Bernard William Murray Fairbairn

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Vice-Admiral Bernard William Murray Fairbairn, C.B.E., R.N. (18 April, 1880 – 5 April, 1960) served in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Fairbairn was the eldest son of Reverend W. M. Fairbairn.

Fairbairn was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 July, 1901.

Fairbairn was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 July, 1909.

Fairbairn was appointed to the armoured cruiser H.M.S. Cochrane of the Second Cruiser Squadron as first and gunnery officer on 9 January 1913. He was re-appointed to her in lieu of a Lt. (G) upon his promotion to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1914.[1]

Fairbairn left Cochrane upon being superseded on 6 November 1915. He would then find himself sidelined from the war for two and a half years, appointed to provide gunnery expertise for the D.N.O. until being appointed to the super-dreadnought Warspite as gunnery officer on 25 July, 1918. He stayed in her through the end of the war, being promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1919 and finally being superseded in the ship on 11 July.[2]

In the immediate post-war years, Fairbairn worked with the Gunnery Division, being Deputy Director from 10 January, 1921 to 16 August, 1922. He was then placed in command of the light cruiser H.M.S. Dragon, remaining in command until being superseded in October 1924.[3]

Fairbairn was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 20 April, 1931.

Fairbairn was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 1 January, 1936 and placed on the Retired List the following day, ending sixteen months' service as President of the Ordnance Committee.

World War II

Fairbairn served at Liverpool as a Commodore of Convoys. On 12 May 1942 he was appointed sa Flag Officer in Command, Milford Haven, vice Phillips.

Fairbairn died at Winslow at age 79.

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Henry J. S. Brownrigg
Deputy Director of the Gunnery Division
10 Jan, 1921[4] – 16 Aug, 1922[5]
Succeeded by
Cecil V. Usborne
Preceded by
Cecil V. Usborne
Captain of H.M.S. Dragon
15 Aug, 1922[6] – 14 Oct, 1924
Succeeded by
Isham W. Gibson
Preceded by
William F. Sells
Captain of Devonport Gunnery School
18 Jul, 1925[7] – 16 Apr, 1927
Succeeded by
Edward O. Cochrane
Preceded by
Henry J. S. Brownrigg
Director of the Gunnery Division
22 Apr, 1927[8] – 24 Dec, 1928[9]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Isham W. Gibson
Director of Training and Staff Duties
24 Dec, 1928[10] – 15 Apr, 1929
Succeeded by
Edward O. Cochrane
Preceded by
Hubert S. Monroe
Captain of H.M.S. Ramillies
c. late Apr, 1929 – 1 Dec, 1930[11]
Succeeded by
Henry D. Bridges
Preceded by
Henry R. Crooke
Vice-President of the Ordnance Committee
2 Jan, 1932 – 1 Aug, 1934
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Herbert Willes Webley Hope
President of the Ordnance Committee
1 Aug, 1934 – 2 Jan, 1936
Succeeded by
Arthur F. Pridham
Preceded by
Philip E. Phillips
Flag Officer in Charge, Milford Haven
12 May, 1942[12] – 24 Oct, 1945[13]
Succeeded by
?

Footnotes

  1. Fairbairn Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/197. f. 201.
  2. Fairbairn Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/197. f. 201.
  3. Fairbairn Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/197. f. 201.
  4. Fairbairn Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/197. f. 201.
  5. Fairbairn Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/197. f. 201.
  6. The Navy List. (July, 1924). p. 234.
  7. The Navy List. (February, 1926). p. 284.
  8. Fairbairn Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/197. f. 201.
  9. Fairbairn Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/197. f. 201.
  10. The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. p. 124.
  11. Superseded that day. Bridges Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/34. f. 34.
  12. Fairbairn Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/197. f. 201.
  13. Fairbairn Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/197. f. 201.