Constantine Henry Hughes-Onslow

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Rear-Admiral (retired) Constantine Henry Hughes-Onslow, R.N. (29 March, 1867 – 3 November, 1948) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Born in Richmond, Surrey.

Hughes-Onslow was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant dated 1 October, 1890.[1]

He was appointed to H.M.S. Imogene for navigation on 10 May, 1893. On 25 August, 1894, she grounded and Hughes-Onslow was informed he must be more careful, having proceeded at 10 knots near an isolated rock above water. An "unsatisfactory state of affairs" was held to prevail aboard the ship. It was deemed that Lieutenant-Commander Colwell exhibited a "want of tact & 'savoir faire'", but also that Huges-Onslow's letter to him was "most improper & insubordinate." Both officers were superseded; Hughes-Onslow on 17 January, 1895.

Hughes-Onslow was promoted to the rank of Commander dated 31 December, 1902.[2]

Hughes-Onslow was promoted to the rank of Captain dated 30 June, 1908.

Hughes-Onslow assumed command of the first class protected cruiser Grafton in March of 1910.

He was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 16 June, 1912.

In October of 1912, he accepted a two year appointment to serve as Second Naval Member of the Australian Naval Board, but he was removed from the post thirteen months later owing to "friction" he was causing.

Great War

On 24 October 1914, he was appointed in command of the elderly battleship Revenge.[3]

On 4 February 1916, the Admiralty expressed its surprise at the "indiscretion of his conversation at Gibraltar."

Hughes-Onslow was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral dated 3 October, 1919. He reverted to the Retired List on 19 December, 1919 with an effective date of 26 January, 1916.

He would die accidentally of coal gas poisoning.

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Hugh H. D. Tothill
Captain of H.M.S. Diamond
10 Feb, 1906[4] – 26 Feb, 1908
Succeeded by
Reginald F. Parker
Preceded by
Owen F. Gillett
Captain of H.M.S. Diadem
17 Jun, 1909
Succeeded by
John F. Grant-Dalton
Preceded by
Ronald A. Hopwood
Captain of H.M.S. Grafton
1 Mar, 1910[5] – 2 Mar, 1912
Succeeded by
Frederic A. Whitehead
Preceded by
Bertram M. Chambers
Second Naval Member of the Australian Naval Board
21 Oct, 1912[6] – 19 Nov, 1913
Succeeded by
Arthur G. Smith
Preceded by
Henry W. Grant
Captain of H.M.S. Revenge
24 Oct, 1914[7] – 23 Jul, 1915
Succeeded by
Vincent B. Molteno
Preceded by
Cecil A. Severn
Captain of H.M.S. Terrible
8 Sep, 1915[8]
Succeeded by
Charles H. Morgan

Footnotes

  1. The London Gazette: no. 26093. p. 5268. 3 October, 1890.
  2. The London Gazette: no. 27512. p. 4. 2 January, 1903.
  3. The Navy List. (December, 1914). p. 377.
  4. The Navy List. (March, 1907). p. 301.
  5. The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 321.
  6. "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Wednesday, Dec 04, 1912; pg. 12; Issue 40073.
  7. The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 397n.
  8. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 398p.