Claude Lionel Cumberlege

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Rear-Admiral Claude Lionel Cumberlege, Royal Navy, Retired (9 June, 1877 – 22 November, 1963) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Born in London, the son of Colonel A. B. Cumberlege.

In the examination for cadetships in the Royal Navy held on 25 November, 1890, Cumberlege placed forty-fifth out of fifty-seven successful candidates, with 1,160 marks.[1]

He was appointed as Lieutenant & Commander of the destroyer Banshee on 2 January, 1905.[2]

Before even making commander, he enjoyed two further sea commands in destroyers: Locust on 5 October, 1905,[3] and Albatross on 15 January, 1906.[4]

On 2 August, 1910 he was appointed to the armoured cruiser Hogue before being returned to command in the torpedo gunboat Speedy on 2 January, 1911.[5]

He was promoted to Commander on 22 June, 1911 at age 34.[6]

Destroyer commands now followed in Kale on 17 August, 1911 (where he was faulted for losing confidential documents), Fury on 23 August 1912, Lurcher on 29 October, 1912, and Warrego on 13 December, 1913, having been lent to the Royal Australian Navy on 14 October, 1913.

In 1912, Cumberlege was awarded the Royal Humane Society's Silver Medal for saving life from drowning.[7]

Great War

He was recommended by the Vice Admiral for successfully landing a landing party at Kalba Kaul, New Britain on 11 September, 1914.[8]

He was promoted to Captain on 30 June, 1915 at age 38.[9]

He was then given charge of second class protected cruiser H.M.S. Encounter from January 16 to October 16, 1916.

He was appointed command of light cruiser H.M.A.S. Brisbane on 31 October, 1916,[10] remaining there until April 19, 1917.

Postwar

Cumberlege was appointed Flag Captain and Chief of Staff in the battlecruiser H.M.A.S. Australia on 8 April, 1919.[11]

He was appointed Flag Captain and Chief of Staff in the light cruiser H.M.A.S. Melbourne on 21 September, 1920.[12]

Retirement

Cumberlege was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 11 July, 1922.[13]

He was advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral on the Retired List dated 7 August, 1926.[14]

World War II

Cumberlege offered his services in 1939 and was thanked and told there was "no appt. for which he could be earmarked at present."[15]

He died on 22 November, 1963, aged 86, on the same day as the assassination of American President John F. Kennedy.

See Also

  • A fantastic biography by descendants in the Cumberbatch Family
  • Cumberlege, Rear-Admiral Claude, R.N. (1936). Master Mariner. London: Peter Davies.

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Cyril E. Tower
Captain of H.M. T.B. 90
11 Sep, 1902[16] – 30 Sep, 1904[17]
Succeeded by
Arthur E. Silvertop
Preceded by
John C. H. Lindsay
Captain of H.M.S. Banshee
2 Jan, 1905[18][19] – 5 Oct, 1905[20]
Succeeded by
William F. Benwell
Preceded by
William F. Benwell
Captain of H.M.S. Locust
5 Oct, 1905[21] – 9 Jan, 1906[22]
Succeeded by
Harold V. Dundas
Preceded by
Harold V. Dundas
Captain of H.M.S. Albatross
10 Jan, 1906[23] – 10 Jan, 1908[24]
Succeeded by
Hugh T. Prichard
Preceded by
David M. Hamilton
Captain of H.M.S. Hussar
10 Jan, 1908[25][26] – 10 Jan, 1910[27]
Succeeded by
Neston W. Diggle
Preceded by
Francis G. C. Coates
Captain of H.M.S. Speedy
2 Jan, 1911[28][29] – 30 Jun, 1911[30]
Succeeded by
John W. Nash
Preceded by
Clive C. H. Maitland-Addison
Captain of H.M.S. Kale
17 Aug, 1911[31] – 23 Aug, 1912[32]
Succeeded by
Berwick Curtis
Preceded by
Charles G. Ramsey
Captain of H.M.S. Fury
23 Aug, 1912[33] – 29 Oct, 1912[34]
Succeeded by
Charles G. C. Sumner
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Lurcher
29 Oct, 1912[35][36] – Oct, 1913[37]
Succeeded by
Richard F. White
Preceded by
George F. Hyde
Captain of H.M.A.S. Warrego
13 Dec, 1913[38] – 10 Jan, 1916[39]
Succeeded by
Arthur G. H. Bond
Preceded by
Charles La P. Lewin
Captain of H.M.S. Encounter
10 Jan, 1916[40] – 31 Oct, 1916[41]
Succeeded by
John B. Stevenson
Preceded by
?
Captain of H.M.A.S. Brisbane
31 Oct, 1916[42][43] – 8 Apr, 1919[44]
Succeeded by
Walter H. C. S. Thring
Preceded by
Thomas N. James
Captain of H.M.A.S. Australia
8 Apr, 1919[45][46] – 10 May, 1922[47]
Succeeded by
Stanley R. Miller
Preceded by
Reginald J. N. Watson
Captain of H.M.A.S. Melbourne
21 Sep, 1920[48]
Succeeded by
Albert P. Addison

Footnotes

  1. "Cadetships in the Royal Navy" (News). The Times. Tuesday, 16 December, 1890. Issue 33196, col B, p. 10.
  2. "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 4 January, 1905. Issue 37595, col C, p. 8.
  3. Cumberbatch Family History
  4. Cumberbatch Family History
  5. Cumberbatch Family History
  6. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  7. The Navy List. (July, 1911). p. 961.
  8. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  9. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  10. The Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 947.
  11. [Australian] Navy List (July, 1919). p. 23.
  12. Cumberbatch Family History
  13. The London Gazette: no. 32732. p. 5522. 25 July, 1922.
  14. The London Gazette: no. 33192. p. 5443. 17 August, 1926.
  15. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  16. The Navy List. (January, 1904). p. 297.
  17. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  18. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  19. "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 4 January, 1905. Issue 37595, col C, p. 8.
  20. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  21. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  22. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  23. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  24. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  25. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  26. The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 328.
  27. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  28. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  29. The Navy List. (July, 1911). p. 377.
  30. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  31. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  32. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  33. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  34. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  35. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  36. The Navy List. (October, 1913). p. 342.
  37. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  38. The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 399m.
  39. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  40. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  41. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  42. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  43. The Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 947.
  44. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  45. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  46. [Australian] Navy List (July, 1919). p. 23.
  47. Cumberlege Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/297. f. 334.
  48. The Navy List. (December, 1920). p. 949.