Difference between revisions of "David Richard Beatty, First Earl Beatty"
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He had apparently asked the [[Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty]], Captain [[Ernest Charles Thomas Troubridge|Ernest C. T. Troubridge]], to be considered for a number of positions, for on 5 July Troubridge wrote to him about his choices. He had evidently asked to be Rear-Admiral Second-in-Command in either the First or Second Divisions of the Home Fleet, or to succeed Rear-Admiral [[Herbert Goodenough King-Hall|Herbert G. King-Hall]] as Director of Naval Mobilisation at the Admiralty: | He had apparently asked the [[Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty]], Captain [[Ernest Charles Thomas Troubridge|Ernest C. T. Troubridge]], to be considered for a number of positions, for on 5 July Troubridge wrote to him about his choices. He had evidently asked to be Rear-Admiral Second-in-Command in either the First or Second Divisions of the Home Fleet, or to succeed Rear-Admiral [[Herbert Goodenough King-Hall|Herbert G. King-Hall]] as Director of Naval Mobilisation at the Admiralty: | ||
− | <blockquote>You want:<br><br>1st Division H.F. vice [[Richard Henry Peirse|Peirse]] Jan 12<br><br>or<br><br>2nd Division H.F. vice [[George Edwin Patey|Patey]] Oct 11<br><br>[[Naval Mobilisation Department (Royal Navy)|Director of Mobilisation]] - when vacant.</ | + | <blockquote>You want:<br><br>1st Division H.F. vice [[Richard Henry Peirse|Peirse]] Jan 12<br><br>or<br><br>2nd Division H.F. vice [[George Edwin Patey|Patey]] Oct 11<br><br>[[Naval Mobilisation Department (Royal Navy)|Director of Mobilisation]] - when vacant.</blockquote> |
"Your not wanting the IIIrd Division or Atlantic has rather narrowed the choice, it must be admitted," wrote Troubridge, "and the business of the other post [Director of Naval Mobilisation] is so far in the future that I am at somewhat at a loss to give you any reply."<ref>''Beatty Papers''. '''I'''. p. 32.</ref> On 25 July Beatty wrote to the First Lord, [[Reginald McKenna]], apologising for the delay in replying to his letter of the 21st (he had been "up North"), and: | "Your not wanting the IIIrd Division or Atlantic has rather narrowed the choice, it must be admitted," wrote Troubridge, "and the business of the other post [Director of Naval Mobilisation] is so far in the future that I am at somewhat at a loss to give you any reply."<ref>''Beatty Papers''. '''I'''. p. 32.</ref> On 25 July Beatty wrote to the First Lord, [[Reginald McKenna]], apologising for the delay in replying to his letter of the 21st (he had been "up North"), and: |
Revision as of 11:43, 5 August 2011
Admiral of the Fleet THE RIGHT HONOURABLE David Richard Beatty, First Earl Beatty, G.C.B., O.M., G.C.V.O., P.C., Royal Navy (17 January, 1871 – 11 March, 1936) was an officer of the Royal Navy.
Early Life & Career
Beatty was born David Richard Beatty on 17 January, 1871 at Howbeck Lodge, Stapeley, in the Registration District of Nantwich, in the County of Chester. His birth was registered on 17 February.[1] He was the second of four sons of Captain David Longfield Beatty (1841–1904), of the Fourth Hussars, and his first wife, Catherine Edith (d. 1896), daughter of Nicholas Sadlier of Dunboyne Castle, County Meath, Ireland. David Richard and his elder brother Charles were both born out of wedlock, as David Longfield Beatty and Catherine Sadlier were not married until nearly six months after David Richard was born.[2]
On 28 January, 1892, he was confirmed in the rank of Sub-Lieutenant, dated 14 May, 1890.[3] On 25 August, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.[4]
A fellow officer in Trafalgar, Lieutenant Sydney Fremantle, later recalled of Beatty:
We had some enjoyable shooting trips together. He was a conscientious officer who never failed in his duties and obligations, but showed little interest in the Service outside his immediate functions, and when our ship was at Malta distinguished himself as a member of the naval polo team.[5]
On 18 November, 1896, Beatty was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.) for his services in the Sudan.[6] He was specially promoted to the rank of Commander on 15 November, 1898, aged twenty-seven years, nine months, and twenty-nine days.[7]
For his service in China he was promoted to the rank of Captain on 9 November, 1900, aged just twenty-nine.[8] C. S. Forester was later to claim, and Andrew Gordon to repeat, that the average age of officers promoted Captain at the time was forty-two.[9] Actually the average of forty-two was for 1899, and with Beatty's promotion the average age in 1900 was forty years and seven months. Apart from a slight rise in 1901 the average would be forty or thirty-nine years old for the next decade.[10]
