Charles Geoffrey Coleridge Sumner

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Captain (retired) Charles Geoffrey Coleridge Sumner, O.B.E. (8 November, 1883 – ) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Sumner's father was R. P. Sumner, solicitor of Gloucester. Charles Sumner placed fifteenth of sixty-one cadets passing out of Britannia in August 1899, earning 1584 of 2250 possible marks[1] and gaining eight months' time on passing out. On 15 September, 1899 he was appointed to the armoured cruiser Orlando on the China Station.[2]

Sumner was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1905.[3]

In February, 1912, Sumner received an Italian Medal and Diploma for services at Messina following the earthquake of December, 1908, during which time he was serving in the armoured cruiser Sutlej. On 9 March, 1909, he moved to the Donegal. On 8 February, 1910, he began a string of destroyer commands when he was appointed in command of the "C" Class destroyer Velox.[4]

On 29 October, 1912, Sumner was appointed in command of the destroyer Fury.[5] A collision with Sheldrake in 1913 prompted a Court of Enquiry to conclude that Sumner should have been on the bridge more promptly. Sumner was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 June, 1913.[6]

On 27 October 1914, Sumner's destroyer offered expert assistance to the mined battleship Audacious, for which Captain Dampier recommended him, recording his admiration of the way "in which he handled his destroyer in taking the owing lines to Olympic, Liverpool and Thornhill was a perfect lesson in seamanship." In December 1914, Sumner was hospitalised with enteric fever. Though still technically in command of Fury, he was out of action until March, 1915, with Gordon McLeod Cameron commanding the destroyer in the interim.

Sumner was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1915.[7]

Sumner commanded the destroyer Opal at the Battle of Jutland where she operated with the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla.[8]

On 16 May 1917, Sumner was granted 30 days sick leave, suffering from neurasthenia. He was found fit on 27 July and ordered to rejoin Opal.

On 20 December 1917 he was sent back to hospital. Eventually cleared for shore service, he was still suffering from neurasthenia and enteric fever into August 1918. His shore status continued until June 1919.

Post-War

On 12 December 1925, Sumner was appoointed to Pembroke, additional for charge of the Detention Barracks vice Marryat.

Sumner was placed on the Retired List with the rank of Captain on 6 December, 1929.[9]

World War II

Granted the rank of Acting Captain on 10 November, 1939. On the 13th, he was appointed in command of the submarine depot ships H.M.S. Montcalm vice Pope. He was superseded in command on 1 July, 1940.

Late in the war, he was placed in charge of Naval Detention Quarters, Preston Prison vice Vavasour.

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Robert F. Veasey
Captain of H.M.S. Velox
8 Feb, 1910[10][11] – 24 Mar, 1911[12]
Succeeded by
Cyril P. Franklin
Preceded by
William B. Mackenzie
Captain of H.M.S. Falcon
24 Mar, 1911[13][14] – 29 Oct, 1912[15]
Succeeded by
Hubert O. Wauton
Preceded by
Claude L. Cumberlege
Captain of H.M.S. Fury
29 Oct, 1912[16][17] – 4 Dec, 1914[18]
Succeeded by
Gordon McL. Cameron
Preceded by
Gordon McL. Cameron
Captain of H.M.S. Fury
Mar, 1915[19] – Jul, 1915[20]
Succeeded by
John Fawcett
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Mons
Jul, 1915[21][22] – 11 Feb, 1916[23]
Succeeded by
Robert Makin
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Opal
4 Mar, 1916[24] – Mar, 1918[25]
Succeeded by
M. Brock Birkett
Preceded by
Humphrey W. Best
Captain of H.M.S. Snapdragon
1 Dec, 1920[26][27] – 1 Dec, 1922[28]
Succeeded by
Andrew Johnstone
Preceded by
Charles T. A. Bunbury
Captain of H.M.S. Erebus
25 Sep, 1923[29][30] – 25 Sep, 1925[31]
Succeeded by
Oliver M. F. Stokes
Preceded by
Hugh T. England
Captain of H.M.S. Colombo
27 Apr, 1926[32] – 25 Jul, 1926[33]
Succeeded by
Arthur M. Lecky

Footnotes

  1. "Naval & Military Intelligence" The Times (London, England), Thursday, Aug 10, 1899; pg. 8; Issue 35904.
  2. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  3. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  4. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  5. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 320.
  6. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  7. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  8. Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. pp. 34, 45.
  9. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  10. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  11. The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 389.
  12. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  13. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  14. The Navy List. (August, 1912). p. 312.
  15. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  16. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  17. The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 394f.
  18. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  19. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  20. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  21. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  22. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 396c.
  23. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  24. The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 396gg.
  25. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  26. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  27. The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 865.
  28. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  29. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  30. The Navy List. (July, 1924). p. 238.
  31. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  32. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.
  33. Sumner Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/137. f. 541.