Robert Gerald Hamond

Captain Robert Gerald Hamond, D.S.O. (1 December, 1879 – ) was an officer in the Royal Navy who commanded torpedo boats and destroyers in the Great War. His service was notable in that he almost certainly destroyed one submarine and severely damaged a second in an era when anti-submarine methods were not extremely effective.

Life & Career

Born in Gibraltar, the son of Robert N. Hamond, bank manager and retired Royal Navy Commander. Hamond gained five months time on passing out of Britannia on 15 January, 1896. By coincidence, his first appointment was in the first class protected cruiser Gibraltar, in which he stayed until mid December, 1898.

Hamond was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 April, 1902.

In January, 1905, he took a ten day navigation course in Cressy and was noted as "showing great interest in the duty." In November, 1906 he successfully carried out assistant navigator duties in Russell in accordance with Article 315 of the King's Regulations. Hamond left Russell to take up command of Starfish in March of 1908. He was appointed in command of T.B. 27 on year later and received satisfactory inspection reports and contributed to good gunnery results.

Hamond was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 1 April, 1910.

Hamond was appointed in command of the destroyer Viking on 15 December, 1910.

Great War

Hamond was appointed in command of the destroyer Owl on 27 April, 1914.

Recommended by Captain Tyrwhitt in October, Hamond was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1914.

Hamond commanded Owl at the Battle of Jutland, where she fought as part of the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla.

Hamond fell ill on 21 May, 1917 and was not ready for service for one month. He was barely back in the action in command of the Patriot when on 12 July he led her in destroying an enemy submarine (likely U 69, which went missing near Ireland about this date) using a kite balloon to help direct his attacks. This success elicited Hamond's personal recommendation by the Commander-in-Chief, Grand Fleet.

On 19 July, 1917, Hamond was appointed in command of the flotilla leader Valorous.

Post-War

In 1919, Hamond was awarded a bar to his D.S.O. for his services in command of the First Destroyer Flotilla in the Baltic, but this flotilla command is not clearly indicated in the usual, dated fashion in his service record. It seems most likely that this is during the time span when he was in command of Valorous and Velox.

In 1919, there was a Court of Enquiry into the grounding of the oiler Appleleaf at Libau which prompted an expression of the Admiralty's displeasure toward Hamond. However, on 10 August, Senior Naval Officer, Baltic, then Rear Admiral Cowan, offered a special commendation for Hamond's "prompt and correct action" which was believed to have sunk the Bolshevik Template:RU-Ersh on 27 July, 1919. In truth, Ersh was able to return to base having received heavy damage.

On 12 December, 1919, Hamond was granted 45 days to undergo an operation at his own risk and expense. He was promoted on the last day of the year to the rank of Captain and was declared fit on 14 January, 1920.

Hamond was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 7 July, 1922. He received permission to travel to Argentina in 1924. His service in World War II suggests that he moved there.

World War II

On 31 August, 1939, Hamond was appointed as a Consular Shipping Adviser with N.C.S. duties in Montevideo, not to be borne on ship's books. He was reverted to the Retired List owing to medical concerns on 22 August, 1941.

See Also

• Service Records
• Fourth D.F. (Royal Navy) at the Battle of Jutland
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Stephen H. Morres	Captain of H.M.S. Starfish 3 Mar, 1908 – 9 Mar, 1909	Succeeded by George W. Taylor
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M. T.B. 27 9 Mar, 1909 – 14 Jan, 1910	Succeeded by Valentine D. English
Preceded by Lionel G. Dawson	Captain of H.M. T.B. 81 14 Jan, 1910 – 24 Feb, 1910	Succeeded by Leveson G. B. A. Campbell
Preceded by Leveson G. B. A. Campbell	Captain of H.M. T.B. 31 24 Feb, 1910 – 1 Jun, 1910	Succeeded by Evelyn C. O. Thomson
Preceded by Austin C. Ackland	Captain of H.M.S. Arab 1 Jun, 1910 – 15 Dec, 1910	Succeeded by Edwin A. Homan
Preceded by Henry C. R. Brocklebank	Captain of H.M.S. Viking 15 Dec, 1910 – 2 May, 1914	Succeeded by John P. Gibbs
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Owl 27 May, 1914 – 7 Jun, 1916	Succeeded by William W. Wilson
Preceded by William W. Wilson	Captain of H.M.S. Patriot Jun, 1916 – 19 Jul, 1917	Succeeded by Francis E. H. G. Hobart
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Valorous 19 Jul, 1917 – 17 Feb, 1919	Succeeded by Edmond J. G. Mackinnon
Preceded by Frederick E. K. Strong	Captain of H.M.S. Velox 17 Feb, 1919 – 19 Mar, 1919	Succeeded by Fischer B. Watson
Preceded by Frederick E. K. Strong	Captain of H.M.S. Valorous 19 Mar, 1919 – 1 Nov, 1919	Succeeded by Cecil R. Hemans
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Malcolm 3 Nov, 1919 – 12 Dec, 1919	Succeeded by Astley D. C. Cooper-Key