Difference between revisions of "David Richard Beatty, First Earl Beatty"

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At a gathering of the Home Fleet at Cromarty in 1909, Beatty complained to his wife, "Many admirals, and not one that inspires a great deal of confidence, this is private, unless it be Prince Louis, and his national or birth qualifications are against him."<ref>Letter of 13 April, 1909.  National Maritime Museum.  Beatty Papers.  BTY/17/13/68-71.  Reproduced in ''Beatty Papers''.  p. 22.</ref>  
 
At a gathering of the Home Fleet at Cromarty in 1909, Beatty complained to his wife, "Many admirals, and not one that inspires a great deal of confidence, this is private, unless it be Prince Louis, and his national or birth qualifications are against him."<ref>Letter of 13 April, 1909.  National Maritime Museum.  Beatty Papers.  BTY/17/13/68-71.  Reproduced in ''Beatty Papers''.  p. 22.</ref>  
  
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Beatty had reached the top of the Captains' list without the necessary six years' of peacetime service, and an Order-in-Council was promulgated on 2 December, 1909 sanctioning Beatty's promotion to Flag rank, the regulations notwithstanding.<ref>''London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28317/pages/9514 no. 28317.  p. 9514.]  14 December, 1909.</ref>  No-one has yet offered a satisfactory reason as to why this privilege was granted Beatty.  That which Professor Lambert proffers, that "Beatty was a very good seaman, had commanded four ships and had nothing left to prove,"<ref>Lambert.  ''Admirals''.  p. 344.</ref> is utterly unconvincing.  Hundreds of Beatty's contemporaries on the Captains' list were in command of ships.  Many would be retired for age or for lack of sea time, of whom there must have been some who had shown promise.  Why was Beatty extended such extraordinary treatment?  This mystery notwithstanding, he was promoted to the rank of {{RearRN}} on 1 January, 1910, vice [[Charles Henry Cross|Cross]], promoted to the rank of {{ViceRN}}.<ref>''London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28325/pages/30 no. 28325.  p. 30.]  4 January, 1910.</ref>
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Beatty had reached the top of the Captains' list without the necessary six years' of peacetime service, and an Order-in-Council was promulgated on 2 December, 1909 sanctioning Beatty's promotion to Flag rank, the regulations notwithstanding.<ref>''London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28317/pages/9514 no. 28317.  p. 9514.]  14 December, 1909.</ref>  No-one has yet offered a satisfactory reason as to why this privilege was granted Beatty. Roskill merely comments that the Order-in-Council was "exceptional proof of the high regard in which he [Beatty] was held."<ref>Roskill.  ''Earl Beatty''.  p. 43.</ref> That explanation which Professor Lambert proffers, that "Beatty was a very good seaman, [who] had commanded four ships and had nothing left to prove,"<ref>Lambert.  ''Admirals''.  p. 344.</ref> is utterly unconvincing.  Hundreds of Beatty's contemporaries on the Captains' list were in command of ships.  Many would be retired for age or for lack of sea time, of whom there must have been some who had shown promise.  Why was Beatty extended such extraordinary treatment?  This mystery notwithstanding, he was promoted to the rank of {{RearRN}} on 1 January, 1910, vice [[Charles Henry Cross|Cross]], promoted to the rank of {{ViceRN}}.<ref>''London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28325/pages/30 no. 28325.  p. 30.]  4 January, 1910.</ref>
  
 
==Flag Rank==
 
==Flag Rank==

Revision as of 20:30, 14 April 2011

Admiral of the Fleet David, Earl Beatty.
Portrait: Sir William Orpen.

