Sackville Hamilton Carden
Admiral SIR Sackville Hamilton Carden, K.C.M.G., Royal Navy (3 May, 1857 – 6 May, 1930) was an officer of the Royal Navy. He is chiefly remembered today as Vice-Admiral Commanding the Eastern Mediterranean Squadron in the run-up to the Dardanelles Campaign.
Early Life & Career
Carden was promoted to the rank of Commander on 1 January, 1894.[1]
He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1899.[2]
Flag Rank
Carden was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 15 November, 1908, vice Finnis.[3]
Great War
On 27 August, 1914, Carden was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral, vice Fisher.[4]
In a 23 December letter to Fisher, now First Sea Lord, Churchill scathingly noted, "As for Carden, he has never commanded a cruiser squadron, and I am not aware of anything that he has done which is in any way remarkable."[5] This ignores the fact that Carden had at least commanded a division of battleships as Rear-Admiral in the Atlantic Fleet, which was certainly more sea-going experience than Limpus had.
On 16 March he relinquished command and went on the Sick List, being succeeded by Rear-Admiral de Robeck. On that day Fisher noted in a letter to Jellicoe, "Who expected Carden to be in command of a big fleet? He was made Admiral Superintendent of Malta to shelve him!"[6]
From April until June, 1915 Carden was appointed to the Admiralty on special service, and on 1 September, 1917 he was promoted to the rank of Admiral, vice Slade,[7] and placed on the retired list at his own request on 23 October.[8]
Retirement
He died at Lymington 6 May, 1930.
Carden, who was created K.C.M.G. in 1916, married twice: first, in 1879 Maria Louisa, daughter of Captain Loftus J. Nunn, of the 99th Foot; secondly, in 1909 Henrietta, daughter of William English Harrison, K.C., of Hitchin, Hertfordshire. He had one daughter, by his first marriage.
Footnotes
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 26471. p. 7581. 29 December, 1893.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 27150. p. 3. 2 January, 1900.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 28201. p. 9182. 1 December, 1908.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 28881. p. 6794. 28 August, 1914.
- ↑ Quoted in Marder. From the Dreadnought to Scapa Flow. II. p. 231.
- ↑ Fear God and Dread Nought. III. p. 166.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 30267. p. 9151. 4 September, 1917.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 30369. p. 11474. 6 November, 1917.
Bibliography
- "Admiral Sir Sackville Carden" (Obituaries). The Times. Thursday, 8 May, 1930. Issue 45507, col C, pg. 18.
- Template:BibFGDNIII
Service Records
- The National Archives. ADM 196/38.
- The National Archives. ADM 196/20.
| Naval Offices | ||
| Preceded by Sir Colin R. Keppel |
Rear-Admiral in the Admiral Fleet 1910 – 1911 |
Succeeded by Christopher G. F. M. Cradock |
| Preceded by Ernest A. Simons |
Admiral Superintendent of Malta Dockyard 1912 – 1914 |
Succeeded by George A. Ballard |
| Preceded by Sir A. Berkeley Milne, Bart. |
Vice-Admiral Commanding, Eastern Mediterranean Squadron 1914 – 1915 |
Succeeded by Sir John M. de Robeck |
