Somerset Arthur Gough-Calthorpe

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Admiral of the Fleet Sir Somerset Gough-Calthorpe, seen as a Rear-Admiral.
Photo: Library of Congress.

Admiral of the Fleet SIR Somerset Arthur Gough-Calthorpe, G.C.B., G.C.M.G., C.V.O., Royal Navy (23 December, 1864 – 27 July, 1937) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Early Life & Career

Somerset Arthur Gough-Calthorpe, the younger son of Somerset Frederick, seventh Lord Calthorpe, by his wife, Eliza Maria, only child of Captain Frederick Chamier, R.N., and widow of Captain Frederick Crewe, was born in London 23 December 1864.

Gough-Calthorpe was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant with seniority of 19 March, 1886.

Gough-Calthorpe was promoted to the rank of Commander on 1 January, 1896,[1] for services on the West and East Coasts of Africa.[2]

Captain

Gough-Calthorpe was promoted to the rank of Captain on 1 January, 1902.[3]

He was appointed to commission the new armoured cruiser Roxburgh in November 1905.[4]

He was appointed in command of the battleship Hindustan on 10 January, 1908.[5]

Flag Rank

Gough-Calthorpe was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 27 August, 1911, vice Simons.[6]

He was appointed an Ordinary Member of the Third Class, or Companion, in the Civil Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.) on 21 September, 1912.[7] He was invested with the insignia of the order by the King in an investiture at Buckingham Palace on 10 October.[8]

Great War

Gough-Calthorpe had succeeded Charles Madden in command of the Second Cruiser Squadron on 29 July, 1914.[9] On 11 March, 1915, he was appointed Acting Vice-Admiral as senior cruiser admiral in the Grand Fleet.

On 1 January, 1916, he was knighted and appointed an Additional Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, in the Military Division of the Order of the Bath (K.C.B.).[10]

He was appointed to President for duty at the admiralty on 1 June, 1916, (and therefore missed the Battle of Jutland) and on 1 July became a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty and Second Sea Lord, with the rank of Acting Vice-Admiral.[11]

On 26 April, 1917, Gough-Calthorpe was confirmed in the rank of Vice-Admiral.[12] On 8 August, 1917, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean, and assumed command on 26 August.[13]

On 22 October, 1918 Calthorpe was empowered by the Admiralty to conclude an armistice with Turkey, acting as sole negotiator on behalf of all the Allies.

Post-War

Gough-Calthorpe was promoted to the rank of Admiral on 31 July, 1919, in place of Sir Henry Jackson, promoted to the rank of Admiral of the Fleet.[14]

Gough-Calthorpe was promoted to the rank of Admiral of the Fleet on 8 May, 1925.[15] He was placed on the Retired List on 8 May, 1930.[16]

The events of the 1905 Russian Revolution affected both Gough-Calthorpe and his wife deeply and the aftermath stayed with her for many years afterwards. "The great tragedy of his life," his Secretary later recalled.[17] He died at Ryde on 27 July, 1937.

A portrait of Gough-Calthorpe by Philip Connard, painted on board the Superb in 1919, is in the collection of the Imperial War Museum.

See Also

Bibliography

  • "Sir Somerset Gough Calthorpe" (Obituaries). The Times. Wednesday, 28 July, 1934. Issue 47748, col B, p. 16.

Images

  • 1918 Philip Connard portrait in the possession of the Imperial War Museum, Catalogue Number IWM ART 2494.

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
A. Gordon H. W. Moore
Captain of the Fleet,
Home Fleet

1909 – 1911
Succeeded by
William O. Boothby

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Scott W. A. H. Gray
Captain of H.M.S. Halcyon
15 Sep, 1900[18]
Succeeded by
Cecil E. Rooke
Preceded by
?
Captain of H.M.S. Roxburgh
Nov, 1905[19]
Succeeded by
Morgan Singer
Preceded by
The Hon. Alexander E. Bethell
Captain of H.M.S. Hindustan
10 Jan, 1908[20]
Succeeded by
Henry H. Campbell
Preceded by
Charles E. Madden
Rear-Admiral in the First Battle Squadron
10 Dec, 1912[21]
Succeeded by
Hugh Evan-Thomas
Preceded by
Charles E. Madden
as Rear-Admiral Commanding, Second Cruiser Squadron
Vice-Admiral Commanding, Second Cruiser Squadron
29 Jul, 1914[22]
Succeeded by
Herbert L. Heath
as Rear-Admiral Commanding, Second Cruiser Squadron
Preceded by
Sir Frederick T. Hamilton
Second Sea Lord
30 Jun, 1916[23]
Succeeded by
Sir Cecil Burney
Preceded by
The Hon. Sir Alexander E. Bethell
Admiral Commanding Coastguard and Reserves
5 Dec, 1916[24]
Succeeded by
Sir Cecil F. Thursby
Preceded by
Allied Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean
Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Station
8 Aug, 1917[25]
Succeeded by
Sir John M. de Robeck, Bart.
Preceded by
Sir Cecil Burney, Bart.
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth Station
28 Apr, 1920[26]
Succeeded by
Sir Sydney R. Fremantle
Court Appointments
Preceded by
Sir Charles E. Madden, Bart.
First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp
31 Jul, 1924[27]
Succeeded by
Sir Montague E. Browning

Footnotes

  1. The London Gazette: no. 26694. p. 7532. 31 December, 1895.
  2. The London Gazette: no. 26696. p. 4. 3 January, 1896.
  3. The London Gazette: no. 27393. p. 3. 3 January, 1902.
  4. Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
  5. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 264.
  6. The London Gazette: no. 28526. p. 6373. 29 August, 1911.
  7. The London Gazette: no. 28648. p. 7107. 27 September, 1912.
  8. "Court Circular" (Court and Social). The Times. Friday, 11 October, 1912. Issue 40027, col A, p. 9.
  9. Squadrons and Senior Naval Officers in Existence on 11th November, 1918. f. 13.
  10. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29423. p. 80. 31 December, 1915.
  11. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 264.
  12. The London Gazette: no. 30037. p. 3955. 27 April, 1917.
  13. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List (June, 1918). p. 7.
  14. The London Gazette: no. 31489. p. 9961. 5 August, 1919.
  15. The London Gazette: no. 33049. p. 3445. 22 May, 1925.
  16. The London Gazette: no. 33604. p. 2867. 9 May, 1930.
  17. Recollection of Hubert Lynes, Gough-Calthorpe's Secretary in the Eastern Mediterranean. RNMN/LYNES. Liddle Collection, University of Leeds.
  18. The Navy List. (March, 1901). p. 261.
  19. Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
  20. The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 327.
  21. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 11 December, 1912. Issue 40079, col C, p. 14.
  22. Squadrons and Senior Naval Officers in Existence on 11th November, 1918. f. 13.
  23. The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. p. 125.
  24. The Navy List. (January, 1917). p. 423.
  25. Squadrons and Senior Naval Officers in Existence on 11th November, 1918. p. 32.
  26. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 28 April, 1920. Issue 42396, col G, p. 6.
  27. The London Gazette: no. 32962. p. 5889. 5 August, 1924.

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