. 6.</ref>  He was confirmed in the rank of Vice-Admiral on 13 July, vice [[Louis Alexander Mountbatten, First Marquess of Milford Haven|Battenberg]].<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28627/pages/5182 no. 28627.  p. 5182.]  16 July, 1912.</ref>
At Portsmouth on 1 July, 1912, he hoisted his flag in the battleship {{UK-Venerable}} as Acting Vice-Admiral Commanding the Fourth Squadron.  The following day he transferred his flag to {{UK-Exmouth}}.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Tuesday, 2 July, 1912.  Issue '''39940''', col D, p. 6.</ref>  He was confirmed in the rank of Vice-Admiral on 13 July, vice [[Louis Alexander Mountbatten, First Marquess of Milford Haven|Battenberg]].<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28627/pages/5182 no. 28627.  p. 5182.]  16 July, 1912.</ref>  He transferred his flag to {{UK-Dreadnought}} on 14 December, 1912, striking it on 1 July, 1914 as war clouds loomed.<ref>Briggs Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/20}}.  p. 654.</ref>


On the occasion of the King's birthday he was appointed an Ordinary Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (K.C.B.) on 3 June, 1913.<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28724/supplements/3903 (Supplement) no. 28724.  p. 3903.]  3 June, 1913.</ref>
On the occasion of the King's birthday he was appointed an Ordinary Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (K.C.B.) on 3 June, 1913.<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28724/supplements/3903 (Supplement) no. 28724.  p. 3903.]  3 June, 1913.</ref>

Revision as of 16:20, 28 October 2014

Admiral SIR Charles John Briggs, K.C.B., Royal Navy (15 July, 1858 – 16 July, 1951) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Briggs was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 27 February, 1879.[1]

He was promoted to the rank of Commander on 1 January, 1892.[2]

Briggs was promoted to the rank of Captain on 22 June, 1897,[3] and was thanked for his role in revising the Torpedo Drill Book and Torpedo Manual, Vol III during an appointment at Vernon that stretched from February, 1896 until January of 1898.[4]

He was appointed in command of the battleship Revenge on 7 January, 1898.[5]

Briggs was appointed in command of H.M.S. Vernon on 24 December, 1904, a post he would retain for three years.[6]

Flag Rank

Briggs was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 1 May, 1907, vice Chisholm-Batten.[7]

Briggs relieved Rear-Admiral The Honourable Stanley C. J. Colville as Rear-Admiral in the First Division of the Home Fleet on 4 January, 1909.

On the authority of Marder, Briggs was apparently called "the old sheep farmer" by Battenberg and Fisher, successive First Sea Lords.[8] In 1911 Fisher informed Winston S. Churchill, the new First Lord of the Admiralty, that Briggs and his D.N.O., Gordon Moore, were "Slugs who want you to perpetuate Battleships of the Tortoise type[,] all armour and no speed and d—d costly as compared with a far cheaper, far faster and 63 per cent more powerful ship!!"[9] Ernest Troubridge however considered Briggs "clever".[10]

At Portsmouth on 1 July, 1912, he hoisted his flag in the battleship Venerable as Acting Vice-Admiral Commanding the Fourth Squadron. The following day he transferred his flag to Exmouth.[11] He was confirmed in the rank of Vice-Admiral on 13 July, vice Battenberg.[12] He transferred his flag to Dreadnought on 14 December, 1912, striking it on 1 July, 1914 as war clouds loomed.[13]

On the occasion of the King's birthday he was appointed an Ordinary Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (K.C.B.) on 3 June, 1913.[14]

Briggs was promoted to the rank of Admiral on 10 January, 1916, vice Bush,[15] and was placed on the Retired List on 2 July, 1917.[16]

Bibliography

  • "Admiral Sir Charless Briggs" (Obituaries). The Times. Friday, 20 July, 1951. Issue 52058, col D, p. 8.

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
The Hon. Stanley C. J. Colville 		Rear-Admiral, Nore Division, Home Fleet
1909 		Succeeded by
F. C. Doveton Sturdee
Rear-Admiral in the First Division, Home Fleet
1909 – 1910
Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Reginald C. Prothero 		Captain of H.M.S. Revenge
7 Jan, 1898[17] 		Succeeded by
George F. King-Hall
Preceded by
? 		Head of War Division
6 Mar, 1900 – 11 Dec, 1901[18] 		Succeeded by
Herbert L. Heath
Preceded by
Frederick S. Inglefield 		Head of Mobilisation Division
11 Feb, 1904[19] – 23 Dec, 1904[20] 		Succeeded by
Charles L. Ottley
Preceded by
Henry B. Jackson 		Captain of H.M.S. Vernon
24 Dec, 1904[21] 		Succeeded by
Douglas A. Gamble
Preceded by
Sir John R. Jellicoe 		Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy
20 Dec, 1910 		Succeeded by
A. Gordon H. W. Moore
as Third Sea Lord
Preceded by
New Command 		Vice-Admiral Commanding, Fourth Battle Squadron
1 Jul, 1912[22] 		Succeeded by
Sir Douglas A. Gamble

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 24686. p. 1793. 28 February, 1879.
  2. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 26239. p. 3. 1 January, 1892.
  3. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 26865. p. 3443. 22 June, 1897.
  4. ↑ Briggs Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 98.
  5. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Saturday, 8 January, 1898. Issue 35408, col C, p. 10.
  6. ↑ Blond. Technology and Tradition. p. 167.
  7. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 28018. p. 2992. 3 May, 1907.
  8. ↑ Marder. I. p. 418.
  9. ↑ Churchill. Winston S. Churchill. Companion Volume II. Part 2. p. 1349.
  10. ↑ Troubridge to Battenberg. 12 November 1911. MB1/T9/47. Battenberg MSS. University of Southampton. Quite what this says about Briggs depends on the reader's opinion of Troubridge!
  11. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Tuesday, 2 July, 1912. Issue 39940, col D, p. 6.
  12. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 28627. p. 5182. 16 July, 1912.
  13. ↑ Briggs Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. p. 654.
  14. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 28724. p. 3903. 3 June, 1913.
  15. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 29439. p. 626. 14 January, 1916.
  16. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 30161. p. 6549. 3 July, 1917.
  17. ↑ Briggs Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. p. 654.
  18. ↑ Briggs Service Record. The National Archives. ADMK 196/20. f. 654.
  19. ↑ Briggs Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 654.
  20. ↑ Briggs Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 654.
  21. ↑ Blond. Technology and Tradition. p. 167.
  22. ↑ Briggs Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 168.


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