Maurice Woollcombe
Admiral Maurice Woollcombe, C.B., Royal Navy, Retired (18 April, 1868 – 19 December, 1930) was an officer of the Royal Navy.
Early Life & Career
Maurice Woollcombe was born on 18 April, 1868, the fourth son of Mr. W. J. Woollcombe, of Plympton St. Maurice, Devon. He was educated at Plympton Grammar School and Eastman's Royal Navy Academy, Southsea.
Lieutenant & Commander
Woollcombe was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 14 October, 1889.[1]
Woollcombe was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1901.[2]
Captain
Woollcombe was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1907.[3]
On 1 April, 1910, Woollcombe was appointed in command of H.M.S. Brilliant.[4]
Woollcombe was appointed in command of H.M.S. Commonwealth on 1 October, 1913.[5]
Great War
On 26 October, 1915, Wollcombe was appointed in command of the new battleship Valiant.[6]
On 15 September 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.) dated 31 May.[7]
Woollcombe was relieved in command of Valiant on 1 October, 1918, by Captain Henry T. Buller,[8] and was promoted Rear-Admiral on 2 October, 1918 in the vacancy caused by the retirement of Rear-Admiral Charles William Keighly-Peach.[9] On 28 October he was appointed to H.M.S. President for Special Service.[10]
Post-War
Woollcombe was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on the Retired List on 19 July, 1924,[11] and was advanced to the rank of Admiral on 22 February, 1928.[12]
There is a photograph of him as Captain of Valiant in Crawford Scrapbook, Liddle Collection.
Footnotes
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 25994. p. 6135. 19 November, 1889.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 27335. p. 4780. 19 July, 1901.
- ↑ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 28034. p. 4433. 28 June, 1907.
- ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 16 February, 1910. Issue 39197, col E, pg. 12.
- ↑ Navy List (October, 1915). p. 393b.
- ↑ Navy List (December, 1916). p. 398u.
- ↑ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29751. p. 9070. 15 September, 1916.
- ↑ Navy List (December, 1918). p. 923a.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 30942. p. 11860. 8 October, 1918.
- ↑ Navy List (December, 1918). p. 876.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 32959. p. 5638. 25 July, 1924.
- ↑ London Gazette: no. 33362. p. 1494. 2 March, 1928.
Bibliography
- "Admiral Woollcombe" (Obituaries). The Times. Saturday, 20 December, 1930. Issue 45701, col D, pg. 14.
Service Records
- The National Archives. ADM 196/88.
- The National Archives. ADM 196/42.