Captain
Beatty was succeeded in command of Suffolk by Captain Rosslyn E. Wemyss. According to Lady Wester Wemyss, Sir John Fisher had laughingly described Suffolk as "the worst ship in the navy,"[11] and upon taking command Wemyss had supposedly "found the ship plunged in the deepest gloom, the officers discontented, the men unwilling."[12]
At a gathering of the Home Fleet at Cromarty in 1909, Beatty complained to his wife, "Many admirals, and not one that inspires a great deal of confidence, this is private, unless it be Prince Louis, and his national or birth qualifications are against him."[13]
Beatty had reached the top of the Captains' list without the necessary six years' of peacetime service, and an Order-in-Council was promulgated on 2 December, 1909 sanctioning Beatty's promotion to Flag rank, the regulations notwithstanding.[14] No-one has yet offered a satisfactory reason as to why this privilege was granted Beatty. Roskill merely comments that the Order-in-Council was "exceptional proof of the high regard in which he [Beatty] was held."[15] That explanation which Professor Lambert proffers, that "Beatty was a very good seaman, [who] had commanded four ships and had nothing left to prove,"[16] is utterly unconvincing. Hundreds of Beatty's contemporaries on the Captains' list were in command of ships. Many would be retired for age or for lack of sea time, of whom there must have been some who had shown promise. Why was Beatty extended such extraordinary treatment? This mystery notwithstanding, he was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 1 January, 1910, vice Cross, promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral.[17]
Flag Rank
He attended the June, 1911 War Course, where he placed fifth out of seven Rear-Admirals. He was judged to be "Well set, an excellent example to the juniors. Smart and able, apt to be rash in conclusion".[18] 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.[19]
He had apparently asked the Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty, Captain Ernest C. T. Troubridge, to be considered for a number of positions, for on 5 July Troubridge wrote to him about his choices. He had evidently asked to be Rear-Admiral Second-in-Command in either the First or Second Divisions of the Home Fleet, or to succeed Rear-Admiral Herbert G. King-Hall as Director of Naval Mobilisation at the Admiralty:
You want:
1st Division H.F. vice Peirse Jan 12
or
2nd Division H.F. vice Patey Oct 11
Director of Mobilisation - when vacant.
"Your not wanting the IIIrd Division or Atlantic has rather narrowed the choice, it must be admitted," wrote Troubridge, "and the business of the other post [Director of Naval Mobilisation] is so far in the future that I am at somewhat at a loss to give you any reply."[20] On 25 July Beatty wrote to the First Lord, Reginald McKenna, apologising for the delay in replying to his letter of the 21st (he had been "up North"), and:
I thank you for the time to think it over which you kindly gave and regret extremely that I am unable to accept the offer of the 2nd in Command of the Atlantic Fleet. As I informed your Private Secretary in the course of several conversations I was ready for service anywhere at the Admiralty or at sea where there was work to do and experience to be gained. But preferably a sea appointment — and being invited by him where, I as early as the beginning of March, asked that my name might be listed for the Home Fleet, where the greatest experience afloat is to be gained, where the work is continuous. I was given to understand that this was quite like to be favourably considered and I stood as good a chance as any and that my seniority would be about right. I have always stated that the one appointment I did not wish to be considered for was that of 2nd in Command Atlantic Fleet. There the work to be done and experience to be gained is of the minimum quality & a Rear-Admiral with a nominal squadron of 6 ships frequently reduced to 5 and even 4 ships, has absolutely nothing to do and occupy himself with — except a study of naval history.[21]
Beatty was rescued from half pay by Winston Churchill's becoming First Lord of the Admiralty in late 1911. Fisher gave Churchill a list and told him, "you have heaps of time to choose and it must be a personal choice."[22] Churchill selected Beatty. According to Admiral Sir Dudley de Chair, when Beatty met Churchill the latter said, "You seem very young to be an admiral." To which Beatty replied, "And you seem very young to be First Lord of the Admiralty."[23]
Churchill's approbation led to Beatty's taking temporary command of the Sixth Cruiser Squadron, with his flag in Aboukir for the fleet manoeuvres of July 1912.
