Difference between revisions of "Hubert Edward Dannreuther"

From The Dreadnought Project
Jump to navigationJump to search
(add RN/RNR/RNVR categories)
 
(67 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{RearRN}} '''Hubert Edward Dannreuther''', D.S.O., (12 December, 1880 – 12 August, 1977) was an officer of the [[Royal Navy]] during the [[First World War]].
 
{{RearRN}} '''Hubert Edward Dannreuther''', D.S.O., (12 December, 1880 – 12 August, 1977) was an officer of the [[Royal Navy]] during the [[First World War]].
  
−
He was promoted Rear-Admiral on 15 October, 1932 and placed on the Retired List the following day.  He died on 12 August, 1977 at the age of ninety-six in Royal Leamington Spa.
+
==Early Life & Career==
 +
Hubert Edward Dannreuther was born in Bayswater, London, on 12 December, 1880, a son of Edward Dannreuther, professor of music.  His elder brother was [[Tristan Dannreuther]].
  
−
==Footnotes==
+
Dannreuther passed out of {{UK-1Britannia|f=p}} on 15 January, 1897 and embarked on a series of seagoing appointments on the Australia Station.  The first was a year-long appointment to the {{UK-Orlando|f=t}}.  On 10 January, 1898, he moved to the {{UK-RoyalArthur|f=t}} for sixteen more months.  In 1899, he was in {{UK-Katoomba}}, {{UK-Pylades}} and back in ''Royal Arthur''.  He would not return to England until June 1900, taking passage home in {{UK-Europa}}.  He went to college in October 1900, emerging to be appointed to the [[Channel Squadron]]'s {{UK-Arrogant|f=tp}} on 6 January, 1902.<ref>Dannreuther Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/46/29.|}} f. 29.</ref>
−
{{reflist}}
+
 
 +
When ''Arrogant'' paid off in May 1902, Dannreuther was sent to {{UK-Doris}}, to serve in her upon her commissioning, and was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} on 15 October, 1902.{{NLMar13|p. 20}}<ref>Dannreuther Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/46/29.|}} f. 29.</ref>
 +
 
 +
Dannreuther was sent to {{UK-Excellent}} on 1 September 1903 to qualify in gunnery, emerging as Lieutenant (G) on 31 August, 1904.  Eight months spent on the junior gunnery staff on the books of ''Wildfire'' followed.<ref>Dannreuther Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/46/29.|}} f. 29.</ref>
 +
 
 +
In 1905 and 1906 while Lieutenant (G) in {{UK-1Ramillies}}, he built and documented a [[Turret Shooting Teacher]].  It was rejected as being unsuitable, but the creative energy demonstrated in the initiative lauded.  Other innovations included a gunnery control system employing stethoscopes.  By the turn of 1906, he was appointed to {{UK-Albemarle}} and by February was actively investigating optical spotting tools.  Correspondence from [[Carl Zeiss]]'s London office addressed to Dannreuther in ''Albemarle'' discussed their stereo spotting telescopes already being supplied to the Admiralty while a letter from [[W. Ottway & Company]] signed by W. Ottway himself delved into details of that firm's "Wray" spotting scopes, which attempted to judge the distance, short or long, of spotted shellfire from its target.<ref>[[Hubert Dannreuther Papers at the National Maritime Museum#DAN/479|Papers at the National Maritime Museum, DAN/479/1-2]].</ref>
 +
 
 +
He was appointed First and (G) of the battle cruiser {{UK-Invincible}} in August, 1913.  He became just the gunnery officer on 1 January, 1914.
 +
 
 +
==Great War==
 +
He was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} on 31 December, and reappointed to ''Invincible'' in lieu of a Lieutenant (G).
 +
 
 +
On 14 December, 1914, his gunnery work at the [[Battle of the Falkland Islands]] earned him a mention in despatches and a recommendation for promotion from Vice-Admiral [[Frederick Charles Doveton Sturdee, First Baronet|Sturdee]].
 +
 
 +
When ''Invincible'' was destroyed at [[Battle of Jutland|Jutland]] by a magazine explosion, Dannreuther was one of the six survivors.  As Gunnery Officer, he was stationed in the foretop.  When the ship exploded, Dannreuther recalled:
 +
 
