Henry Ralph Crooke

Admiral SIR Henry Ralph Crooke, K.B.E., C.B., Royal Navy, Retired (7 December, 1875 – 11 February, 1952) was an officer of the Royal Navy. In 1940, he would request that his name be presented as H. Ralph Crooke, the last name being Ralph Crooke.

Early Life & Career

Crooke was born in Calcutta, the son of F. J. Crooke, Esq..

Crooke was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 14 September, 1895.

Crooke was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1905. In 1907, Crooke was singled out for improving the gunnery efficiency of the fleet in the 1906 Battle Practice through his exertions in re-sighting the guns and fitting fire control appliances.

Crooke was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1912.

In 1912, Crooke was appointed to succeed Captain Arthur Loxley on the Argo Range Clock Committee and he played a vital role in drafting its final report dated 25 November, 1912. On 16 January, 1913, Their Lordships thanked him for the ability he demonstrated in carrying out trials of the Argo Clock.

He commanded the light cruiser Caroline at the Battle of Jutland, supporting the Grand Fleet as part of the Fourth Light Cruiser Squadron.

Post-War

On 11 June, 1919, Crooke was appointed a Companion of the Civil Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.), "For valuable services as Director of Naval Ordnance."

He was appointed in command of Emperor of India on 1 April, 1921. In August, 1921, he had the misfortune to strike Chrysanthemum with a projectile, and was chastised for failing to cease fire at the proper time.

He was appointed in command of the battleship Marlborough on 1 March 1922, remaining with her until 16 September, having been promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 25 July.

He was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 14 January, 1928, vice Grant, and placed on the Retired List on 15 January.

World War II

Crooke was called up on 3 September 1939 to serve as Commodore of Convoys, as a Commodore, Second Class in the Royal Naval Reserve. On 10 October, he went to help with the London Convoy Pool and then, on 5 July, 1940, transferred to the Liverpool Convoy Pool.

Ralph Crooke reverted to the Retired List on 1 February, 1942 but on 2 June was called back to be Naval Officer in Charge, Barry vice Gilbertson where he served in the rank of Captain. He was superseded on 30 December, 1944 and finally reverted to the Retired List on 23 February, 1945.

See Also

• Fourth L.C.S. (Royal Navy) at the Battle of Jutland

Bibliography

• "Admiral Sir Ralph Crooke" (Obituaries). The Times. Thursday, 14 February, 1952. Issue 52235, col F, pg. 8.

Papers

• Papers in the possession of Churchill Archives Centre, University of Cambridge.

Service Records

• The National Archives. ADM 196/141.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/89.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/44.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Hubert Lynes	Captain of H.M.S. Kite 2 Jul, 1903 – 1 Mar, 1905	Succeeded by Herbert W. W. Hope
Preceded by ?	Assistant Director of Naval Equipment 18 Feb, 1913 – 1914	Succeeded by Ernest K. Loring
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Undaunted 1914 – 6 Oct, 1914	Succeeded by Cecil H. Fox
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Caroline 6 Oct, 1914 – Jan, 1915	Succeeded by Charles J. Wintour
Preceded by Anselan J. B. Stirling	Captain of H.M.S. Swift Jan, 1915 – Feb, 1915	Succeeded by Charles J. Wintour
Preceded by Charles J. Wintour	Captain of H.M.S. Caroline Feb, 1915 – 23 Mar, 1917	Succeeded by Oliver E. Leggett
Preceded by Cole C. Fowler	Captain of H.M.S. Excellent 23 Mar, 1917 – 13 Jun, 1918	Succeeded by Robert N. Bax
Preceded by Frederic C. Dreyer	Director of Naval Ordnance 20 Jun, 1918 – 20 Sep, 1920	Succeeded by Roger R. C. Backhouse
Preceded by Frederic C. Dreyer	President of the Shell Committee 1 Oct, 1918	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Charles D. Carpendale	Captain of H.M.S. Benbow 21 Feb, 1921 – 1 Apr, 1921	Succeeded by Arthur E. F. Bedford
Preceded by Arthur E. F. Bedford	Captain of H.M.S. Emperor of India 1 Apr, 1921 – Sep, 1921	Succeeded by W. A. Howard Kelly
Preceded by Vernon H. S. Haggard	Captain of H.M.S. Ajax Sep, 1921 – 1 Mar, 1922	Succeeded by George Trewby
Preceded by George Trewby	Captain of H.M.S. Marlborough 1 Mar, 1922 – 16 Sep, 1922	Succeeded by Hugh J. Tweedie
Preceded by Ronald A. Hopwood	Vice-President of the Ordnance Committee 2 Jan, 1924 – 10 Oct, 1927	Succeeded by Bernard W. F. Fairbairn
Preceded by Edward M. Phillpotts	President of the Ordnance Committee 10 Oct, 1927 – 2 Jan, 1928	Succeeded by Herbert Willes Webley Hope
Preceded by George N. Gilbertson	Naval Officer in Charge, Barry 7 Jun, 1942 – 1 Jan, 1945	Succeeded by ?