Difference between revisions of "Lewis Bayly"

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==Captain==
 
==Captain==
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On 31 December, 1899, he was promoted to the rank of {{CaptRN}}.<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/27150/pages/3 no. 27150.  p. 3.]  2 January, 1900.</ref>
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On 31 December, 1899, he was promoted to the rank of {{CaptRN}}.<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/27150/pages/3 no. 27150.  p. 3.]  2 January, 1900.</ref>  On 15 July, 1900, he was appointed Naval Attach&eacute; to the United States and Japan.<ref>ADM 196/39.  f. 84.</ref>
  
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He was appointed to command the {{UK-Talbot|f=t}} on 11 July, 1902,<ref>Bayly Service Record.  The National Archives.  ADM 196/39.  f. 84.</ref> and the {{UK-Queen|f=t}} on 20 November, 1904.<ref>"Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Tuesday, 15 November, 1904.  Issue '''37552''', col C, p. 10.</ref>
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He was appointed to command the {{UK-Talbot|f=t}} on 11 July, 1902.  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.<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28048/pages/5390 no. 28048.  p. 5390.]  6 August, 1907.</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.<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28048/pages/5390 no. 28048.  p. 5390.]  6 August, 1907.</ref>
  
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On 22 March, 1908, Bayly was appointed a [[Naval Aide-de-Camp]] to King Edward VII, vice [[Thomas Philip Walker|Walker]].<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28122/pages/2261 no. 28122.  p. 2261.]  24 March, 1908.</ref>  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>
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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]].<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28122/pages/2261 no. 28122.  p. 2261.]  24 March, 1908.</ref> 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==
 
==Flag Rank==

Revision as of 12:47, 8 November 2013

Admiral SIR Lewis Bayly, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., C.V.O., Royal Navy (28 September, 1857 – 16 May, 1938) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Early Life & Career

Bayly was born at Woolwich 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, and great-great-nephew of Admiral Sir Richard Keats.

Bayly was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 10 August, 1881.[1]

Bayly was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1894.[2]

Captain

On 31 December, 1899, he was promoted to the rank of Captain.[3] On 15 July, 1900, he was appointed Naval Attaché to the United States and Japan.[4]

He was appointed to command the second class protected cruiser Talbot on 11 July, 1902. He paid Talbot off on 12 August, 1904. After a period abroad he was appointed in command of the battleship Queen on 20 November, and assumed command on 8 December. On 5 March, 1905, he was appointed in command of scout cruiser Attentive as Commodore, Second Class in command of Destroyer Flotillas in Home Waters.[5]

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.[6]

Bayly was appointed to the third class protected cruiser Topaze as Commodore, Second Class, in charge of destroyers in commission with full crews, on 20 January, 1908.[7] On 22 March he was appointed a Naval Aide-de-Camp to King Edward VII, vice Walker.[8] He transferred his broad pendant to the first class protected cruiser Blenheim on 26 April. On 27 November he was appointed to Terpsichore with the rank of Commodore, First Class for command of the Royal Naval War College.[9] Edmond J. W. Slade, a predecessor in the post, told George F. King-Hall that "he did not think Bayly a good choice."[10]

Flag Rank

Bayly was promoted to the rank off Rear-Admiral on 2 December, 1908, vice Reynolds.[11]

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.[12] He was invested with the insignia of the order by the King in an investiture at Buckingham Palace on 10 October.[13]

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.).[14]

Upon learning of his appointment to take command of the First Battle Squadron in June 1914, Bayly wrote to First Lord Winston Churchill: "Keep the people across the North Sea quiet till July, then, as soon as you like."[15] On 23 July it was announced that Bayly's tenure in command of the First Battle Squadron would be three years rather than two.[16]

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.[17]

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.[18] 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.[19][20] 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.[21] 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.[19] 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 N. Loxley.[22]

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."[23]

Lord Fisher wrote to Churchill on 23 January: "We have struck oil in Admiral [Robert Nelson] Ommanney. Oliver tells me he knows more abt handling a Fleet than anyone in the Navy! Why is he not in a Battle Squadron then? Put him in place of Warrender—Warrender to Greenwich—Bayly to Monitors—Jerram to Mines like Ommanney—let those ideas germinate!"[24]