The Battle Cruiser Squadron, 1913-1914
On the occasion of King George V's birthday Beatty 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 22 June, 1914.[24]
Great War
On 9 August, 1915, Beatty was confirmed in the rank of Vice-Admiral.[25]
Jutland & After
On 15 September he was appointed an Additional Member of the First Class, or Knight Grand Cross, in the Military Division of the Order of the Bath (G.C.B.) dated 31 May.[26]
Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet, 1916–1919
Asquith wrote to Balfour on 20 November of a successor to Jellicoe, "I quite realise the difficulty of taking him at this moment from the Grand Fleet, especially as his only possible successor in the command (I am sure you would agree) from the combatant point of view is Beatty, who, with all his fine fighting qualities, is yet comparatively untried in the domain of fleet administration on a large scale."[27]
On 1 January, 1919, Beatty was confirmed in the rank of Admiral, with seniority of 27 November, 1916 while holding command of the Grand Fleet.[28]
First Sea Lord, 1919–1927
On 18 October, 1919, Beatty was granted an Earldom of the United Kingdom, with the courtesy titles Baron Beatty of the North Sea, and of Brooksby in the County of Leicester, and Viscount Borodale of Wexford in the County of Wexford.[29]
Beatty's Service
Chronological Record of Services of Admiral of the Fleet Earl Beatty[30] Ship Rank Period of Service Remarks From To Britannia Naval Cadet 15 January, 1884 14 January, 1886 Alexandra Naval Cadet 15 January, 1886 14 May, 1886 Alexandra Midshipman 15 May, 1886 20 July, 1888 Cruiser Midshipman 21 July, 1888 20 October, 1888 Alexandra Midshipman 21 October, 1888 19 March, 1889 Duke of Wellington Midshipman 20 March, 1889 14 September, 1889 Ruby Midshipman 15 September, 1889 13 May, 1890 Ruby Sub-Lieutenant 14 May, 1890 15 May, 1890 Duke of Wellington Sub-Lieutenant 16 May, 1890 10 June, 1890 Ruby Sub-Lieutenant 11 June, 1890 31 August, 1890 Duke of Wellington Sub-Lieutenant 1 September, 1890 1 September, 1890 Excellent Sub-Lieutenant 2 September, 1890 13 January, 1892 Victory II Sub-Lieutenant 14 January, 1892 4 February, 1892 Nile Sub-Lieutenant 5 February, 1892 6 July, 1892 Victoria and Albert Sub-Lieutenant 7 July, 1892 30 August, 1892 Ruby Lieutenant
(Seniority of 25 August, 1892)31 August, 1892 30 September, 1893 Camperdown Lieutenant 1 October, 1893 2 October, 1895 Trafalgar Lieutenant 3 October, 1895 18 May, 1896 Victory I Lieutenant 19 May, 1896 2 June, 1896 Egyptian Government Lieutenant 3 June, 1896 19 November, 1896 Half Pay Victory III for Ranger
in commandLieutenant 9 January, 1897 30 June, 1897 Egyptian Government Lieutenant 1 July, 1897 24 October, 1898 Half Pay — Commander 15 November, 1898 Barfleur Commander 20 April, 1899 12 September, 1900 Wounded Duke of Wellington Commander 13 September, 1900 30 September, 1900 — Captain 9 November, 1900 Half Pay Juno Captain 2 June, 1902 17 December, 1902 Half Pay Arrogant Captain 3 November, 1903 29 September, 1904 Diana Captain 30 September, 1904 11 October, 1904 Mars Captain 12 October, 1904 24 October, 1904 Suffolk Captain 25 October, 1904 19 September, 1905 Victory I Captain 20 September, 1905 14 October, 1905
Half PayNaval Adviser to the Army Council Captain 21 December, 1906 14 December, 1908 Queen Captain 15 December, 1908 3 January, 1910 Half Pay Naval Secretary to the First Lord Rear-Admiral
(Seniority of 1 January, 1910)8 January, 1912 1 July, 1912 Aboukir (Sixth Cruiser Squadron) Rear-Admiral 2 July, 1912 27 July, 1912 Naval Secretary to the First Lord Rear-Admiral 28 July, 1912 8 January, 1913
Half PayLion Rear-Admiral 1 March, 1913 2 August, 1914 Lion Acting Vice-Admiral 3 August, 1914 28 January, 1915 Princess Royal Acting Vice-Admiral 29 January, 1915 8 April, 1915 Lion Acting Vice-Admiral 9 April, 1915 8 August, 1915 Lion Vice-Admiral 9 August, 1915 27 November, 1916 Iron Duke Acting Admiral
(Seniority of 27 November, 1916)28 November, 1916 15 February, 1917 Queen Elizabeth Acting Admiral 16 February, 1917 31 December, 1918 Queen Elizabeth Admiral 1 January, 1919 2 April, 1919 Queen Elizabeth Admiral of the Fleet 3 April, 1919 7 April, 1919 President Admiral of the Fleet 8 April, 1919 31 October, 1919 First Sea Lord Admiral of the Fleet 1 November, 1919 29 July, 1927 Half Pay Footnotes
- ↑ Beatty. Our Admiral. p. 2.
- ↑ Beatty. Our Admiral. p. 3.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 26253. p. 544. 2 February, 1892.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 26322. p. 5016. 2 September, 1892.
