Adolphus Huddlestone Williamson

Captain Adolphus Huddlestone Williamson, C.M.G., M.V.O., Royal Navy (5 July, 1869 – 14 July, 1918) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

On 31 December, 1902 he was promoted to the rank of Commander.

He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1908.

His career encompassed a notable series of pre-dreadnought commands.

He was appointed command of the battleship King Edward VII on 24 July, 1911.

Williamson was appointed in command of Queen as flag captain to Vice-Admiral Commanding Second and Third Fleets on 17 May, 1912.

He assumed command of the first class protected cruiser Royal Arthur in August 1914. He was told to be more careful after she collided with another vessel on 9 September, 1914.

Williamson assumed command of the armoured cruiser Berwick in March 1915, remaining in her until he was appointed command of the battleship Vengeance on 8 December, 1915.

He was appointed command of the battleship Dominion on 11 April, 1917.

Finally, he secured command of a dreadnought, commanding Canada for a few months from December 1917 until February 1918.

Williamson was nicknamed "The Quail" in the Navy.

Williamson was placed on the Retired List as physically unfit on 9 February, 1918. He died of pneumonia on 14 July, 1918.

Bibliography

• "Died of Wounds" (Deaths). The Times. Tuesday, 16 July, 1918. Issue 41843, col B, pg. 1.
• Keyes, Admiral of the Fleet Roger John Brownlow, First Baron Keyes (1972). Halpern, Paul G.. ed. The Keyes Papers. Volume I: 1914-1918. London: Navy Records Society.

Service Record

• The National Archives. ADM 196/43/22.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Francis E. Walters	Captain of H.M. T.B. 43 27 Jul, 1896	Succeeded by Robert Chapman
Preceded by Charles G. Dicken as Captain of Wild Swan	Captain of H.M.S. Columbine 12 Aug, 1897 – 1900	Succeeded by John B. Sparks
Preceded by Marcus R. Hill	Captain of H.M.S. Hussar 23 Oct, 1900	Succeeded by Montagu L. Hulton
Preceded by Edward F. Bruen	Captain of H.M.S. Pandora 3 Feb, 1905 – 1 Apr, 1905	Succeeded by Herbert Orpen
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Amethyst 1 Apr, 1905 – 6 May, 1907	Succeeded by James D. Dick
Preceded by Roger J. B. Keyes	Royal Navy Naval Attaché at Rome 1 Jan, 1908 – 20 Jun, 1910	Succeeded by Arthur C. Stewart
Preceded by Edmund H. Smith	Captain of H.M.S. Africa 14 Mar, 1911 – 24 Jul, 1911	Succeeded by Ernest G. Barton
Preceded by Allan F. Everett	Captain of H.M.S. King Edward VII 24 Jul, 1911 – 17 May, 1912	Succeeded by Edward H. F. Heaton-Ellis
Preceded by Thomas D. L. Sheppard	Captain of H.M.S. Queen 17 May, 1912 – 22 Jan, 1914	Succeeded by John W. L. McClintock
Preceded by Ernest O. Ballantyne	Captain of H.M.S. Royal Arthur 1 Aug, 1914 – 7 Dec, 1914	Succeeded by Frederic A. Whitehead
Preceded by Lewis Clinton-Baker	Captain of H.M.S. Berwick 24 Mar, 1915 – 12 Nov, 1915	Succeeded by William F. Blunt
Preceded by Bertram H. Smith	Captain of H.M.S. Vengeance 8 Dec, 1915 – Mar, 1917	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Henry L. Mawbey	Captain of H.M.S. Dominion 11 Apr, 1917 – 9 Dec, 1917	Succeeded by Arthur G. Smith
Preceded by James C. Ley	Captain of H.M.S. Canada 9 Dec, 1917 – Feb, 1918[Inference]	Succeeded by Hugh D. R. Watson