Admiral of the Fleet THE RIGHT HONOURABLE David Richard Beatty, First Earl Beatty, G.C.B., O.M., G.C.V.O., P.C., Royal Navy (17 January, 1871 – 11 March, 1936) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Early Life & Career

Beatty was born David Richard Beatty on 17 January, 1871 at Howbeck Lodge, Stapeley, in the Registration District of Nantwich, in the County of Chester. His birth was registered on 17 February.[1] He was the second of four sons of Captain David Longfield Beatty (1841–1904), of the Fourth Hussars, and his first wife, Catherine Edith (d. 1896), daughter of Nicholas Sadlier of Dunboyne Castle, County Meath, Ireland. David Richard and his elder brother Charles were both born out of wedlock, as David Longfield Beatty and Catherine Sadlier were not married until nearly six months after David Richard was born.[2]

On 28 January, 1892, he was confirmed in the rank of Sub-Lieutenant, dated 14 May, 1890.[3] On 25 August, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.[4]

A fellow officer in Trafalgar, Lieutenant Sydney Fremantle, later recalled of Beatty:

We had some enjoyable shooting trips together. He was a conscientious officer who never failed in his duties and obligations, but showed little interest in the Service outside his immediate functions, and when our ship was at Malta distinguished himself as a member of the naval polo team.[5]

On 18 November, 1896, Beatty was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.) for his services in the Sudan.[6] He was specially promoted to the rank of Commander on 15 November, 1898, aged twenty-seven years, nine months, and twenty-nine days.[7]

For his service in China he was promoted to the rank of Captain on 9 November, 1900, aged just twenty-nine.[8]

Captain

Beatty was succeeded in command of Suffolk by Captain Rosslyn E. Wemyss. According to Lady Wester Wemyss, Sir John Fisher had laughingly described Suffolk as "the worst ship in the navy,"[9] and upon taking command Wemyss had supposedly "found the ship plunged in the deepest gloom, the officers discontented, the men unwilling."[10]

At a gathering of the Home Fleet at Cromarty in 1909, Beatty complained to his wife, "Many admirals, and not one that inspires a great deal of confidence, this is private, unless it be Prince Louis, and his national or birth qualifications are against him."[11]

Beatty had reached the top of the Captains' list without the necessary six years' of peacetime service, and an Order-in-Council was promulgated on 2 December, 1909 sanctioning Beatty's promotion to Flag rank, the regulations notwithstanding.[12] No-one has yet offered a satisfactory reason as to why this privilege was granted Beatty. Roskill merely comments that the Order-in-Council was "exceptional proof of the high regard in which he [Beatty] was held."[13] That explanation which Professor Lambert proffers, that "Beatty was a very good seaman, [who] had commanded four ships and had nothing left to prove,"[14] is utterly unconvincing. Hundreds of Beatty's contemporaries on the Captains' list were in command of ships. Many would be retired for age or for lack of sea time, of whom there must have been some who had shown promise. Why was Beatty extended such extraordinary treatment? This mystery notwithstanding, he was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 1 January, 1910, vice Cross, promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral.[15]

Flag Rank

He attended the June, 1911 War Course, where he placed fifth out of seven Rear-Admirals. He was judged to be "Well set, an excellent example to the juniors. Smart and able, apt to be rash in conclusion".[16] On 19 June, 1911 he was appointed a Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.) on the occasion of the coronation of King George V.[17]

Beatty was rescued from this impasse by Winston Churchill's becoming First Lord of the Admiralty in 1911. Advised by Fisher to exercise particular care in his choice of naval secretary, Churchill selected Beatty after an interview in which he demonstrated "the profound sagacity of his comments expressed in language free from technical jargon" (R. Churchill, 550). According to Admiral Sir Dudley de Chair, when Beatty met Churchill the latter said, "You seem very young to be an admiral." To which Beatty replied, "And you seem very young to be First Lord of the Admiralty."[18]

In the absence of an organized naval staff, an able and determined naval secretary could exercise considerable influence over his political master. Beatty used the opportunity to the full, and despite his earlier suspicion began to appreciate Churchill's genuine enthusiasm for the navy and his ability in cabinet to further its interests. A paper that he addressed to Churchill in April 1912 on naval dispositions in a German war shows the maturity and perceptiveness of Beatty's contributions to their discussions (Beatty Papers, 1.36–45).

The practical result of Churchill's approbation led to Beatty's taking temporary command of the Sixth Cruiser Squadron, with his flag in Aboukir for the fleet manoeuvres of July 1912. His success in bringing his command to fighting efficiency must have reminded his critics of his high leadership qualities.

