Henry Duncan Simonds
Commander (retired) Henry Duncan Simonds, R.N. (27 July, 1886 – 25 April, 1948) served in the Royal Navy. His career would prove unusual in that he commanded a series of torpedo boats and never another type. There seems to be nothing in his Service Record that explains this quirk.
Life & Career
Born in Reading, the son of L. I. Simonds, Esq..[1]
Simonds was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 March, 1908.[2]
Between 1909 and March 1913, Simonds would command no fewer than five separate torpedo boats. He began the last of these when he was appointed in command of T.B. 17 on 7 September, 1911.[3]
Simonds career in torpedo boat command came to a surprising and total end when he was appointed to the battleship Formidable on 27 March 1913. He would never again serve in small vessels of any type. He was still in Formidable when she was torpedoed and sunk on 1 January 1915 near Gallipoli, and be praised by the Admiralty for his conduct in the event of her loss. On 2 February 1915, he was appointed to the new battleship Warspite, to serve in her upon her commissioning. This would prove to be his last seagoing appointment.[4]
Simonds was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander while still in Warspite on 15 March, 1916. He would fight in her at the Battle of Jutland. On 19 March 1919, he was superseded and went on Half Pay.[5]
Simonds was placed on the Retired List at his own request with gratuity on 19 April, 1920. He was promoted to the rank of Commander (retired) on 27 July, 1926.[6]
World War II
Served as a Consular Shipping Adviser in Portland, Maine from 22 August 1939. In June, 1943 he returned to Portsmouth, England. After some time in shore appointments there, he went to Ottawa, again as Consular Shipping Adviser, in August, 1944. He reverted to Retired List on 9 December, 1944.[7]
See Also
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Montague R. Bernard |
Captain of H.M. T.B. 033 24 Mar, 1909[8] – Dec, 1909 |
Succeeded by Gordon McL. Cameron |
| Preceded by Gordon McL. Cameron |
Captain of H.M. T.B. 82 Dec, 1909 – 7 Mar, 1910 |
Succeeded by Henry D. Simonds |
| Preceded by Henry P. Wilson |
Captain of H.M. T.B. 109 7 Mar, 1910 – May, 1910 |
Succeeded by Alfred G. Peace |
| Preceded by Henry D. Simonds |
Captain of H.M. T.B. 82 25 Jul, 1910[9] – Sep, 1911 |
Succeeded by Robert J. Harness |
| Preceded by David V. F. Erskine |
Captain of H.M. T.B. 17 7 Sep, 1911[10] – 27 Mar, 1913 |
Succeeded by Cuthbert P. Blake |
Footnotes
- ↑ Simonds Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/200. f. 274.
- ↑ Simonds Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/200. f. 274.
- ↑ Simonds Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/200. f. 274.
- ↑ Simonds Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/200. f. 274.
- ↑ Simonds Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/200. f. 274.
- ↑ Simonds Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/200. f. 274.
- ↑ Simonds Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/200. f. 274.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1909). p. 400.
- ↑ The Monthly Navy List. (March, 1911). p. 401.
- ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 400.
