Charles Langdale Ottley

Rear-Admiral SIR Charles Langdale Ottley, K.C.M.G., C.B., M.V.O., Royal Navy (8 February, 1858 – 24 September, 1932) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Early Life & Career

In July, 1871, Ottley was ranked second in order of merit of thirty-five candidates accepted as Naval Cadets following the entrance examinations.

Ottley was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant with seniority of 8 December, 1879.

He was appointed to Vernon on 19 May, 1884 as a torpedo Lieutenant.

Ottley was thanked for assigning a patent to the War Office for "Improvements in Mooring Submarine Mines" without stipulating a reward for himself.

Ottley was appointed Torpedo Lieutenant of the battleship Victoria, flag ship on the Mediterranean Station, on 14 November, 1889.

Ottley was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1892.

Captain

He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 1 January, 1899.

On the occasion of King Edward VII's visit to Paris, Ottley was appointed a Member of the Fourth Class of the Royal Victorian Order (M.V.O.) on 4 May, 1903.

He was appointed a Naval Aide-de-Camp to the King on 1 June, 1907, vice Rich.

In accordance with the provisions of the Order in Council of 22 February, 1870, Ottley was placed on the Retired List with permission to assume the rank of Rear-Admiral on 15 June, 1908.

Winston Churchill had evidently offered him a prominent position in the proposed Admiralty War Staff, for Ottley, referring to his "flattering proposal," replied, "I can only say that I shall do exactly what is held to be best for the public interest, I think the fact that I am on the retired list is a very serious disability, and the only justifiable ground for appointing me to such a position would be that no naval officer of the active list could possibly spare enough time from service afloat to do justice to the appointment."

Kathleen Margaret, his widow, died in Bath on 4 February, 1940 aged sixty-seven.

Bibliography

• "Rear-Admiral Sir C. L. Ottley" (Obituaries). The Times. Monday, 26 September, 1932. Issue 46248, col A, pg. 17.

Service Records

• The National Archives. ADM 196/39.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/20.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Arthur Dodgson	Captain of H.M. T.B. 80 18 Jul, 1889 – 7 Sep, 1889	Succeeded by Lewis Bayly
Preceded by Edward A. Salwey	Captain of H.M. T.B. 43 6 May, 1892	Succeeded by Arthur B. F. Dawson
Preceded by William H. Hall	Captain of H.M.S. Vernon 11 Jul, 1893 – 22 Aug, 1893	Succeeded by Baldwin W. Walker
Preceded by Frederick S. Vander-Meulen	Captain of H.M.S. Devastation 5 Dec, 1893 – 1894	Succeeded by William M. Lang
Preceded by Joseph Honner	Captain of H.M.S. Nymphe 11 Jan, 1897 – 17 Jul, 1899	Succeeded by Richard B. Farquhar
Preceded by ?	Royal Navy Naval Attaché at Tokyo Jul, 1899 – after Apr, 1901	Succeeded by Thomas Jackson
Preceded by Henry B. Jackson	Royal Navy Naval Attaché at Paris after Apr, 1901 – 24 Jun, 1904	Succeeded by Frederick R. W. Morgan
Preceded by Charles J. Briggs	Head of Mobilisation Division 24 Dec, 1904	Succeeded by Cecil E. E. Carey
Preceded by H.S.H. Prince Louis of Battenberg	Director of Naval Intelligence 1 Feb, 1905	Succeeded by Herbert G. King-Hall