The Battle Cruiser Squadron, 1913-1914

Great War

On 9 August, 1915, Beatty was confirmed in the rank of Vice-Admiral.[19]

Jutland

Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet, 1916–1919

Asquith wrote to Balfour on 20 November of a successor to Jellicoe, "I quite realise the difficulty of taking him at this moment from the Grand Fleet, especially as his only possible successor in the command (I am sure you would agree) from the combatant point of view is Beatty, who, with all his fine fighting qualities, is yet comparatively untried in the domain of fleet administration on a large scale."[20]

On 1 January, 1919, Beatty was confirmed in the rank of Admiral, with seniority of 27 November, 1916 while holding command of the Grand Fleet.[21]

First Sea Lord, 1919–1927

On 18 October, 1919, Beatty was granted an Earldom of the United Kingdom, with the courtesy titles Baron Beatty of the North Sea, and of Brooksby in the County of Leicester, and Viscount Borodale of Wexford in the County of Wexford.[22]

Beatty's Service

Chronological Record of Services of Admiral of the Fleet Earl Beatty[23]
Ship Rank Period of Service Remarks
From To
Britannia Naval Cadet 15 January, 1884 14 January, 1886
Alexandra Naval Cadet 15 January, 1886 14 May, 1886
Alexandra Midshipman 15 May, 1886 20 July, 1888
Cruiser Midshipman 21 July, 1888 20 October, 1888
Alexandra Midshipman 21 October, 1888 19 March, 1889
Duke of Wellington Midshipman 20 March, 1889 14 September, 1889
Ruby Midshipman 15 September, 1889 13 May, 1890
Ruby Sub-Lieutenant 14 May, 1890 15 May, 1890
Duke of Wellington Sub-Lieutenant 16 May, 1890 10 June, 1890
Ruby Sub-Lieutenant 11 June, 1890 31 August, 1890
Duke of Wellington Sub-Lieutenant 1 September, 1890 1 September, 1890
Excellent Sub-Lieutenant 2 September, 1890 13 January, 1892
Victory II Sub-Lieutenant 14 January, 1892 4 February, 1892
Nile Sub-Lieutenant 5 February, 1892 6 July, 1892
Victoria and Albert Sub-Lieutenant 7 July, 1892 30 August, 1892
Ruby Lieutenant
(Seniority of 25 August, 1892) 		31 August, 1892 30 September, 1893
Camperdown Lieutenant 1 October, 1893 2 October, 1895
Trafalgar Lieutenant 3 October, 1895 18 May, 1896
Victory I Lieutenant 19 May, 1896 2 June, 1896
Egyptian Government Lieutenant 3 June, 1896 19 November, 1896 Half Pay
Victory III for Ranger
in command 		Lieutenant 9 January, 1897 30 June, 1897
Egyptian Government Lieutenant 1 July, 1897 24 October, 1898 Half Pay
— Commander 15 November, 1898
Barfleur Commander 20 April, 1899 12 September, 1900 Wounded
Duke of Wellington Commander 13 September, 1900 30 September, 1900
— Captain 9 November, 1900 Half Pay
Juno Captain 2 June, 1902 17 December, 1902 Half Pay
Arrogant Captain 3 November, 1903 29 September, 1904
Diana Captain 30 September, 1904 11 October, 1904
Mars Captain 12 October, 1904 24 October, 1904
Suffolk Captain 25 October, 1904 19 September, 1905
Victory I Captain 20 September, 1905 14 October, 1905
Half Pay
Naval Adviser to the Army Council Captain 21 December, 1906 14 December, 1908
Queen Captain 15 December, 1908 3 January, 1910 Half Pay
Naval Secretary to the First Lord Rear-Admiral
(Seniority of 1 January, 1910) 		8 January, 1912 1 July, 1912
Aboukir (Sixth Cruiser Squadron) Rear-Admiral 2 July, 1912 27 July, 1912
Naval Secretary to the First Lord Rear-Admiral 28 July, 1912 8 January, 1913
Half Pay
Lion Rear-Admiral 1 March, 1913 2 August, 1914
Lion Acting Vice-Admiral 3 August, 1914 28 January, 1915
Princess Royal Acting Vice-Admiral 29 January, 1915 8 April, 1915
Lion Acting Vice-Admiral 9 April, 1915 8 August, 1915
Lion Vice-Admiral 9 August, 1915 27 November, 1916
Iron Duke Acting Admiral
(Seniority of 27 November, 1916) 		28 November, 1916 15 February, 1917
Queen Elizabeth Acting Admiral 16 February, 1917 31 December, 1918
Queen Elizabeth Admiral 1 January, 1919 2 April, 1919
Queen Elizabeth Admiral of the Fleet 3 April, 1919 7 April, 1919
President Admiral of the Fleet 8 April, 1919 31 October, 1919
First Sea Lord Admiral of the Fleet 1 November, 1919 29 July, 1927 Half Pay