 +
<blockquote>She went down with a crash and I was pushed out of her. When I came up to the surface again, I was a bit out of breath and saw a [gunnery practice] target floating by, so I went and got on it, [and] found two other fellows there.  The bow and stern were right up, leaning on the bottom.{{SteelHartJutland1916|p. 233}}</blockquote>
 +
 
 +
Dannreuther and the two ratings on the target were joined by a fourth survivor, {{LieutRN}} [[Cecil Stanley Sandford|Cecil S. Sandford]], ''Invincible'''s Torpedo Lieutenant.{{NLJan15|p. 338}}  They were rescued by the {{UK-Badger|f=t}}.  An officer on ''Badger'' described the rescue:
 +
 
 +
<blockquote>As we neared the wreck we could see the water all around thick with flotsam and jetsam, mainly composed of floating seaman's kitbags, with a few hammocks scattered amongst them.  We also spotted a raft, on which there were four men, and on the bridge they spotted two other survivors in the water.  By orders from the [[Charles Albert Fremantle|Captain]] I lowered and sent away the whaler, with our gunner in charge armed with a service revolver.  The Captain brought the ship alongside the raft, and I waited with the doctor and the armed guard ready to receive German survivors.  Judge of my surprise, when the raft was alongside, to see a Commander, R.N., a Lieutenant, R.N., and two seaman ratings on it.  In my surprise I forgot to dismiss the armed guard, who, no doubt considering that it was that for which they were there, wanted to seize on the unfortunate survivors as we hauled them aboard.  However, I quickly sent the guard away and apologised to the Commander, who only treated it as a good joke.  The Commander was really marvellously self-possessed.  I can hardly understand to this how a man, after going through what he had, could come on board us from the raft as cheerily as if he was simply joining a new ship in the ordinary course of events.  He laughed at the armed guard and assured us that he hadn't a scratch on his whole body, and that he merely – as he put it – stepped into the water when the foretop came down.{{FawcettHooper|p. 249-250}}</blockquote>
 +
 
 +
On 28 June he was appointed to ''Victory'' as Commander of the new battle cruiser {{UK-Renown}}.<ref>Dannreuther Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/46.}} f. 29.</ref>
 +
 
 +
On 15 September he was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.) for his services at Jutland.{{GazSup|29751|9071|15 September, 1916}}
 +
 
 +
==Post-War==
 +
Dannreuther left ''Renown'' on 15 January, 1919, and was appointed to {{UK-Excellent|f=p}}.  He was superseded on 4 August, 1920, having been promoted to the rank of {{CaptRN}} on 30 June.  He was appointed to ''President'' on 10 September for service as Vice-President of the [[Chemical Warfare Committee]].
 +
 
 +
He was appointed in command of the {{UK-Dauntless|f=t}} on 14 October, 1924.<ref>Dannreuther Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/46.}} f. 29.</ref>
 +
 
 +
On 14 January, 1927, he was loaned to the Australian Government and appointed Captain of the Department of Training, and placed in command of a naval depot whose name is not legible.<ref>Dannreuther Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/46.}} f. 29.</ref>
 +
 
 +
He was promoted to the rank of {{RearRN}} on 15 October, 1932, and placed on the Retired List the following day, in accordance with the provisions of the [[Order in Council of 9 March, 1914]].  He died on 12 August, 1977, at the age of ninety-six, in Royal Leamington Spa.
 +
 
 +
==See Also==
 +
{{refbegin}}
 +
{{WP|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubert_Edward_Dannreuther}}
 +
*[http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80019732 Recording in the possession of the Imperial War Museum.]
 +
{{refend}}
  
 
==Bibliography==
 
==Bibliography==
 
{{refbegin}}
 
{{refbegin}}
−
*"Rear-Admiral H. E. Dannreuther" (Obituaries).  ''The Times''.  Tuesday, 16 August, 1977.  Issue '''60083''', col G, pg. 12.
+
*"Rear-Admiral H. E. Dannreuther" (Obituaries).  ''The Times''.  Tuesday, 16 August, 1977.  Issue '''60083''', col G, p. 12.
 +
*[http://collections.rmg.co.uk/archive/objects/486529.html Papers in the possession of the National Maritime Museum.]  For a more detailed list see [[Hubert Dannreuther Papers at the National Maritime Museum]].
 +
*[http://collections.rmg.co.uk/archive/objects/464098.html Uncatalogued papers in the possession of the National Maritime Museum.]
 +
{{refend}}
 +
 
