Bernard William Murray Fairbairn

Vice-Admiral Bernard William Murray Fairbairn, C.B.E., R.N. (18 April, 1880 – 5 April, 1960) served in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Fairbairn was the eldest son of Reverend W. M. Fairbairn.

Fairbairn was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 July, 1901.

Fairbairn was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 July, 1909.

Fairbairn was appointed to the armoured cruiser H.M.S. Cochrane of the Second Cruiser Squadron as first and gunnery officer on 9 January 1913. He was re-appointed to her in lieu of a Lt. (G) upon his promotion to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1914.

Fairbairn left Cochrane upon being superseded on 6 November 1915. He would then find himself sidelined from the war for two and a half years, appointed to provide gunnery expertise for the D.N.O. until being appointed to the super-dreadnought Warspite as gunnery officer on 25 July, 1918. He stayed in her through the end of the war, being promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1919 and finally being superseded in the ship on 11 July.

In the immediate post-war years, Fairbairn worked with the Gunnery Division, being Deputy Director from 10 January, 1921 to 16 August, 1922. He was then placed in command of the light cruiser H.M.S. Dragon, remaining in command until being superseded in October 1924.

Fairbairn was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 20 April, 1931.

Fairbairn was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 1 January, 1936 and placed on the Retired List the following day, ending sixteen months' service as President of the Ordnance Committee.

World War II

Fairbairn served at Liverpool as a Commodore of Convoys. On 12 May 1942 he was appointed sa Flag Officer in Command, Milford Haven, vice Phillips.

Fairbairn died at Winslow at age 79.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Henry J. S. Brownrigg	Deputy Director of the Gunnery Division 10 Jan, 1921 – 16 Aug, 1922	Succeeded by Cecil V. Usborne
Preceded by Cecil V. Usborne	Captain of H.M.S. Dragon 15 Aug, 1922 – 14 Oct, 1924	Succeeded by Isham W. Gibson
Preceded by William F. Sells	Captain of Devonport Gunnery School 18 Jul, 1925 – 16 Apr, 1927	Succeeded by Edward O. Cochrane
Preceded by Henry J. S. Brownrigg	Director of the Gunnery Division 22 Apr, 1927 – 24 Dec, 1928	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Isham W. Gibson	Director of Training and Staff Duties 24 Dec, 1928 – 15 Apr, 1929	Succeeded by Edward O. Cochrane
Preceded by Hubert S. Monroe	Captain of H.M.S. Ramillies c. late Apr, 1929 – 1 Dec, 1930	Succeeded by Henry D. Bridges
Preceded by Henry R. Crooke	Vice-President of the Ordnance Committee 2 Jan, 1932 – 1 Aug, 1934	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Herbert Willes Webley Hope	President of the Ordnance Committee 1 Aug, 1934 – 2 Jan, 1936	Succeeded by Arthur F. Pridham
Preceded by Philip E. Phillips	Flag Officer in Charge, Milford Haven 12 May, 1942 – 24 Oct, 1945	Succeeded by ?