Maurice Woollcombe

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Admiral Maurice Woollcombe, C.B., Royal Navy, Retired (18 April, 1868 – 19 December, 1930) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Early Life & Career

Maurice Woollcombe was born on 18 April, 1868, the fourth son of Mr. W. J. Woollcombe, of Plympton St. Maurice, Devon. He was educated at Plympton Grammar School and Eastman's Royal Navy Academy, Southsea.

Lieutenant & Commander

Woollcombe was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 14 October, 1889.[1]

Woollcombe was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1901.[2]

Captain

Woollcombe was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1907.[3]

He was appointed in command of Europa on 1 August, 1908, also assuming command of Cruiser Division of Special Reserve ships at Devonport.[4]

On 1 April, 1910, Woollcombe was appointed in command of H.M.S. Brilliant.[5]

He served as captain of the battleship Irresistible from March 1912, remaining one year in that posting.[6]

He was appointed in command of the Template:UK-Diane on18 April, 1913.[7]

Woollcombe was appointed in command of H.M.S. Commonwealth on 1 October, 1913.[8]

Great War

On 26 October, 1915, Woollcombe was appointed in command of the new battleship Valiant.[9]

He commanded her at the Battle of Jutland.[10]

On 15 September he was appointed an Additional Member of the Third Class, or Companion, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.) dated 31 May.[11]

Woollcombe was relieved in command of Valiant on 1 October, 1918, by Captain Henry T. Buller,[12] and was promoted Rear-Admiral on 2 October, 1918 in the vacancy caused by the retirement of Rear-Admiral Charles William Keighly-Peach.[13] On 28 October he was appointed to H.M.S. President for Special Service.[14]

Post-War

Woollcombe was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on the Retired List on 19 July, 1924,[15] and was advanced to the rank of Admiral on 22 February, 1928.[16]

There is a photograph of him as Captain of Valiant in Crawford Scrapbook, Liddle Collection.

Bibliography

  • "Admiral Woollcombe" (Obituaries). The Times. Saturday, 20 December, 1930. Issue 45701, col D, p. 14.

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Morgan Singer
Captain of H.M.S. Prometheus
29 Sep, 1904[17] – ?
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Charles H. Morgan
Captain of H.M.S. Europa
1 Aug, 1908[18] – ?
Succeeded by
Gerald C. A. Marescaux
Preceded by
Francis F. Haworth-Booth
Captain of H.M.S. Brilliant
1 Apr, 1910[19] – ?
Succeeded by
Robert E. Vaughan
Preceded by
Cunningham R. de C. Foot
Captain of H.M.S. Irresistible
Mar, 1912[20] – ?
Succeeded by
Noel Grant
Preceded by
Sydney S. Hall
Captain of H.M.S. Diana
18 Apr, 1913[21] – ?
Succeeded by
George B. Hutton
Preceded by
Price V. Lewes
Captain of H.M.S. Commonwealth
1 Oct, 1913[22] – ?
Succeeded by
Herbert W. Richmond
Preceded by
?
Captain of H.M.S. Valiant
26 Oct, 1915[23] – ?
Succeeded by
Henry T. Buller
Preceded by
James A. Fergusson
Rear-Admiral Commanding, Devonport Reserve
9 Apr, 1919[24] – ?
Succeeded by
Philip H. Colomb

Footnotes

  1. The London Gazette: no. 25994. p. 6135. 19 November, 1889.
  2. The London Gazette: no. 27335. p. 4780. 19 July, 1901.
  3. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 28034. p. 4433. 28 June, 1907.
  4. The Navy List (October, 1908). p. 310.
  5. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 16 February, 1910. Issue 39197, col E, p. 12.
  6. Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
  7. The Navy List (July, 1913). p. 301.
  8. The Navy List (October, 1915). p. 393b.
  9. The Navy List (December, 1916). p. 398u.
  10. Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. p. 46.
  11. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29751. p. 9070. 15 September, 1916.
  12. The Navy List (December, 1918). p. 923a.
  13. The London Gazette: no. 30942. p. 11860. 8 October, 1918.
  14. The Navy List (December, 1918). p. 876.
  15. The London Gazette: no. 32959. p. 5638. 25 July, 1924.
  16. The London Gazette: no. 33362. p. 1494. 2 March, 1928.
  17. Woollcombe Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 504.
  18. Woollcombe Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 504.
  19. Woollcombe Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 504.
  20. Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
  21. The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 301.
  22. Woollcombe Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 504.
  23. Woollcombe Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 504.
  24. Woollcombe Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 287.

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