 +
==Service Records==
 +
{{refbegin}}
 +
*{{TNA|ADM 196/142.|D8121662}}
 +
*{{TNA|ADM 196/125.|D8119571}}
 +
*{{TNA|ADM 196/91.|D8115996}}
 +
*{{TNA|ADM 196/46.|D7603536}}
 
{{refend}}
 
{{refend}}
  
−
==Recordings==
 
−
*[http://www.iwmcollections.org.uk/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?AC=GET_RECORD&XC=/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll&BU=http://www.iwmcollections.org.uk/qrySound.php&TN=Uncat&SN=AUTO1901&SE=739&RN=0&MR=25&TR=0&TX=1000&ES=0&CS=1&XP=&RF=sndResults&EF=&DF=sndDetails&RL=0&EL=0&DL=0&NP=1&ID=&MF=WPENGMSG.INI&MQ=&TI=0&DT=&ST=0&IR=32314&NR=0&NB=0&SV=0&BG=0&FG=0&QS= Recording in the possession of the Imperial War Museum]
 
  
−
==Service Record==
+
<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
−
*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=7919088&queryType=1&resultcount=1 ADM 196/46]
+
{{TabNaval}}
 +
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Edward Alexander Dimsdale Masterman|Edward A. D. Masterman]]'''|'''[[H.M. T.B. 42 (1885)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 42]]'''<br>16 Jul, 1901{{ToL|The Naval Manoeuvres|Thursday, July 11, 1901, Issue 36504, p.8}}|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Arthur Horace Walker|Arthur T. Walker]]'''}}
 +
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[Chemical Warfare Committee|Vice-President of the Chemical Warfare Committee]]'''<br>10 Sep, 1920<ref>Dannreuther Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/46.}} f. 29.</ref> &ndash; 7 Aug, 1923<ref>Dannreuther Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/46.}} f. 29.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Cecil Vivian Usborne|Cecil V. Usborne]]'''}}
 +
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Charles Wolfran Round-Turner|Charles W. Round-Turner]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Dauntless (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Dauntless'']]'''<br>14 Oct, 1924<ref>Dannreuther Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/46.}} f. 29.</ref> &ndash; Oct, 1926<ref>Dannreuther Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/46.}} f. 29.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Stephen Dowell Tillard|Stephen D. Tillard]]'''}}
 +
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Noel Frank Laurence|Noel F. Laurence]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Eagle (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Eagle'']]'''<br>18 Oct, 1929{{NLJul31|p. 234}} &ndash; 1931{{MackieRNW}}|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Humphrey Maurice Robson|Humphrey M. Robson]]'''}}
 +
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Alexander Robert Maule Ramsay|The Hon. Alexander R. M. Ramsay]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Victory (1765)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Victory'']]'''<br>2 Nov, 1931<ref>Dannreuther Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/46/29.|}} f. 29.</ref> &ndash; 4 Oct, 1932<ref>Dannreuther Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/46/29.|}} f. 29.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[William Keith Dene Dowding|William K. D. Dowding]]'''}}
 +
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Alexander Robert Maule Ramsay|The Hon. Alexander R. M. Ramsay]]'''|'''[[Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth|Commodore-in-Command, Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth]]'''<br>2 Nov, 1931<ref>Dannreuther Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/46.}} f. 29.</ref> &ndash; 4 Oct, 1932<ref>Dannreuther Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/46.}} f. 29.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[James Fownes Somerville|James F. Somerville]]'''}}
 +
{{TabEnd}}
 +
</div name=fredbot:appts> 
 +
 
 +
==Footnotes==
 +
{{reflist}}
 +
 
 +
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dannreuther, Hubert Edward}}
 +
 