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Beatty. Our Admiral. p. 2.
  2. ↑ Beatty. Our Admiral. p. 3.
  3. ↑ London Gazette: no. 26253. p. 544. 2 February, 1892.
  4. ↑ London Gazette: no. 26322. p. 5016. 2 September, 1892.
  5. ↑ Fremantle. My Naval Career. p. 68.
  6. ↑ London Gazette: no. 26795. p. 6271. 17 November, 1896.
  7. ↑ London Gazette: no. 27023. p. 6692. 15 November, 1898.
  8. ↑ London Gazette: no. 27245. p. 6855. 9 November, 1900.
  9. ↑ Quoted in Wester Wemyss. Life and Letters. p. 76.
  10. ↑ Wester Wemyss. Life and Letters. p. 78.
  11. ↑ Letter of 13 April, 1909. National Maritime Museum. Beatty Papers. BTY/17/13/68-71. Reproduced in Beatty Papers. p. 22.
  12. ↑ London Gazette: no. 28317. p. 9514. 14 December, 1909.
  13. ↑ Roskill. Earl Beatty. p. 43.
  14. ↑ Lambert. Admirals. p. 344.
  15. ↑ London Gazette: no. 28325. p. 30. 4 January, 1910.
  16. ↑ Jones. The Making of the Royal Navy Officer Corps. p. 208.
  17. ↑ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 28505. p. 4588. 19 June, 1911.
  18. ↑ de Chair. The Sea is Strong. p. 142.
  19. ↑ London Gazette: no. 29262. p. 8016. 13 August, 1915.
  20. ↑ Letter of 20 November, 1916. Balfour Papers. British Library. Add. MSS. 49692. ff. 175-178.
  21. ↑ London Gazette: no. 31104. p. 199. 3 January, 1919.
  22. ↑ London Gazette: no. 31610. p. 12889. 21 October, 1919.
  23. ↑ Chalmers. Life and Letters of David Beatty. pp. 434-435.

Bibliography

  • "Lord Beatty, O.M." (Obituaries). The Times. Wednesday, 11 March, 1936. Issue 47320, pg. 17.
  • "Funeral of Lord Beatty" (Obituaries). The Times. Wednesday, 17 March, 1936. Issue 47325, pg. 21.
  • Beatty, Charles (1980). Our Admiral. London: W. H. Allen / Virgin Books. ISBN 049102388X.
  • Beatty, Admiral of the Fleet David, First Earl Beatty (1989). Ranft, Bryan McL.. ed. The Beatty Papers. Volume I. London: Navy Records Society. ISBN 0859678070.
  • Beatty, Admiral of the Fleet David, First Earl Beatty (1993). Ranft, Bryan McL.. ed. The Beatty Papers. Volume II. London: Navy Records Society. ISBN 0859679640.
  • Template:BibChalmersBeatty
  • Churchill, Randolph Spencer (1967). Winston S. Churchill: Young Statesman 1910–1914. II. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0395075262.
  • Template:BibdeChairTheSeaisStrong
  • Lambert, Andrew (2009). Admirals: The Naval Commanders who made Britain Great. London: Faber and Faber Limited. ISBN 978-0-571-23157-7.
  • Template:BibRoskillBeatty

Papers

Service Record


Naval Offices
Preceded by
Sir John R. Jellicoe 		Commander-in-Chief, Grand Fleet
1916 – 1919 		Succeeded by
Command Dispersed
Preceded by
Sir Rosslyn E. Wemyss 		First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff
1919 – 1927 		Succeeded by
Sir Charles E. Madden, Bart.
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