On 18 June Jellicoe wrote to Admiral 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."[25]

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.[26] 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 Admiral on 23 October, 1917, vice Carden, placed on the Retired List.[27] 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.).[28] 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.[29]

Retirement

On 1 July, 1919, Bayly was placed on the Retired List at his own request.[30]

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.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 26534. p. 4154. 12 August, 1881.
  2. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 26534. p. 4154. 20 July, 1894.
  3. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 27150. p. 3. 2 January, 1900.
  4. ↑ ADM 196/39. f. 84.
  5. ↑ ADM 196/39. f. 84.
  6. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 28048. p. 5390. 6 August, 1907.
  7. ↑ ADM 196/39. f. 84.
  8. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 28122. p. 2261. 24 March, 1908.
  9. ↑ ADM 196/38. f. 84.
  10. ↑ King-Hall diary entry for 21 November, 1908.
  11. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 28202. p. 9291. 4 December, 1908.
  12. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 28648. p. 7107. 27 September, 1912.
  13. ↑ "Court Circular" (Court and Social). The Times. Friday, 11 October, 1912. Issue 40027, col A, p. 9.
  14. ↑ The Edinburgh Gazette: no. 12630. p. 7. 2 January, 1914.
  15. ↑ Bayly to Churchill, 22 February 1914, CHAR 13/26, Chartwell MSS, Churchill Archive Centre, Churchill College.
  16. ↑ "Second Sea Lord" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 23 July, 1914. Issue 40586, col G, p. 10.
  17. ↑ ADM 196/38. f. 84.
  18. ↑ Carter. The Rise and Fall of Portland Naval Base. p. 75.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Corbett. Naval Operations. II. p. 57.
  20. ↑ The National Archives. ADM 53/6729. Log of H.M.S. Topaze.
  21. ↑ Carter. The Rise and Fall of Portland Naval Base. p. 76.
  22. ↑ Corbett. Naval Operations. II. p. 59.
  23. ↑ Quoted in Gilbert. Winston S. Churchill. Volume III. Companion Part I. p. 427.
  24. ↑ Quoted in Gilbert. Winston S. Churchill. Volume III. Companion Part I. p. 443.
  25. ↑ Jackson Papers. National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth: 255/4/2.
  26. ↑ ADM 196/38. f. 84.
  27. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 30369. p. 11474. 6 November, 1917.
  28. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30723. p. 6530. 3 June, 1918.
  29. ↑ ADM 196/38. f. 101.
  30. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 31433. p. 8390. 4 July, 1919.

Bibliography

  • "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..

See Also

Service Records


Naval Appointments
Preceded by
The Hon. Stanley C. J. Colville 		Rear-Admiral Commanding,
First Cruiser Squadron
1911 – 1913 		Succeeded by
Renamed First Battle Cruiser Squadron

Preceded by
Former First Cruiser Squadron 		Rear-Admiral Commanding,
First Battle Cruiser Squadron
1913 		Succeeded by
David R. Beatty

Preceded by
Sir Cecil Burney 		Vice-Admiral Commanding,
Third Battle Squadron
1913 – 1914 		Succeeded by
Edward E. Bradford

Preceded by
The Hon. Sir Stanley Colville 		Vice-Admiral Commanding,
First Battle Squadron
1914 		Succeeded by
Sir Cecil Burney

Preceded by
Sir Cecil Burney 		Vice-Admiral Commanding,
Channel Fleet
1914 – 1915 		Succeeded by
The Hon. Sir Alexander E. Bethell

Preceded by
The Hon. Sir Alexander E. Bethell 		President of the
Royal Naval College, Greenwich
1915 		Succeeded by
Sir Henry B. Jackson
In 1916

Preceded by
Sir Charles H. Coke 		Senior Officer on the Coast of Ireland, &c.
1915 – 1917 		Succeeded by
Sir Reginald G. O. Tupper
Commander-in-Chief,
Coast of Ireland
1917 – 1919
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