John Mansel Porter

File:John Porter Magnificent.jpg

Porter as an Midshipman "lacking in zeal" in Magnificent, c. 1905.
From official officers' photograph in album of George Napier Tomlin.

Captain John Mansel Porter, R.N., Retired (10 September, 1888 – ) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Born in Manor House, Little Compton.

Porter passed out of Britannia on 15 September 1904 and was appointed to the battleship Magnificent of the Channel Fleet, remaining in her until she paid off on 5 November 1906. Captain Farquhar described the young sailor as "lacking in zeal".

He would next spend a year in the battleship Britannia in the Atlantic.

Porter was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1910.

On 16 November, 1912 he was appointed to the battleship King George V. On 13 February, 1913 he was appointed to be first Lieutenant in the Acorn Class destroyer Nemesis. He would be serving in that capacity until May 1915.

Great War

On 19 November, 1914 Porter was sent to hospital ship China with appendicitis. On 4 February, 1915 he was fit to rejoin Nemesis.

On 2 February, 1918 Porter left command of the "M" Class destroyer Musketeer for an appointment in Warwick and for duty on the Staff of Captain Superintendent of T.B.Ds.. When Warwick commissioned in March, he was appointed in command. Later that month, however, he was appointed in command of Marksman and then of Tyrant on 19 April.

On 2 October, 1918, Tyrant struck her propellor on the ground and Porter was chastised for not waiting for a favourable tide.

Porter was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 31 December, 1918.

Post-War

He was appointed in command of the destroyer Wolsey on 18 June, 1920.

Porter was appointed in command of the destroyer Wolverine on 18 June, 1920.

In 1922, a Court of Enquiry cautioned him to be more careful after a collision between Wolverine and Wild Swan.

In 1924, Porter was found at fault when Tower damaged some fishing gear of Fisher Lassie[?].

Porter was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1925.

Porter was retired with the rank of Captain on 10 September, 1934.

World War II

His service record is torn, but he evidently performed some work with merchant ships. In late 1941, he was fit for shore service only. A later diagnosis of Buerger's Disease left him with difficulty climbing stairs.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Patrick B. Crohan	Captain of H.M.S. Arab 3 May, 1915 – 2 Jun, 1916	Succeeded by Samuel B. Graves
Preceded by Alan M. Yeats-Brown	Captain of H.M.S. Liffey 2 Jun, 1916 – 18 Oct, 1916	Succeeded by Godfrey R. Chambers
Preceded by Godfrey R. Chambers	Captain of H.M.S. Musketeer 18 Oct, 1916 – 2 Feb, 1918	Succeeded by Edward Eastwick-Field
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Warwick 2 Feb, 1918 – Mar, 1918	Succeeded by Victor L. A. Campbell
Preceded by Victor L. A. Campbell	Captain of H.M.S. Marksman Mar, 1918 – 19 Apr, 1918	Succeeded by Thomas C. C. Bolster
Preceded by Thomas C. C. Bolster	Captain of H.M.S. Tyrant 19 Apr, 1918 – 29 Mar, 1919	Succeeded by Reginald Nash
Preceded by William G. A. Shuttleworth	Captain of H.M.S. Viscount 16 Apr, 1919 – 18 Jun, 1920	Succeeded by James V. Creagh
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Toreador 23 Sep, 1919 – 16 Apr, 1919	Succeeded by Frederic C. Bradley
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Wolverine 18 Jun, 1920 – 3 May, 1922	Succeeded by Frederick A. Richardson
Preceded by Franklin Ratsey	Captain of H.M.S. Verdun 16 Jan, 1923 – 12 Dec, 1923	Succeeded by Hamilton E. Snepp
Preceded by Franklin Ratsey	Captain of H.M.S. Tower 17 Dec, 1923 – 1 Jan, 1925[Inference]	Succeeded by Desmond A. Stride
Preceded by Henry D. C. Stanistreet	Captain of H.M.S. Thracian 1 Jan, 1925 – 7 Jul, 1925	Succeeded by Charles F. Bush
Preceded by Lionel G. Dawson	Captain of H.M.S. Valhalla 7 Jul, 1925 – 27 Jul, 1927	Succeeded by Arthur E. H. Wright
Preceded by Percy R. P. Percival	Captain of H.M.S. Serapis 1 Feb, 1929 – Feb, 1931	Succeeded by Lawrence F. N. Ommanney
Preceded by William P. Mark-Wardlaw	Captain of H.M.S. Bruce 5 Jul, 1929 – Feb, 1931	Succeeded by Robert L. Burnett
Preceded by William P. Mark-Wardlaw as Captain (D), Eighth Destroyer Flotilla	Commander (D), Eighth Destroyer Flotilla 5 Jul, 1929 – Feb, 1931	Succeeded by Robert L. Burnett as Captain (D), Eighth Destroyer Flotilla