Henry Peel Ritchie
Captain (retired) Henry Peel Ritchie, V.C., R.N. (29 January, 1876 – 9 December, 1958) served in the Royal Navy.
Life & Career
Born in Edinburgh, the son of R. P. Ritchie, M.D..[1]
Ritchie was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1898. At some point around this time, he was lauded in a Court of Enquiry for his efforts to save life on the occasion of the drowning of A.B. J. S. Walker.[2]
In 1909, Ritchie invented a Wind Component Calculator that was perhaps similar to a Wind Dumaresq. On 26 March of that year, he was admitted to hospital with an ulcerated wound of his leg.
Ritchie was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1911.[3]
Ritchie was appointed to the battleship Goliath on 14 March 1914, having recently received the following evaluation from Vice-Admiral Burney: "At recent insp. this officer did not impress me. He appeared generally ignorant and slow." [4]
Ritchie was seriously wounded with bullet wounds in his right leg and both arms during a raid on the German port of Dar es Salaam on 28 November 1914. In all, he'd been shot right times. He would receive the first Victoria Cross awarded to a member of the Royal Navy in the Great War for this operation. He recovered rapidly at Plymouth Hospital after being sent back to England in Llandovery Castle.
Rictchie was appointed in command of the armed boarding steamer Suva from 21 April, 1916 to 14 October, 1916. He then spent six weeks in temporary command of the second class protected cruiser Fox, after which he was sent back to Suva, though not in command. He did not last long there, as he was invalided on 6 January, 1917.
Ritchie was placed on the Retired List as unfit on 4 March, 1917 after having spent some time at Yarmouth Hospital. He was promoted to the rank of Captain (retired) on 29 January, 1921.
See Also
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Lewis G. E. Crabbe |
Captain of H.M.S. Lyra 8 Jan, 1912 – 1 Mar, 1912 |
Succeeded by Edward A. D. Masterman |
| Preceded by Charles B. Miller |
Captain of H.M.S. Edgar 19 Mar, 1912[5] – 31 Dec, 1912 |
Succeeded by Octavius H. Daniel |
| Preceded by William H. D. Boyle |
Captain of H.M.S. Fox 14 Oct, 1916[6] – Dec, 1916 |
Succeeded by William H. D. Boyle |
Footnotes
- ↑ Ritchie Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/190. f. 216.
- ↑ Ritchie Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/190. f. 216.
- ↑ Ritchie Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/190. f. 216.
- ↑ Ritchie Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/190. f. 216.
- ↑ The Navy List. (August, 1912). p. 306.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 394n.
