Bernard John Hamilton Ward

Captain (retired) Bernard John Hamilton Ward, O.B.E., R.N. (13 March, 1875 – 20 September, 1938) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Born in Stoneham, the son of a Lieutenant-Colonel.

Ward was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 22 June, 1897.

Ward was appointed in command of the destroyer Greyhound on 10 December, 1903.

Ward was commended for his admirable handling of Roebuck as he rendered assistance to the grounded Arab, sometime during 1905. His next appointment was to King Alfred, where he served as first Lieutenant from 1 January 1906 until she paid off on 15 January, 1908. He then spent four months as first lieutenant in Swiftsure, being then promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1908. Perhaps while he was in Swiftsure, an A.B. named Symonds was killed in a winch accident, and it was found that Ward could have issued more detailed instructions.

He was appointed in command of the gunboat Foxhound on 21 August, 1911. He grounded her, and received the displeasure of the Admiralty.

From 1913 until 1 February 1915, he served as Flag Commander to Admiral Lowry, in late 1914 being thanked for his clever ideas on methods he had adopted to deal with submarine attack. He then followed Admiral Lowry to a position providing extended defence to the Firth of Forth. On 21 March 1916, this position became a staff position under Admiral Lowry, with Ward serving with the rank of Acting Captain. This lasted through the end of the war. On 17 July 1919, Ward fell ill. A series of hospitalisations did not sufficiently restore his health.

Ward was placed on the Retired List as medically unfit with the rank of Captain on 8 October, 1920.

See Also

• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Charles M. Foot	Captain of H.M.S. Snapper 16 May, 1903 – 26 Jun, 1903	Succeeded by Bernard J. H. Ward
Preceded by John W. E. Townsend	Captain of H.M.S. Avon 27 Jun, 1903 – 14 Aug, 1903	Succeeded by Charles E. Cundall
Preceded by George L. Massey	Captain of H.M.S. Opossum 14 Aug, 1903 – 10 Dec, 1903	Succeeded by George P. Leith
Preceded by John F. E. Green	Captain of H.M.S. Greyhound 10 Dec, 1903 – 10 Jan, 1904[Inference]	Succeeded by Wilmot S. Nicholson
Preceded by Bernard J. H. Ward	Captain of H.M.S. Snapper 10 Jan, 1904 – 11 Oct, 1904	Succeeded by Reginald C. L. Owen
Preceded by Howard J. Kennard	Captain of H.M.S. Angler 9 Nov, 1904 – 30 Dec, 1904	Succeeded by John R. Corner
Preceded by Colpoys C. Walcott	Captain of H.M.S. Hunter 3 Jan, 1905 – 23 May, 1905	Succeeded by William J. Scott
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Rother 23 May, 1905 – 1 Aug, 1905	Succeeded by William S. F. Forbes
Preceded by Arthur S. Chambers	Captain of H.M.S. Roebuck 1 Aug, 1905 – 1 Jan, 1906	Succeeded by Stanley V. Ellis
Preceded by Arthur B. F. Dawson	Captain of H.M.S. Wolf 26 Jan, 1909 – 30 Apr, 1910	Succeeded by Clive C. H. Maitland-Addison
Preceded by Stuart D. Blair	Captain of H.M.S. Teazer 3 Apr, 1910 – 20 Jan, 1911	Succeeded by Reginald H. Ransome
Preceded by Thomas K. Maxwell	Captain of H.M.S. Conflict 27 Jan, 1911 – 21 Aug, 1911	Succeeded by Francis R. Scarlett
Preceded by Spencer F. Russell	Captain of H.M.S. Dasher 27 Mar, 1911 – 30 Mar, 1911	Succeeded by Edward T. D. Finch
Preceded by Arthur K. Macrorie	Captain of H.M.S. Foxhound 21 Aug, 1911 – 4 Nov, 1913	Succeeded by William G. Howard