William Frederick Blunt

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Rear-Admiral William Frederick Blunt, C.B.E., D.S.O., Royal Navy, Retired (3 March, 1870, – 5 July, 1928) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Life & Early Career

Blunt was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1892.[1]

While appointed to the Chatham Dockyard Reserve, on 5 January, 1899 Blunt was placed in command of the new "C" Class destroyer Bittern as she underwent a three-hour speed test over a measured mile. The destroyer suddenly swerved toward Maplin Sands without apparent reason, prompting Blunt to order "full speed astern". The destroyer touched ground and its hull was stressed to such an extent that minor leaking occurred, but greater calamity was averted.[2]

He was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1904.[3]

He was appointed in command of the destroyer Bullfinch on 3 January, 1905.[4]

Blunt was appointed in command of the first class protected cruiser Hawke on 6 April, 1911.[5]

Captain

Blunt was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1911.[6]

He was appointed to command the armoured cruiser Cressy in January 1912.[7]

He was appointed in command of the Blonde on 25 April, 1913, commanding the First Destroyer Flotilla.[8]

In August 1913, moved his command to the scout cruiser Fearless when it became flotilla cruiser for 1DF.[9]

He was appointed in command of Jupiter on 25 July, 1915.[10]

He commanded the light cruiser Gloucester at the Battle of Jutland as part of the Third Light Cruiser Squadron.[11]

On 10 June 1916, he was appointed in command of the new armoured cruiser Berwick.[12]

He was placed in command of the armoured cruiser Achilles on 13 June, 1918.[13]

Blunt was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on the Retired List on 6 April, 1922.

Blunt died "suddenly" at Nakuru Hospital in Kenya.

Bibliography

  • "Rear-Admiral Blunt" (Obituaries). The Times. Monday, 9 July, 1928. Issue 44940, col B, pg. 21.

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Albert Sumner Lafone
Captain of H.M.S. Havock
8 Jul, 1896[14] – 18 Aug, 1896[15]
Succeeded by
Berkeley Holme-Sumner
Preceded by
William F. De Salis
Captain of H.M.S. Dragon
18 Aug, 1896[16] – 15 Sep, 1898[17]
Succeeded by
Randal M. Lambert
Preceded by
Charles Chadwick
Captain of H.M.S. Esk
1 May, 1900[18][19] – 26 Oct, 1901[20]
Succeeded by
Wyndham Forbes
Preceded by
Edward G. W. Davy
Captain of H.M.S. Speedy
4 Jul, 1902[21] – 30 Jun, 1904[22]
Succeeded by
Hector L. Watts-Jones
Preceded by
Ambrose M. Peck
Captain of H.M.S. Bullfinch
3 Jan, 1905[23] – 2 Jan, 1906[24]
Succeeded by
Hubert S. Cardale
Preceded by
William Cadman
Captain of H.M.S. Teazer
2 Jan, 1906[25] – 7 Apr, 1906[26]
Succeeded by
William E. Middleton
Preceded by
William E. Middleton
Captain of H.M.S. Welland
7 Apr, 1906[27] – 28 May, 1906[28]
Succeeded by
Anselan J. B. Stirling
Preceded by
Wilmot S. Nicholson
Captain of H.M.S. Gala
28 May, 1906[29] – 1 Oct, 1906[30]
Succeeded by
Charles P. R. Coode
Preceded by
Hastings F. Shakespear
Captain of H.M.S. Cormorant
1 Oct, 1906[31][32]
Succeeded by
Edgar R. Morant
Preceded by
Charles B. Miller
Captain of H.M.S. Pioneer
19 Jan, 1909[33][34] – 15 Dec, 1910[35]
Succeeded by
Philip J. Stopford
Preceded by
Herbert J. Savill
Captain of H.M.S. Hawke
6 Apr, 1911[36] – 9 Jan, 1912[37]
Succeeded by
Sandford G. R. Nevile
Preceded by
Hugh P. E. T. Williams
Captain of H.M.S. Cressy
9 Jan, 1912[38][39] – 25 Apr, 1913[40]
Succeeded by
Herbert J. T. Marshall
Preceded by
Thomas L. Shelford
Captain of H.M.S. Blonde
25 Apr, 1913[41] – 5 Jul, 1913[42]
Succeeded by
Albert C. Scott
Preceded by
Thomas L. Shelford
Captain (D), First Destroyer Flotilla
25 Apr, 1913[43] – 25 Jul, 1915[44]
Succeeded by
Charles D. Roper
Preceded by
Thomas Jackson
Captain of H.M.S. Attentive
27 Aug, 1913 – 1 Jan, 1914
Succeeded by
Charles D. Johnson
Preceded by
Mervyn H. Cobbe
Captain of H.M.S. Fearless
1 Jan, 1914[45] – 25 Apr, 1915[46]
Succeeded by
Charles D. Roper
Preceded by
Drury St. A. Wake
Captain of H.M.S. Jupiter
25 Jul, 1915[47] – 16 Mar, 1916[48]
Succeeded by
Charles F. Corbett
Preceded by
Charles F. Corbett
Captain of H.M.S. Glory
16 Mar, 1916[49] – Apr, 1916[50]
Succeeded by
Robert W. Glennie
Preceded by
William A. H. Kelly
Captain of H.M.S. Gloucester
Apr, 1916[51] – Jun, 1916[52]
Succeeded by
John E. T. Harper
Preceded by
Adolphus H. Williamson
Captain of H.M.S. Berwick
10 Jun, 1916[53] – 26 Feb, 1918[54]
Succeeded by
Fawcet Wray
Preceded by
Stephen H. Radcliffe
Captain of H.M.S. Achilles
13 Jun, 1918[55] – 9 May, 1919[56]
Succeeded by
?

 

Footnotes

  1. The London Gazette: no. 26309. p. 4187. 22 July, 1892.
  2. "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Saturday, Jan 07, 1899; pg. 10; Issue 35720.
  3. The London Gazette: no. 27691. p. 4182. 1 July, 1904.
  4. The Monthly Navy List. (December, 1905). p. 288.
  5. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  6. The London Gazette: no. 28567. p. 3. 1 January, 1911.
  7. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  8. The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 286.
  9. The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 314.
  10. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 395e.
  11. Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. p. 46.
  12. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 391s.
  13. The Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 722.
  14. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  15. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  16. The Navy List. (April, 1897). p. 219.
  17. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  18. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  19. The Navy List. (January, 1901). p. 253.
  20. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  21. The Navy List. (January, 1904). p. 378.
  22. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  23. The Navy List. (November, 1905). p. 288.
  24. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  25. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  26. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  27. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  28. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  29. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  30. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  31. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  32. The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 295.
  33. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  34. The Navy List. (July, 1909). p. 357.
  35. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  36. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  37. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  38. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  39. The Navy List. (August, 1912). p. 297.
  40. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  41. The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 286.
  42. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  43. The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 286.
  44. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  45. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  46. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  47. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 395e.
  48. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  49. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  50. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  51. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  52. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  53. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 391s.
  54. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  55. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 722.
  56. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.