Cecil Nugent Reyne

Rear-Admiral SIR Cecil Nugent Reyne, K.B.E., Royal Navy (23 December, 1881 – 19 February, 1958) was an officer of the Royal Navy during the First World War.

Early Life and Career

Reyne was born on 23 December, 1881 the second son of Major James Frederick Reyne, The Hampshire Regiment (1834-1890) and Lucy Ann Moss. He entered H.M.S. Britannia in 1895. He first went to sea on the battleship Prince George for the 1897 Diamond Jubilee Fleet Review. As a Midshipman he was appointed to H.M.S. Terrible on 24 March, 1898. He spent time in South Africa during the Second Boer War, and was promoted Acting Sub-Lieutenant on 23 December, 1900. Confirmed in this rank on 29 March, 1902 (with seniority dating back to his acting promotion) Reyne was sent to the gunboat Partridge on 1 April, in which he served on the Cape and West Africa Station.

Promoted to Lieutenant on 23 March, 1903 was reappointed to the Partridge until Reyne was given notice of his appointment to the battleship Cornwallis on 15 March, 1905. On 20 January, 1906 Reyne was selected to join the class of Lieutenants chosen to qualify for Gunnery duties from 19 March of that year. On 29 May, Reyne was presented to King Edward VII at a Levée held at St. James's Palace. The following year, Reyne was appointed to H.M.S. Cambridge for Junior Staff (G) duties on 8 May and instructed to take a gunnery course at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. The following year he was attached to the Royal Naval Barracks, Plymouth and lent for service with the college at Greenwich, dated 5 November, 1907.

On 12 April, 1909 Reyne joined H.M.S. Hannibal on his first ocean-going appointment as a gunnery officer. At the end of 1910, Reyne joined the Queen as gunnery officer on 15 December after the ship's recommissioning. On 7 March, 1913, by this time promoted to Lieutenant-Commander, Reyne became gunnery officer of H.M.S. Dreadnought. He was to remain in this ship as gunnery officer and then as Commander until 1918.

First World War & After

Reyne was Gunnery Officer in Dreadnought until his promotion to Commander on 30 June, 1916, when he became Commander and Executive Officer of the ship. He remained in this position until after the Armistice, when he was appointed Commander in Royal Oak on 18 December, 1918. 17 January, 1921 Reyne was given the position of Squadron Gunnery Officer in the Reserve Fleet. On 12 October, 1917 he had married Gladys Mary Savory, the daughter of Captain H. C. Savory, Seaforth Highlanders, in a ceremony at St. Mary Abbot's, Kensington.

In May 1923, he was appointed in command of the light cruiser Curacoa.

In May 1925, he commissioned the new cruiser Effingham.

On 21 August, 1931, he was appointed to the heavy cruiser Berwick, additional, to take command vice Brodie in September. He'd remain there for ten months.

In July 1932, he was appointed in command of the light cruiser Comus.

In December 1933, he was appointed in command of the light cruiser Caledon.

Second World War

Reyne was called up to assist with the Liverpool Convoy Pool, borne in Eaglet II in September, 1939. He reverted to the Retired List on 5 September, 1945 to receive Class "A" benefits in the rank of Commodore, Second Class.

Bibliography

• "Rear Adml. Sir Cecil Reyne" (Obituaries). The Times. Saturday, 22 February, 1958. Issue 54082, col E, pg. 8.
• Burn, Alan (1999). The Fighting Commodores: The Convoy Commanders in the Second World War. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1557502838.

Service Record

• The National Archives. ADM 196/46. f. 98.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Hugh D. Hamilton	Captain of H.M.S. Forres Mar, 1921 – c. Jun, 1921	Succeeded by The Hon. Eric W. E. Fellowes
Preceded by Stuart S. Bonham-Carter	Captain of H.M.S. Petersfield c. early Jul, 1921 – c. Jun, 1922	Succeeded by Archibald S. May
Preceded by Hugh C. Buckle	Captain of H.M.S. Curacoa 15 May, 1923 – 15 May, 1925	Succeeded by Cecil B. Prickett
Preceded by Francis H. G. Walker	Captain of H.M.S. Effingham 15 May, 1925 – 1925	Succeeded by Noel F. Laurence
Preceded by Noel F. Laurence	Captain of H.M.S. Chatham 1925 – 4 Jan, 1926	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Edmond J. G. Mackinnon	Captain of H.M.S. Cleopatra 29 Dec, 1929 – 27 Jun, 1931	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Arthur W. Brooks	Captain of H.M.S. Cambrian c. Aug, 1930 – 27 Jun, 1931	Succeeded by Guy L. Coleridge
Preceded by Charles G. Brodie	Captain of H.M.S. Berwick Sep, 1931 – Jul, 1932	Succeeded by Cyril G. Sedgwick
Preceded by Edward B. S. Bingham	Captain of H.M.S. Comus 2 Jul, 1932 – Dec, 1933	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Arthur R. Farquhar	Captain of H.M.S. Caledon Dec, 1933 – 2 Jul, 1934	Succeeded by James Powell