- ↑ Fremantle. My Naval Career. p. 68.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 26795. p. 6271. 17 November, 1896.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 27023. p. 6692. 15 November, 1898.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 27245. p. 6855. 9 November, 1900.
- ↑ Chalmers. p. xxi. Gordon. p. 26.
- ↑ "Report of the Conference on the Executive Lists of the Royal Navy. 1913." f. 21. in The National Archives. ADM 1/8370/65.
- ↑ Quoted in Wester Wemyss. Life and Letters. p. 76.
- ↑ Wester Wemyss. Life and Letters. p. 78.
- ↑ Letter of 13 April, 1909. National Maritime Museum. Beatty Papers. BTY/17/13/68-71. Reproduced in Beatty Papers. p. 22.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 28317. p. 9514. 14 December, 1909.
- ↑ Roskill. Earl Beatty. p. 43.
- ↑ Lambert. Admirals. p. 344.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 28325. p. 30. 4 January, 1910.
- ↑ ADM 203/99. f. 45.
- ↑ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 28505. p. 4588. 19 June, 1911.
- ↑ Beatty Papers. I. p. 32.
- ↑ Draft in BTY/2/24. Beatty Papers. I. p. 33.
- ↑ Quoted in Churchill. Winston S. Churchill. p. 532.
- ↑ de Chair. The Sea is Strong. p. 142.
- ↑ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 28842. p. 4876. 22 June, 1914.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 29262. p. 8016. 13 August, 1915.
- ↑ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29751. p. 9070. 15 September, 1916.
- ↑ Letter of 20 November, 1916. Balfour Papers. British Library. Add. MSS. 49692. ff. 175-178.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 31104. p. 199. 3 January, 1919.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 31610. p. 12889. 21 October, 1919.
- ↑ Chalmers. Life and Letters of David Beatty. pp. 434-435.
Bibliography
- "Lord Beatty, O.M." (Obituaries). The Times. Wednesday, 11 March, 1936. Issue 47320, pg. 17.
- "Funeral of Lord Beatty" (Obituaries). The Times. Wednesday, 17 March, 1936. Issue 47325, pg. 21.
- Beatty, Charles (1980). Our Admiral. London: W. H. Allen / Virgin Books. ISBN 049102388X.
- Beatty, Admiral of the Fleet David, First Earl Beatty (1989). Ranft, Bryan McL.. ed. The Beatty Papers. Volume I. London: Navy Records Society. ISBN 0859678070.
- Beatty, Admiral of the Fleet David, First Earl Beatty (1993). Ranft, Bryan McL.. ed. The Beatty Papers. Volume II. London: Navy Records Society. ISBN 0859679640.
- Template:BibChalmersBeatty
- Churchill, Randolph Spencer (1967). Winston S. Churchill: Young Statesman 1910–1914. II. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0395075262.
- Template:BibdeChairTheSeaisStrong
- Lambert, Andrew (2009). Admirals: The Naval Commanders who made Britain Great. London: Faber and Faber Limited. ISBN 978-0-571-23157-7.
- Template:BibRoskillBeatty
Papers
Service Record
- The National Archives. ADM 196/43.
Naval Offices Preceded by
Ernest C. T. TroubridgeNaval Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty
1912 – 1913Succeeded by
Dudley R. S. de ChairPreceded by
Lewis BaylyVice-Admiral Commanding,
First Battle Cruiser Squadron
1913 – 1915Succeeded by
Osmond de B. BrockPreceded by
New CommandBattle Cruiser Fleet
1915 – 1916Succeeded by
Sir William C. PakenhamPreceded by
Sir John R. JellicoeCommander-in-Chief, Grand Fleet
1916 – 1919Succeeded by
Command DispersedPreceded by
Sir Rosslyn E. WemyssFirst Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff
1919 – 1927Succeeded by
Sir Charles E. Madden, Bart.
- 1871 births
- 1936 deaths
- Personalities
- H.M.S. Britannia (Training Ship) Entrants of January, 1884
- Commanding Officers of H.M.S. Ranger (1895)
- Commanding Officers of H.M.S. Juno (1895)
- Commanding Officers of H.M.S. Arrogant (1896)
- Commanding Officers of H.M.S. Suffolk (1903)
- Naval Advisers to the Army Council
- Commanding Officers of H.M.S. Queen (1902)
- Naval Secretaries to the First Lord of the Admiralty
- Rear-Admirals Commanding, Sixth Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)
- Rear-Admirals Commanding, First Battle Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)
- Vice-Admirals Commanding, Battle Cruiser Fleet (Royal Navy)
- Commanders-in-Chief, Grand Fleet
- First Sea Lords
- Royal Navy Admirals of the Fleet
- Royal Navy Flag Officers
- Royal Navy Officers Wounded on Active Service