Lawrence D'Oyly Bignell

Captain (retired) Lawrence D'Oyly Bignell, R.N. (29 October, 1883 – 19 July, 1947) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Bignell was born in Ajmer, Rajputana, India.

Bignell gained four months time on passing out of Britannia. He received his first appointment to Centurion on 15 May, 1899.

On 31 March, 1903, Bignell suffered Their Lordships' severe displeasure "for assisting Act Sub Lieuts de Satgé & Rawlings in deserting from Greenwich College." Given the brief description of this misdeed, the punishment seems light, indeed. After failing to obtain even 40% of marks in a course on Hydraulics, he misplaced a confidential book. Things did not seem to improve for him before he was granted a watchkeeping certificate in March, 1905.

Bignell was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 September, 1905.

In November, 1910 he failed to qualify as a signals Lieutenant.

Bignell was appointed in command of the destroyer Flying Fish on 14 August, 1913.

Bignell was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 September, 1913.

He was appointed in command of the destroyer Greyhound on 17 January, 1914.

Great War

Bignell was appointed in command of the destroyer Zulu on 6 September, 1914. His command was suspended briefly in mid-November to early December 1914 by illness, during which time he was replaced by Lt. Cdr. Arthur S. D. George, loaned from Saracen.

Bignell commissioned the new destroyer Talisman in January, 1916 but was invalided on the 19th to Chatham Hospital for anemia. This condition proved somewhat protracted, as he was not declared fit until 7 April, on which date he was appointed in command of the decoy ship Q1. He was fit only briefly when on 20 June he was admitted to Haulbowline hospital for one week due to an abscess on his right foot. He was sent to H.M.S. Vivid on 4 December, 1916, one day after his Q ship was torpedoed and sunk by U 63 in the Mediterranean. On 15 February, 1917, he was appointed in command of the Medea Class destroyer Melampus. Medical complaints would render him unfit for sea service and he spent the first half of 1918 ashore.

On 27 August, 1918, he was appointed in command of the destroyer Orford.

Post-war

Bignell was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1920.

On 1 December, 1920, he was appointed in command of the destroyer Warwick.

After being relieved in command of the "S" Class destroyer Seawolf and moved to half pay, on 12 September 1925, Bignell was scolded for "very high consumption of spirits by himself and other officers" of the Seawolf during his period in command.

Bignell was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Captain on 1 May, 1930.

World War II

Bignell was mobilised on 26 September, 1938, and appointed to Drake, additional for duty with Naval Officer in Charge, Cardiff but this lasted all but one week. In 1939 he was informed that his services could not be used at present.

He was reverted to the Retired List as medically unfit on 2 April, 1942. He would die in 1947 of heart ailments.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Montague R. Bernard	Captain of H.M.S. Flying Fish 14 Aug, 1913 – 3 Dec, 1913	Succeeded by Philip W. S. King
Preceded by Julian H. Woodbridge	Captain of H.M.S. Albacore 3 Dec, 1913 – 17 Jan, 1914	Succeeded by John F. H. Cole
Preceded by Cyril P. Franklin	Captain of H.M.S. Greyhound 17 Jan, 1914 – 6 Sep, 1914	Succeeded by William C. Castle
Preceded by William C. Castle	Captain of H.M.S. Zulu 6 Sep, 1914 – 14 Sep, 1916	Succeeded by Arthur S. D. George
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Milbrook 16 Sep, 1915 – c. Oct, 1915	Succeeded by Charles G. Naylor
Preceded by James F. Dewar	Captain of H.M.S. Nereide Oct, 1915 – Nov, 1915	Succeeded by Charles H. Jones
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Minion Nov, 1915 – c. late Nov, 1915	Succeeded by Henry C. Rawlings
Preceded by Henry C. Rawlings	Captain of H.M.S. Alarm c. late Nov, 1915 – 18 Dec, 1915	Succeeded by Kenneth Cary Helyar
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Talisman 30 Dec, 1915 – c. 19 Jan, 1916[Inference]	Succeeded by John I. Hallett
Preceded by George O. Hewett	Captain of H.M.S. Melampus 15 Feb, 1917 – 16 Aug, 1917	Succeeded by Charles E. H. White
Preceded by Thomas B. Fellowes	Captain of H.M.S. Ophelia 23 Jul, 1918 – 27 Aug, 1918	Succeeded by Hugh J. Woodward
Preceded by John P. Landon	Captain of H.M.S. Orford 27 Aug, 1918 – 12 Mar, 1919	Succeeded by Reginald H. Bunyard
Preceded by Richard L. Hamer	Captain of H.M.S. Rowena 12 Mar, 1919 – 1 Oct, 1919	Succeeded by Percy R. P. Percival
Preceded by Loben E. H. Maund	Captain of H.M.S. Torbay 4 Mar, 1920 – 1 Sep, 1920	Succeeded by Lionel G. Foote
Preceded by Arthur M. Lecky	Captain of H.M.S. Warwick 1 Dec, 1920 – May, 1921	Succeeded by Arthur M. Lecky
Preceded by Kenneth B. Millar	Captain of H.M.S. Velox May, 1921 – 14 Sep, 1922	Succeeded by Kenneth B. Millar
Preceded by Victor L. A. Campbell	Captain of H.M.S. Versatile 14 Sep, 1922 – 21 May, 1923	Succeeded by John Fawcett
Preceded by Edward F. B. Law	Captain of H.M.S. Relentless 10 Jul, 1924 – 21 Aug, 1924	Succeeded by Robert A. Fell
Preceded by Gerald C. Harrison	Captain of H.M.S. Seawolf 16 Jan, 1925 – 26 Aug, 1925	Succeeded by Geoffrey S. Arbuthnot
Preceded by Charles H. Knox-Little	Captain of H.M.S. Serapis 1 Apr, 1926 – Jan, 1927	Succeeded by Percy R. P. Percival
Preceded by Henry I. M. L. Scott	Captain of H.M.S. Tyrian 27 Jul, 1927 – 16 Jan, 1929	Succeeded by Philip G. Wodehouse
Preceded by Frederick L. Cavaye	Captain of H.M.S. Thisbe 1 May, 1929 – 10 Oct, 1929	Succeeded by Alan G. D. Twigg