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{{ViceRN}} '''Hugh Gaultier-Coghill Somerville''', C.B., D.S.O. (10 July, 1873 – 16 November, 1950) was an officer of the [[Royal Navy]] during the [[First World War]].
{{ViceRN}} '''Hugh Gaultier-Coghill Somerville''', C.B., D.S.O. (10 July, 1873 – 16 November, 1950) was an officer of the [[Royal Navy]] during the [[First World War]].


==Life==
==Life & Career==
In October 1914, he assumed command of the {{UK-Europa|f=t}}.{{MackieRNW}}
Somerville was the son of Lieutenant-Colonel Somerville of County Cork and gained eight months' seniority on passing out of {{UK-1Britannia}} in July, 1888.  His first naval appointment was to {{UK-1Monarch}} of the [[Channel Squadron]], dated 1 September 1888.  On 4 December, he was appointed to {{UK-1Swiftsure}} in the Pacific, taking his passage out in {{UK-1Champion|f=p}}.  Once in the Pacific, he also served aboard {{UK-1Warspite}} from June, 1890 and in {{UK-1Champion}} from March to May, 1892.<ref>Somerville Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref>


He was appointed in command of the monitor [[H.M.S. Earl of Peterborough (1915)|''Earl of Peterborough'']].
Somerville was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} on 31 December, 1894.<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref>
 
{{UK-Redbreast}} arrived at Basra on Sunday, 15 October, 1905.{{NMI|17 Oct. 1905, p. 11}}  Somerville was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} on 31 December, 1905,<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref> and turned ''Redbreast'' over to Lt. [[Walter Hose]] on New Year's Day, 1906.
 
Somerville was promoted to the rank of {{CaptRN}} on 30 June, 1914.  On 2 July, he was appointed to {{UK-Cressy}} for temporary command of {{UK-Sapphire}}.  In late October 1914, he was appointed in command of the {{UK-Europa|f=t}}, and assumed command of her on 19 November.<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref>
 
Somerville was ordered home on 4 June, 1915 and was to the monitor [[H.M.S. Earl of Peterborough (1915)|''Earl of Peterborough'']] on the 28th, to assume command upon her commissioning.  He left Mudros on 15 June in S.S. ''Altunia'' (?)  Part of his extensive time in command of the monitor also required him to serve as Boom Commander in Salonika, where Rear-Admiral Nicholson records that he performed his duties with zeal and tact.
 
Somerville's monitor assisted in the evacuation of Gallipoli in early 1916.{{UKNavalOpsIII|pp. 232, 248, 251}}
 
Somerville was slightly wounded on 4 February, 1916.  On 14 March, he was gazetted for being mentioned in despatches for service in Gallipoli.
 
On 24 May, 1917, Somerville bombarded an aerodrome at Prosecco and impressed the Admiralty with his ship handling.  On 19 November, 1917, the Italian government's Minister of Convoy expressed through the British naval attaché his appreciation for Somerville's work.
 
Somerville was awarded a D.S.O. for his work in the Adriatic in the first half of 1918.
 
==Post-War==
 
In January 1922, Somerville was made Coast Guard Captain on the staff of Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches and placed in command of the Coast Guard's Queenstown Area.  He stepped down on 31 March, 1923, having been selected for retirement.
 
Somerville was promoted to the rank of {{RearRN}} on 3 September, 1924 and was placed on the Retired List at his own request the following day.<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref>
 
Somerville was promoted to the rank of {{ViceRN}} on 1 August, 1929.<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref>


==And Then==
Somerville died at Malmaison, Castle Townshend, County Cork, on 16 November, 1950 after a short illness at the age of seventy-seven.  His funeral took place on 18 November.
Somerville died at Malmaison, Castle Townshend, County Cork, on 16 November, 1950 after a short illness at the age of seventy-seven.  His funeral took place on 18 November.


