Ernest Frederick Augustus Gaunt

Admiral Sir Ernest F. A. Gaunt, as a Vice-Admiral, 1920.
Photograph: © National Portrait Gallery, London.

Admiral SIR Ernest Frederick Augustus Gaunt, K.C.B., K.B.E., C.M.G., Royal Navy (25 March, 1865 – 20 April, 1940) was an officer of the Royal Navy during the First World War.

Early Life & Career

Ernest Frederick Augustus Gaunt was born on 25 March, 1865, in Beechworth, Victoria, Australia, the son of William Henry Gaunt, barrister and judge (1830 – 1905). A younger brother, Guy Gaunt, also joined the Royal Navy. His sister was the noted author Mary Gaunt. Two other brothers were solicitors in Singapore, and the eldest became a Colonel in the Dragoon Guards. He was educated at Melbourne Grammar School, and on 25 January, 1878, joined the training ship Britannia at Dartmouth, as a Colonial Cadet.

Lieutenant

Gaunt was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 19 May, 1886 while at H.M.S. Excellent for examinations which had just resulted in April in the award of a First Class certificate with 537 marks. Gaunt would subsequently be appointed to join the Home Fleet's second class battleship Colossus on 4 June.

Commander

Gaunt was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1898.

For his services in China, he was appointed a Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (C.M.G.) on 26 June, 1902.

Gaunt next went to Somaliland, in command of the elderly torpedo cruiser Mohawk. While commanding a landing party on Durbo, Gaunt sustained a compound fracture in his left thigh during an attack on natives at Bundar Kassim on 5 December, 1903. His recovery from the injury was swift and he secured an award of the silver medal for valour from the King of Italy, which he was permitted to wear without restriction. He was not fit to travel, however, until mid-1904 when he returned to Britain, arriving on 14 May to begin treatment at Osborne House. He was further recommended for by Rear-Admiral Atkinson-Willes for gallantry in connection with the death of an Italian officer in the landing at Durbo.

Captain

Gaunt was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1903.

He was appointed in command the battleship Majestic on 9 January, 1908.

He was appointed captain of the battleship Queen on 4 January of 1910, then to the battleship Superb on 22 September, 1911.

He was appointed a Naval Aide-de-Camp to King George V on 16 May, 1913, vice Kerr.

Flag Rank

He was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral dated 24 October, 1914. He was reappointed to Chatham barracks as Rear-Admiral on 21 December.

First Battle Squadron

Gaunt was appointed Rear-Admiral in the First Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet on 25 August, 1915.

"One day an enormous parcel arrived from Australia. The good ladies of Melbourne had stitched the most enormous Rear-Admiral's flag [to] be flown in action. Father thanked [them] profusely but the last thing he intended to do, as Nelson almost did, [was] to advertise his ship's presence so the beautiful silk flag was never used."

According to Mrs de Molyns: "Father worshipped Jellicoe; the greatest sailor ever; far superior to Nelson, Drake and all the others."

Of Beatty he supposedly said: "Friend of Churchill. Rich wife. Helped Churchill with his polo ponies. [Should] never have been allowed to cross the threshold of a quarterdeck. [Self]-Advertiser. No place inside the Senior Service."

In the Battle of Jutland on 31 May, 1916, he commanded the Fifth Division of the Grand Fleet from Colossus.

Fourth Battle Squadron

Following Jutland, on 12 June, Gaunt was appointed Rear-Admiral in the Fourth Battle Squadron. 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.

East Indies Station

On 23 June, 1917, Gaunt was appointed Commander-in-Chief on the East Indies Station.

He was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 21 February, 1919, vice Wemyss. On the occasion of the King's birthday he was appointed an Additional Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, in the Military Division of the Order of the Bath (K.C.B.) on 3 June. On 1 August he was superseded on the East Indies Station and gave up command on 15 November.

Western Approaches

Gaunt was appointed a Knight Commander in the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (K.B.E.) on 1 January, 1923.

On 30 July, 1924, Gaunt was promoted to the rank of Admiral, vice Evan-Thomas.

Retirement

Gaunt was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 17 March, 1925.

See Also

• Wikipedia

Bibliography

• "Admiral Sir Ernest Gaunt" (Obituaries). The Times. Monday, 22 April, 1940. Issue 48596, col E, p. 3.

Service Records

• The National Archives. ADM 196/88.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/42.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/20.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Algernon H. Anson	Captain of H.M.S. Landrail 16 Jul, 1901	Succeeded by Stewart A. Perry-Ayscough
Preceded by William F. De Salis	Captain of H.M.S. Scout 12 Aug, 1901	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Frederick H. P. W. Freeman	Captain of H.M.S. Mohawk 12 Feb, 1903 – 10 Jan, 1904	Succeeded by Richard F. Phillimore
Preceded by William J. Grogan	Captain of H.M.S. Indefatigable 3 Jan, 1905 – 2 Oct, 1905	Succeeded by Philip Nelson-Ward
Preceded by Edward G. Shortland	Captain of H.M.S. Cambrian 3 Oct, 1905 – 3 Nov, 1907	Succeeded by Price V. Lewes
Preceded by Harry H. Stileman	Captain of H.M.S. Majestic 7 Jan, 1908 – 2 Jan, 1910	Succeeded by Rowland Nugent
Preceded by David Beatty	Captain of H.M.S. Queen 4 Jan, 1910 – 2 Oct, 1911	Succeeded by Thomas D. L. Sheppard
Preceded by Herbert L. Heath	Captain of H.M.S. Superb 22 Sep, 1911 – 29 Apr, 1913	Succeeded by George P. W. Hope
Preceded by Seymour E. Erskine	Commodore-in-Command, Royal Naval Barracks, Chatham 24 Apr, 1913 – 25 Aug, 1915	Succeeded by Seymour E. Erskine
Preceded by Hugh Evan-Thomas	Rear-Admiral in the First Battle Squadron 25 Aug, 1915 – 12 Jun, 1916	Succeeded by Alexander L. Duff
Preceded by Alexander L. Duff	Rear-Admiral in the Fourth Battle Squadron 12 Jun, 1916 – 23 Jun, 1917	Succeeded by Roger J. B. Keyes
Preceded by Sir Rosslyn E. Wemyss	Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station 23 Jun, 1917 – 1 Aug, 1919	Succeeded by Sir Hugh H. D. Tothill
Preceded by Reginald G. O. Tupper	Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches 1 Apr, 1921 – 15 Mar, 1922	Succeeded by Command Disbanded