Frank Finnis

Admiral Frank Finnis, C.V.O., Royal Navy, Retired (8 November, 1851 – 17 November, 1918) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Walter John Challoner Lake was his son-in-law.

Life & Career

Frank Finnis was born in Dover on 8 November, 1851. He entered the Royal Navy on 25 January, 1865, having ranked twenty-eighth in order of merit of thirty-six candidates accepted as first-class Naval Cadets following the entrance examinations of December, 1864.

On 8 October 1874, he was promoted Lieutenant.

From October 1876 to June 1878, Finnis was at Excellent for various courses. During this time he earned a First Class Certificate in Gunnery from Excellent and an Honorary Certificate from the Royal Naval College.

On 21 April, 1883, he was appointed to the Senior Staff of H.M.S. Cambridge, gunnery ship at Devonport.

Finnis was promoted to the rank of Commander on 1 January, 1886.

Finnis was promoted to the rank of Captain on 1 January, 1893.

During the summer of 1894, Finnis was given command of second class protected cruiser Sappho for manoeuvres.

He assumed command of the first class protected cruiser Royal Arthur in May 1895. This was his first permanent command, and indicates that the Admiralty--or at least those responsible for command appointments--thought highly of Finnis, since Royal Arthur was flagship of the Pacific Station. This faith was apparently justified, since Rear-Admiral Henry Stephenson's report upon giving up command of the station described Finnis as "[a]n excellent officer, who has maintained his ship in the highest state of discipline." Stephenson also recommended Finnis for advancement.

He was appointed in command of the battleship Illustrious from February 1900, although The Times erroneously reported his taking command of second class battleship Collingwood on 27 February, 1900.

Having left Illustrious to return to England on 17 April 1902, Finnis was subsequently appointed to the second class protected cruiser Cambrian as Commodore, Second Class on 20 June, 1902.

He was appointed a Naval Aide-de-Camp to the King dated 30 August, 1903, vice Poore.

Flag Rank

Finnis was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 16 February, 1905, vice Grenfell.

Rear-Admiral Finnis married Ann Lake at Kensington Parish Church on 11 July, 1906.

On the occasion of the King's inspection of the Home Fleet Finnis was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (C.V.O.) on 3 August, 1907.

Finnis was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 15 November, 1908. In accordance with the provisions of the Order in Council of 8 December, 1903, he was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 9 February, 1909. He was advanced to the rank of Admiral on the Retired List on 20 March, 1913. In 1914 he was one of the numerous signatories of the British Covenant against Home Rule in Ulster.

On 16 November, 1914, he was granted a temporary Commission as a Captain in the Royal Naval Reserve and placed in command of the yacht Mekong on 17 April, 1915. On 24 April, 1915, he was again granted a temporary Commission as a Captain in the Royal Naval Reserve. He was found to have committed an error in judgement when he grounded Mekong on 19 January, 1916. He was saved from a shipwreck that occurred on 12 March, possibly with a ship or in a place named Filey. He was demobilised on 10 May 1916, but was drawn back into service and placed in command of Auxiliary Patrol Area XVIII from 4 June 1916 through 18 May 1917.

Finnis continued to serve, commanding the depot for Iolaire at Stornoway in the rank of a Commodore, Second Class from 18 July, 1917. In September 1918 he was granted leave and soon found himself in a nursing home. He would die in a London nursing home on 17 November, 1918.

Bibliography

• "Fallen Officers" (Obituaries). The Times. Wednesday, 20 November, 1918. Issue 41952, col F, p. 8.

Service Records

• The National Archives. ADM 196/86.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/38/442.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/18.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by New Command	Rear-Admiral, Nore Division, Home Fleet Apr 1907 – Jan 1908	Succeeded by The Hon. Stanley C. J. Colville

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Reynell J. Fortescue	Captain of H.M.S. Swallow 30 Nov, 1889	Succeeded by Lewis D. Sampson
Preceded by Henry C. Bigge	Captain of H.M.S. Sappho 18 Jul, 1894	Succeeded by Vernon A. Tisdall
Preceded by Robert H. S. Stokes	Captain of H.M.S. Royal Arthur 30 May, 1895 – 25 Sep, 1896	Succeeded by George F. King-Hall
Preceded by John R. E. Pattisson	Captain of H.M.S. Amphion 7 Jan, 1897 – 13 Feb, 1900	Succeeded by John Casement
Preceded by Sir Richard Poore, Bart.	Captain of H.M.S. Illustrious 14 Feb, 1900 – 24 Mar, 1902	Succeeded by Francis J. Foley
Preceded by Frederick S. Pelham	Captain of H.M.S. Cambrian 20 Jun, 1902 – 26 May, 1904	Succeeded by Edward G. Shortland
Preceded by Edward G. Shortland	Captain of H.M.S. St. George 26 May, 1904 – 7 Dec, 1904	Succeeded by Arthur Y. Moggridge
Preceded by Charles H. Adair	Rear-Admiral Commanding, Sheerness-Chatham Reserve Division 3 Jan, 1907 – 3 Jan, 1908	Succeeded by Command Renamed
Preceded by Herbert Chatterton	Senior Officer in Charge, Auxiliary Patrol Area XVIII 4 Jun, 1916 – 18 May, 1917	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Herbert Chatterton	Senior Naval Officer, Buncrana 4 Jun, 1916 – 18 May, 1917	Succeeded by Edward G. Lowther-Crofton