==Service Records==
==See Also==
* {{TNA|ADM 196/43}}
{{refbegin}}
* [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_rv=simple&_q=ADM+196+Gaultier+Somerville Service Records]
{{refend}}
 
<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
{{TabNaval}}
{{TabNaval}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Gerald William Vivian|Gerald W. Vivian]]'''|'''Captain of {{UK-Europa|f=p}}'''<br>Oct, 1914{{MackieRNW}} &ndash; ?|Succeeded by<br>'''[[John Edmund Drummond|John E. Drummond]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[H.M.S. Woodcock (1898)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Woodcock'']]'''<br>27 Mar, 1901<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref> &ndash; 1903{{INF}}|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Charles Archibald Wise Wrightson|Charles A. W. Wrightson]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''Captain of {{UK-EarlOfPeterborough|f=p}}'''<br>28 Jun, 1915{{NLFeb19|p. 782}} &ndash; ?|Succeeded by<br>'''?'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[George Cuninghame Quayle|George C. Quayle]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Redbreast (1889)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Redbreast'']]'''<br>14 Apr, 1904<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref> &ndash; 1 Jan, 1906<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Walter Hose|Walter Hose]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Cyril Asser|Cyril Asser]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Mohawk (1907)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Mohawk'']]'''<br>31 May, 1910<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref> &ndash; 15 Dec, 1910<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Francis Alexander Waddilove Buller|Francis A. W. Buller]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[William Francis Benwell|William F. Benwell]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Alert (1894)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Alert'']]'''<br>15 Dec, 1910{{NLAug12|p. 275}} &ndash; 15 Dec, 1912|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Arthur Edmund Wood|Arthur E. Wood]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Alldin Usborne Moore|Alldin U. Moore]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Spartiate (1898)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Spartiate'']]'''<br>14 Apr, 1913<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref> &ndash; 30 Jun, 1913<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Charles Tibbits|Charles Tibbits]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Charles Tibbits|Charles Tibbits]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Argonaut (1898)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Argonaut'']]'''<br>30 Jun, 1913<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref> &ndash; 6 Dec, 1913<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[William Drummond Church|William D. Church]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[James Rose Price Hawksley|James R. P. Hawksley]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Venus (1895)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Venus'']]'''<br>6 Dec, 1913<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref> &ndash; 27 Dec, 1913<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Robert Gordon Douglas Dewar|Robert G. D. Dewar]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Francis Clifton Brown|Francis C. Brown]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Sapphire (1904)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Sapphire'']]'''<br>2 Jul, 1914<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref>{{NLSep14|p. 379}} &ndash; 29 Oct, 1914<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Peter William Edward Hill|Peter W. E. Hill]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Gerald William Vivian|Gerald W. Vivian]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Europa (1897)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Europa'']]'''<br>29 Oct, 1914<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref>{{NLApr15|p. 394}} &ndash; 4 Jun, 1915<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Maurice Swynfen FitzMaurice|Maurice S. FitzMaurice]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''New Command'''|'''[[H.M.S. Earl of Peterborough (1915)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Earl of Peterborough'']]'''<br>28 Jun, 1915<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref>{{NLFeb19|p. 782}} &ndash; 1 Jun, 1919<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/361.|D7576559}} f. 361.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Nelson Wheelwright|Nelson Wheelwright]]'''}}
{{TabEnd}}
{{TabEnd}}
</div name=fredbot:appts> 
</div name=fredbot:appts> 
Line 21: Line 53:


{{DEFAULTSORT:Somerville, Hugh}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Somerville, Hugh}}
{{CatPerson|UK|1873|1950}}
{{CatPerson|UK|1873|1950}}
{{CatViceAdmiral|UK}}
{{CatVice|UK}}
{{CatBritannia|July, 1886}}
{{CatRN}}

Latest revision as of 16:24, 7 April 2022

Vice-Admiral Hugh Gaultier-Coghill Somerville, C.B., D.S.O. (10 July, 1873 – 16 November, 1950) was an officer of the Royal Navy during the First World War.

Life & Career

Somerville was the son of Lieutenant-Colonel Somerville of County Cork and gained eight months' seniority on passing out of Britannia in July, 1888. His first naval appointment was to Monarch of the Channel Squadron, dated 1 September 1888. On 4 December, he was appointed to Swiftsure in the Pacific, taking his passage out in H.M.S. Champion. Once in the Pacific, he also served aboard Warspite from June, 1890 and in Champion from March to May, 1892.[1]

Somerville was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1894.[2]

Redbreast arrived at Basra on Sunday, 15 October, 1905.[3] Somerville was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1905,[4] and turned Redbreast over to Lt. Walter Hose on New Year's Day, 1906.

