Robert Swinburne Lowry
Admiral SIR Robert Swinburne Lowry, K.C.B., Royal Navy (4 March, 1854 – 29 May, 1920) was an officer of the Royal Navy.
Early Life & Career
Lowry was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 October, 1875.[1]
Lowry was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1889.[2]
On 7 January, 1890, Lowry was appointed to the Undaunted.[3]
Captain
Lowry was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1896.[4]
He was appointed in command of the battleship Hood from 19 April, 1902 to 25 June, 1903 in the Home Fleet.[Citation needed]
According to Captain Humphrey H. Smith:
Lowry, the Flag Captain, was a deeply religious man, whose profound faith in Providence kept him cool, cheerful, and collected under all circumstances. Nothing could ever rattle him or upset his equanimity, and both his physical and his moral courage were infinitely great. He was very strong, very active, and extremely keen on fishing and shooting. Whenever he landed or came off to the ship in his gig he would, if he was not in uniform, make his coxswain steer the boat, while he pulled the stroke oar, and a might good oar he could pull. I once saw him handle a case of insubordination in an original way that led to the very best results. Ion those days it sometimes happened that a hasty-tempered young man, who felt either restless or aggrieved under naval discipline, would strike a superior in order to be dismissed the Service, even though such dismissal would be accompanied by a sentence to imprisonment with hard labour. A young ordinary seaman on board the Ramillies, who had been going wrong for some time, finally put the hat on his previous misdeeds by refusing, in unpardonable language, to obey an order given him by the captain of the forecastle. He was therefore brought up before the Commander, who forwarded the case to be investigated by the Flag Captain.
The ordinary seaman appeared at "Captain's Defaulters" under the charge of an escort of Marines. Lowry, having heard the evidence of the captain of the forecastle and various witnesses, asked the ordinary seaman what he had to say in his defence. The man made no reply, but he stepped out and struck Lowry as hard as he could in the chest. Of course the escort of Marines sprang to seize him, but before they could do so Lowry with his open right fetched the ordinary seaman such a terrific blow that the latter fell down and spun round and round like a top. At the same time Lowry remarked, with a chuckle: "Ha, ha! I can hit harder than you." The ordinary seaman was then removed, and kept a prisoner until the following day, when he was again brought before Lowry. "You have been making a fool of yourself," said Lowry. "Now, if I let you off, will you promise not to make a fool of yourself again?" "Yes, sir," replied the man. He was let off, and he kept his promise.[5]
Flag Rank
Lowry was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 17 October, 1906, vice Campbell.[6]
President of the Royal Naval War College from 1 November, 1907.
Lowry was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 6 March, 1911.[7]
On the occasion of the King's birthday he was appointed an Ordinary Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (K.C.B.) on 3 June, 1913.[8] He was promoted to the rank of Admiral on 13 December vice Winsloe.[9] He was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 19 August, 1917, "in order to facilitate the promotion of younger officers."[10]
Footnotes
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 24256. p. 4905. 19 October, 1875.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 26007. p. 7553. 31 December, 1889.
- ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 8 January, 1890. Issue 32903, col C, p. 6.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 26757. p. 3978. 10 July, 1896.
- ↑ Smith. An Admiral Never Forgets. pp. 129-131.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 27959. p. 7017. 19 October, 1906.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 28474. p. 2055. 10 March, 1911.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 28724. p. 3903. 3 June, 1913.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 28783. p. 9338. 19 December, 1913.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 30248. p. 8703. 24 August, 1917.
Bibliography
- "Admiral Sir Robert Lowry" (Obituaries). The Times. Monday, 31 May, 1920. Issue 42424, col C, pg. 19.
Service Records
- The National Archives. ADM 196/87.
- The National Archives. ADM 196/39.
- The National Archives. ADM 196/19.
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Robert L. Groome |
Rear-Admiral in the Channel Fleet 1907 |
Succeeded by Francis J. Foley |
| Preceded by Edmond J. W. Slade |
Rear-Admiral Commanding, Royal Naval War College 1907 – 1908 |
Succeeded by Lewis Bayly |
| Preceded by George A. Callaghan |
Fifth Cruiser Squadron 1908 – 1909 |
Succeeded by Command Renamed |
| Preceded by New Command |
Second Cruiser Squadron 1909 – 1910 |
Succeeded by Sir George J. S. Warrender, Bart. |
| Preceded by New Command |
Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Scotland 1913 – 1916 |
Succeeded by Sir Frederick T. Hamilton |
- People
- People (UK)
- 1854 births
- 1920 deaths
- H.M.S. Britannia (Training Ship) Entrants of January, 1868
- Gunnery Officers
- Gunnery Officers (UK)
- Captains of H.M.S. Ganges (Boys' Training Establishment)
- Assistant Directors of Naval Intelligence (Royal Navy)
- Captains of the Royal Naval Engineering College, Keyham
- Rear-Admirals Commanding the Royal Naval War College
- Commanders-in-Chief, Rosyth