 +
{{CatPerson|UK|1880|1977}}
 +
{{CatBritannia|January, 1895}}
 +
{{CatGunneryOfficer|UK}}
 +
{{CatRear|UK}}
  
−
[[Category:1880 births|Dannreuther]]
+
[[Category:Royal Navy Officers Educated at Stubbington House School]]
−
[[Category:1977 deaths|Dannreuther]]
+
{{CatRN}}
−
[[Category:Personalities|Dannreuther]]
 
−
[[Category:Royal Navy Gunnery Officers|Dannreuther]]
 
−
[[Category:Royal Navy Rear-Admirals|Dannreuther]]
 
−
[[Category:Royal Navy Flag Officers|Dannreuther]]
 

Latest revision as of 22:40, 6 April 2022

Rear-Admiral Hubert Edward Dannreuther, D.S.O., (12 December, 1880 – 12 August, 1977) was an officer of the Royal Navy during the First World War.

Early Life & Career

Hubert Edward Dannreuther was born in Bayswater, London, on 12 December, 1880, a son of Edward Dannreuther, professor of music. His elder brother was Tristan Dannreuther.

Dannreuther passed out of H.M.S. Britannia on 15 January, 1897 and embarked on a series of seagoing appointments on the Australia Station. The first was a year-long appointment to the armoured cruiser Orlando. On 10 January, 1898, he moved to the first class protected cruiser Royal Arthur for sixteen more months. In 1899, he was in Katoomba, Pylades and back in Royal Arthur. He would not return to England until June 1900, taking passage home in Europa. He went to college in October 1900, emerging to be appointed to the Channel Squadron's second class protected cruiser H.M.S. Arrogant on 6 January, 1902.[1]

When Arrogant paid off in May 1902, Dannreuther was sent to Doris, to serve in her upon her commissioning, and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 October, 1902.[2][3]

Dannreuther was sent to Excellent on 1 September 1903 to qualify in gunnery, emerging as Lieutenant (G) on 31 August, 1904. Eight months spent on the junior gunnery staff on the books of Wildfire followed.[4]

In 1905 and 1906 while Lieutenant (G) in Ramillies, he built and documented a Turret Shooting Teacher. It was rejected as being unsuitable, but the creative energy demonstrated in the initiative lauded. Other innovations included a gunnery control system employing stethoscopes. By the turn of 1906, he was appointed to Albemarle and by February was actively investigating optical spotting tools. Correspondence from Carl Zeiss's London office addressed to Dannreuther in Albemarle discussed their stereo spotting telescopes already being supplied to the Admiralty while a letter from W. Ottway & Company signed by W. Ottway himself delved into details of that firm's "Wray" spotting scopes, which attempted to judge the distance, short or long, of spotted shellfire from its target.[5]

He was appointed First and (G) of the battle cruiser Invincible in August, 1913. He became just the gunnery officer on 1 January, 1914.

Great War

He was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, and reappointed to Invincible in lieu of a Lieutenant (G).

On 14 December, 1914, his gunnery work at the Battle of the Falkland Islands earned him a mention in despatches and a recommendation for promotion from Vice-Admiral Sturdee.

When Invincible was destroyed at Jutland by a magazine explosion, Dannreuther was one of the six survivors. As Gunnery Officer, he was stationed in the foretop. When the ship exploded, Dannreuther recalled:

She went down with a crash and I was pushed out of her. When I came up to the surface again, I was a bit out of breath and saw a [gunnery practice] target floating by, so I went and got on it, [and] found two other fellows there. The bow and stern were right up, leaning on the bottom.[6]

Dannreuther and the two ratings on the target were joined by a fourth survivor, Lieutenant Cecil S. Sandford, Invincible's Torpedo Lieutenant.[7] They were rescued by the destroyer Badger. An officer on Badger described the rescue:

