Herbert Maynard Denny

Commander (retired) Herbert Maynard Denny, D.S.O. (9 April, 1876 – 19 January, 1957) was an officer in the Royal Navy. His service record indicates that he was haphazard in attending to the sort of shipboard upkeep that results in glowing inspection reports.

Life & Career

Denny was awarded six months time on passing out of Britannia in July, 1892 and received his first appointment, to the battleship Royal Sovereign on 19 September.

On 15 June, 1897, Denny was lent to the "A" Class destroyer Antelope for manoeuvres. On 15 July, an inspection of the destroyer by Captain Hammet found the "ship clean", but on the 26th, Captain Henderson found her "v. dirty & untidy." Denny apparently left her upon her paying off at the end of the month. At the end of September, he was appointed to the destroyer H.M.S. Janus.

Denny was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 April, 1899.

On 18 March, 1903 he was appointed to Minotaur as her first Lieutenant.

Denny was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 1 April, 1907 while in command of the "C" Class destroyer Fawn, whom he grounded that year, arousing the Admiralty's "severe displeasure." In August, that ship also received the unusually tepid inspection score of "fair" in the estimation of Rear Admiral (D), Channel Fleet Montgomerie.

Denny was appointed Lieutenant & Commander of the destroyer Albatross in 1909.

Great War

When the war broke out, Denny was serving with the Coast Guard in Sunderland. He was appointed in command of the destroyer Itchen in September, 1914. His time in her would be fraught with accidents: in January, 1915 she collided with a trawler, prompting a caution from the Admiral of Patrols. On 28 January, she collided with the wall of Immingham Dock, eliciting the same mild admonition.

In May, 1915 he was appointed to the monitor M.16, which was approaching completion, to assist on the staff of the Captain Superintendent (of Monitors under Construction?), and to command M 16 upon her completion.

After an illness whose particulars appear to be illegible caused him to be invalided from command of the monitor, Denny was recommended for the rank of Acting Commander on 6 May, 1916. Soon thereafter, he was appointed to H.M.S. Vivid for the gunboat Cockchafer, to take command upon her commissioning.

Appointed in command of the destroyer Doon in mid-1917, Denny would remain in command through the end of the war and be awarded the D.S.O. for his services in convoy escort with the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla during the first half of 1918.

After paying off Doon in December, 1918, Denny was appointed to President IV, additional, as District Officer, Sunderland. He was superseded on 16 January, 1920 and was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Commander on 17 January, 1920.

World War II

Denny relieved Captain Hallifax at the Lancashire and National Sea Training Homes in 1939. It was noted that he would not be called up for other service. On 23 August, 1943, a letter from his wife informed the Admiralty that a malignant tumour had forced him to resign from this position. Denny wrote in September to report that a complete recovery was underway. He returned to work and left in 1945.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Henry C. R. Brocklebank	Captain of H.M.S. Teazer 24 Nov, 1903 – 15 Apr, 1904	Succeeded by Anselan J. B. Stirling
Preceded by Henry W. Osborn	Captain of H.M.S. Wizard 16 Apr, 1904 – 10 Apr, 1906	Succeeded by Anselan J. B. Stirling
Preceded by Anselan J. B. Stirling	Captain of H.M.S. Fawn 10 Apr, 1906 – 22 Sep, 1908	Succeeded by Hubert S. Monroe
Preceded by Arthur M. Stancomb	Captain of H.M.S. Ardent 22 Sep, 1908 – 23 Sep, 1909	Succeeded by Berwick Curtis
Preceded by Hugh T. Prichard	Captain of H.M.S. Albatross 23 Sep, 1909 – May, 1910	Succeeded by Miles B. Birkett
Preceded by Lionel J. G. Anderson	Captain of H.M.S. Ure 20 Jun, 1910 – 14 Mar, 1911	Succeeded by Reginald S. Goff
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Rifleman 14 Mar, 1911 – 31 Jul, 1912	Succeeded by Arthur G. H. Bond
Preceded by Reginald V. Holt	Captain of H.M.S. Itchen Sep, 1914 – 11 May, 1915	Succeeded by Frederic G. Schurr
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. M.16 11 May, 1915 – 16 May, 1916	Succeeded by Barry V. Sturdee
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Cockchafer 8 Jul, 1916 – 12 May, 1917	Succeeded by Gordon L. Simner
Preceded by Kenneth G. Ramsey	Captain of H.M.S. Stour 12 May, 1917 – 11 Jun, 1917	Succeeded by Arthur H. L. Terry
Preceded by Hamilton C. Allen	Captain of H.M.S. Doon 11 Jun, 1917 – Dec, 1918	Succeeded by ?