George Eric Maxia O'Donnell

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Captain George Eric Maxia O'Donnell, D.S.O., Royal Navy (31 August, 1893 – 18 January, 1953) served in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

O'Donnell was born in 1893, the son of a Colonel in the Indian Army.[1]

O'Donnell was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 July, 1915.[2]

He was appointed to Southampton as Lieutenant (G) on 21 October, 1918.

Post-war

O'Donnell left Southampton for some time in Excellent and to teach gunnery at Pembroke and was then appointed to Chatham as gunnery officer on 1 September, 1920.[3]

O'Donnell was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 July, 1923.[4]

On 1 January, 1926, he was appointed as Lieutenant-Commander (G) in Iron Duke. On 5 January, 1927, he transferred to Royal Oak as gunnery officer. He left her in June, 1929.[5]

O'Donnell was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1929.[6]

O'Donnell was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 December, 1936.[7]

He was appointed in command of the gunboat Bee and as Flag Captain and Chief Staff Officer to Rear-Admiral and S.N.O., Yangtze on 30 July, 1937. On 13 April, 1938, he was appointed to the Staff of the Commander-in-Chief, China as a Naval Liaison Officer to the British Embassy. In 1938, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by the American government for his services in assisting the survivors of the gunboat U.S.S. Panay and was granted the right by the Admiralty to accept and wear it without restriction.[8]

On 9 September, 1938 he was admitted to Royal Naval Hospital, Chatham and pronounced medically unfit due to a septic right hand. Before long, he was also suffering from weight loss, insomnia and asthma.

On 25 June, 1939 O'Donnell was appointed Naval Attache to Athens.[9]

World War II

Despite having been appointed less than a week before to a Damage Control School, O'Donnell was appointed in command of the battleship Malaya on 22 July, 1943.

He was appointed in command of the battleship Valiant in October, 1943.

O'Donnell was mentioned in despatches for his leadership and skill in damage control on 30 January, 1945. On 30 April, 1945, he was appointed in command of the Damage Control School.[10]

He was placed on the retired list on 2 January, 1946, and, for some reason, reverted there on 18 April, 1946. He was granted permission to settle in Kenya in 1947.[11]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Charles E. Hotham
Captain of H.M.S. Bee
30 Jul, 1937[12] – 13 Apr, 1938[13]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Herbert A. Packer
Royal Navy Naval Attaché at Athens
6 Jul, 1939[14] – 21 Aug, 1939[15]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
?
Royal Navy Naval Attaché at Angora
21 Aug, 1939[16] – 1941[17]
Succeeded by
William L. Jackson
Preceded by
John C. Annesley
Captain of H.M.S. Enterprise
15 Jul, 1942[18] – 17 Nov, 1942[19]
Succeeded by
John N. Sparks
Preceded by
Henry H. Robson
Captain of H.M.S. Capetown
17 Nov, 1942[20] – 28 Dec, 1942[21]
Succeeded by
Charles L. Robertson
Preceded by
Robert A. W. J. Southwell
Captain of H.M.S. Enterprise
26 Jun, 1943[22] – 22 Jul, 1943[23]
Succeeded by
Harold T. W. Grant
Preceded by
John W. A. Waller
Captain of H.M.S. Malaya
22 Jul, 1943[24] – 18 Oct, 1943[25]
Succeeded by
Leslie H. Ashmore
Preceded by
Leslie H. Ashmore
Captain of H.M.S. Valiant
15 Oct, 1943[26] – 23 Apr, 1945[27]
Succeeded by
John Newton

Footnotes

  1. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  2. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  3. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  4. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  5. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  6. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  7. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  8. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  9. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  10. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  11. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  12. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  13. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  14. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  15. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  16. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  17. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  18. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  19. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  20. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  21. Uboat.net page on the ship.
  22. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  23. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  24. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  25. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  26. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.
  27. O'Donnell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/56. f. 14.