As we neared the wreck we could see the water all around thick with flotsam and jetsam, mainly composed of floating seaman's kitbags, with a few hammocks scattered amongst them. We also spotted a raft, on which there were four men, and on the bridge they spotted two other survivors in the water. By orders from the Captain I lowered and sent away the whaler, with our gunner in charge armed with a service revolver. The Captain brought the ship alongside the raft, and I waited with the doctor and the armed guard ready to receive German survivors. Judge of my surprise, when the raft was alongside, to see a Commander, R.N., a Lieutenant, R.N., and two seaman ratings on it. In my surprise I forgot to dismiss the armed guard, who, no doubt considering that it was that for which they were there, wanted to seize on the unfortunate survivors as we hauled them aboard. However, I quickly sent the guard away and apologised to the Commander, who only treated it as a good joke. The Commander was really marvellously self-possessed. I can hardly understand to this how a man, after going through what he had, could come on board us from the raft as cheerily as if he was simply joining a new ship in the ordinary course of events. He laughed at the armed guard and assured us that he hadn't a scratch on his whole body, and that he merely – as he put it – stepped into the water when the foretop came down.[8]

On 28 June he was appointed to Victory as Commander of the new battle cruiser Renown.[9]

On 15 September he was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.) for his services at Jutland.[10]

Post-War

Dannreuther left Renown on 15 January, 1919, and was appointed to H.M.S. Excellent. He was superseded on 4 August, 1920, having been promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June. He was appointed to President on 10 September for service as Vice-President of the Chemical Warfare Committee.

He was appointed in command of the light cruiser Dauntless on 14 October, 1924.[11]

On 14 January, 1927, he was loaned to the Australian Government and appointed Captain of the Department of Training, and placed in command of a naval depot whose name is not legible.[12]

He was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 15 October, 1932, and placed on the Retired List the following day, in accordance with the provisions of the Order in Council of 9 March, 1914. He died on 12 August, 1977, at the age of ninety-six, in Royal Leamington Spa.

See Also

Bibliography

Service Records


Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Edward A. D. Masterman 		Captain of H.M. T.B. 42
16 Jul, 1901[13] 		Succeeded by
Arthur T. Walker
Preceded by
? 		Vice-President of the Chemical Warfare Committee
10 Sep, 1920[14] – 7 Aug, 1923[15] 		Succeeded by
Cecil V. Usborne
Preceded by
Charles W. Round-Turner 		Captain of H.M.S. Dauntless
14 Oct, 1924[16] – Oct, 1926[17] 		Succeeded by
Stephen D. Tillard
Preceded by
Noel F. Laurence 		Captain of H.M.S. Eagle
18 Oct, 1929[18] – 1931[19] 		Succeeded by
Humphrey M. Robson
Preceded by
The Hon. Alexander R. M. Ramsay 		Captain of H.M.S. Victory
2 Nov, 1931[20] – 4 Oct, 1932[21] 		Succeeded by
William K. D. Dowding
Preceded by
The Hon. Alexander R. M. Ramsay 		Commodore-in-Command, Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth
2 Nov, 1931[22] – 4 Oct, 1932[23] 		Succeeded by
James F. Somerville

 

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Dannreuther Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/29. f. 29.
  2. ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 20.
  3. ↑ Dannreuther Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/29. f. 29.
  4. ↑ Dannreuther Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/29. f. 29.
  5. ↑ Papers at the National Maritime Museum, DAN/479/1-2.
  6. ↑ Jutland 1916. p. 233.
  7. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 338.
  8. ↑ Fawcett & Hooper. The Fighting at Jutland. p. 249-250.
  9. ↑ Dannreuther Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46. f. 29.
  10. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29751. p. 9071. 15 September, 1916.
  11. ↑ Dannreuther Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46. f. 29.
  12. ↑ Dannreuther Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46. f. 29.
  13. ↑ "The Naval Manoeuvres." The Times (London, England), Thursday, July 11, 1901, Issue 36504, p.8.
  14. ↑ Dannreuther Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46. f. 29.
  15. ↑ Dannreuther Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46. f. 29.
  16. ↑ Dannreuther Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46. f. 29.
  17. ↑ Dannreuther Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46. f. 29.
  18. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1931). p. 234.
  19. ↑ Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
  20. ↑ Dannreuther Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/29. f. 29.
  21. ↑ Dannreuther Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/29. f. 29.
  22. ↑ Dannreuther Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46. f. 29.
  23. ↑ Dannreuther Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46. f. 29.

Retrieved from "http://dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php?title=Hubert_Edward_Dannreuther&oldid=324235"