William Lowther Grant

Admiral Sir W. Lowther Grant as a Vice-Admiral, 1918.
Portrait: Francis Dodd. © IWM (Art.IWM ART 1740).

Admiral SIR William Lowther Grant, K.C.B., Royal Navy (10 November, 1864 – 30 January, 1929) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

At the examination for Naval Cadetships, Grant placed twenty-third out of the successful batch of forty-six.

Grant was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant with seniority of 10 May, 1884, under Circular 1 N of 1 February, 1884.

He was appointed in command of the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 32 on 7 July, 1887, for manoeuvres.

In June, 1896, Grant was commended for his "zeal and ability" in preparing a report on trials of a Howell Torpedo at Newport, Rhode Island.

In March, 1897, Grant was appointed in command of the torpedo cruiser Tartar, but he was only there for a single month before being appointed as first lieutenant in Crescent. Promotion to the rank of Commander was posted on 22 June, 1897.

Captain

Grant was specially promoted to the rank of Captain on 21 October, 1900, for services in South Africa.

Grant was appointed in command of the elderly Monarch in May, 1902.

He was appointed in command of Sutlej in November, 1904.

He assumed command of the first class protected cruiser Hawke in May, 1905.

Grant was appointed in command of the Cornwallis on 14 January, 1907.

Grant was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 26 October, 1909, vice Fisher. He was just under the age of forty-five when promoted. At Sheerness on 9 August, 1910 Grant succeeded Rear-Admiral T. H. Martyn Jerram as Rear-Admiral for special service with the Vice-Admiral Commanding the Third and Fourth Divisions of the Home Fleet. On the occasion of King George V's coronation he was appointed an Additional Member of the Third Class, or Companion, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.) on 19 June, 1911. He was relieved at Sheerness on 2 November by Rear-Admiral Charles H. Dundas of Dundas.

Great War

Admiral William L. Grant as a Vice-Admiral, 1917.
Portrait: © National Portrait Gallery, London.

For the mobilisation of the Third Fleet in the Summer of 1914, Grant was given command of the Sixth Cruiser Squadron, flying his flag in the Good Hope. On 1 August, 1914, Grant hoisted his flag in Drake, again in command of the Sixth Cruiser Squadron.

On 15 July, 1915, Grant was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral, vice Moggridge. On 27 July he was appointed Commander-in-Chief on the China Station and assumed command on 24 September.

On 1 January, 1917, Grant 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.).

On 7 January, 1918, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief on the North America and West Indies Station.

Grant was promoted to the rank of Admiral on 1 September, 1918, vice Bethell.

He struck his flag as Commander-in-Chief on 8 February, 1919. His service record contains an effusive note of appreciation from the American Secretary of the Navy expressing his "sincere regret" at the departure of "this talented and gifted officer."

Grant was placed on the Retired List "at his own request to facilitate the promotion of younger officers" on 24 March, 1920.

See Also

• Wikipedia

Bibliography

• "Admiral Sir Lowther Grant" (Obituaries). The Times. Thursday, 31 January, 1929. Issue 45115, col D, p. 14.

Service Records

• The National Archives. ADM 196/87.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/42.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/20.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M. T.B. 32 7 Jul, 1887 – 19 Aug, 1887	Succeeded by Bertie A. Cator
Preceded by Lewis Bayly	Captain of H.M. T.B. 80 11 Jul, 1893 – 17 Aug, 1893	Succeeded by Charles E. Madden
Preceded by Frederick G. Stopford	Captain of H.M.S. Tartar 2 Mar, 1897 – 7 Apr, 1897	Succeeded by John T. White
Preceded by Reginald C. Prothero	Captain of H.M.S. Doris 4 Jan, 1901 – 16 Mar, 1901	Succeeded by Frederick R. W. Morgan
Preceded by Charles H. Bayly	Captain of H.M.S. Monarch 5 May, 1902	Succeeded by Cunningham R. de C. Foot
Preceded by ?	Naval Adviser to the Army Council 7 Oct, 1902	Succeeded by Richard P. F. Purefoy
Preceded by Richard B. Farquhar	Naval Adviser to the Inspector-General of Fortifications 7 Oct, 1902	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Robert H. Johnston Stewart	Captain of H.M.S. Sutlej 19 Nov, 1904 – 14 May, 1906	Succeeded by Francis S. Miller
Preceded by Francis S. Miller	Captain of H.M.S. Hawke 15 May, 1906 – 13 Jan, 1907	Succeeded by Drury St. A. Wake
Preceded by Charles H. Coke	Captain of H.M.S. Cornwallis 14 Jan, 1907 – 3 Jun, 1908	Succeeded by William H. Baker-Baker
Preceded by Herbert G. King-Hall	Head of Foreign Division 25 Jun, 1908 – 20 Dec, 1909	Succeeded by Thomas Jackson
Preceded by Dudley R. S. de Chair as Rear-Admiral Commanding, Sixth Cruiser Squadron	Rear-Admiral Commanding, Mediterranean Cruiser Squadron 1 Aug, 1914 – 12 Mar, 1915	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by William C. Pakenham as Rear-Admiral Commanding, Third Cruiser Squadron	Vice-Admiral Commanding, Third Cruiser Squadron 11 Mar, 1915 – 28 Jul, 1915	Succeeded by Montague E. Browning as Rear-Admiral Commanding, Third Cruiser Squadron
Preceded by Sir T. H. Martyn Jerram	Commander-in-Chief, China Station 28 Jul, 1915 – 25 Oct, 1917	Succeeded by Sir Frederick C. T. Tudor
Preceded by Sir Montague E. Browning	Commander-in-Chief, North America and West Indies Station 7 Jan, 1918 – Jan, 1919	Succeeded by Morgan Singer