Somerville was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1914. On 2 July, he was appointed to Cressy for temporary command of Sapphire. In late October 1914, he was appointed in command of the first class protected cruiser Europa, and assumed command of her on 19 November.[5]

Somerville was ordered home on 4 June, 1915 and was to the monitor Earl of Peterborough on the 28th, to assume command upon her commissioning. He left Mudros on 15 June in S.S. Altunia (?) Part of his extensive time in command of the monitor also required him to serve as Boom Commander in Salonika, where Rear-Admiral Nicholson records that he performed his duties with zeal and tact.

Somerville's monitor assisted in the evacuation of Gallipoli in early 1916.[6]

Somerville was slightly wounded on 4 February, 1916. On 14 March, he was gazetted for being mentioned in despatches for service in Gallipoli.

On 24 May, 1917, Somerville bombarded an aerodrome at Prosecco and impressed the Admiralty with his ship handling. On 19 November, 1917, the Italian government's Minister of Convoy expressed through the British naval attaché his appreciation for Somerville's work.

Somerville was awarded a D.S.O. for his work in the Adriatic in the first half of 1918.

Post-War

In January 1922, Somerville was made Coast Guard Captain on the staff of Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches and placed in command of the Coast Guard's Queenstown Area. He stepped down on 31 March, 1923, having been selected for retirement.

Somerville was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 3 September, 1924 and was placed on the Retired List at his own request the following day.[7]

Somerville was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 1 August, 1929.[8]

Somerville died at Malmaison, Castle Townshend, County Cork, on 16 November, 1950 after a short illness at the age of seventy-seven. His funeral took place on 18 November.

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
? 		Captain of H.M.S. Woodcock
27 Mar, 1901[9] – 1903[Inference] 		Succeeded by
Charles A. W. Wrightson
Preceded by
George C. Quayle 		Captain of H.M.S. Redbreast
14 Apr, 1904[10] – 1 Jan, 1906[11] 		Succeeded by
Walter Hose
Preceded by
Cyril Asser 		Captain of H.M.S. Mohawk
31 May, 1910[12] – 15 Dec, 1910[13] 		Succeeded by
Francis A. W. Buller
Preceded by
William F. Benwell 		Captain of H.M.S. Alert
15 Dec, 1910[14] – 15 Dec, 1912 		Succeeded by
Arthur E. Wood
Preceded by
Alldin U. Moore 		Captain of H.M.S. Spartiate
14 Apr, 1913[15] – 30 Jun, 1913[16] 		Succeeded by
Charles Tibbits
Preceded by
Charles Tibbits 		Captain of H.M.S. Argonaut
30 Jun, 1913[17] – 6 Dec, 1913[18] 		Succeeded by
William D. Church
Preceded by
James R. P. Hawksley 		Captain of H.M.S. Venus
6 Dec, 1913[19] – 27 Dec, 1913[20] 		Succeeded by
Robert G. D. Dewar
Preceded by
Francis C. Brown 		Captain of H.M.S. Sapphire
2 Jul, 1914[21][22] – 29 Oct, 1914[23] 		Succeeded by
Peter W. E. Hill
Preceded by
Gerald W. Vivian 		Captain of H.M.S. Europa
29 Oct, 1914[24][25] – 4 Jun, 1915[26] 		Succeeded by
Maurice S. FitzMaurice
Preceded by
New Command 		Captain of H.M.S. Earl of Peterborough
28 Jun, 1915[27][28] – 1 Jun, 1919[29] 		Succeeded by
Nelson Wheelwright

 

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  2. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  3. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), 17 Oct. 1905, p. 11.
  4. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  5. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  6. ↑ Naval Operations. Volume III. pp. 232, 248, 251.
  7. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  8. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  9. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  10. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  11. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  12. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  13. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  14. ↑ The Navy List. (August, 1912). p. 275.
  15. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  16. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  17. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  18. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  19. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  20. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  21. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  22. ↑ The Navy List. (September, 1914). p. 379.
  23. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  24. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  25. ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 394.
  26. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  27. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.
  28. ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 782.
  29. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/361. f. 361.

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