Harry Francis Hughes-Hallett

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Vice-Admiral (retired) Harry Francis Hughes-Hallett, C.V.O., R.N. ( – 12 July, 1913) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Hughes-Hallett was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 26 April, 1866. On 20 June 1868, the British Museum reported his valuable service in connection with the removal of antiquities from Ephesus.

In October 1872, he was commended by the Commander-in-Chief, China for his work with the gunnery in Barossa.

In November 1878, he was praised for his work disembarking Indian troops at Cyprus.

Hughes-Hallett was promoted to the rank of Commander on 23 June, 1880.

Hughes-Hallett was promoted to the rank of Captain on 21 June, 1887. He was mildly censured for invaliding a Paymaster from Liffey without approval.

Hughes-Hallett was appointed in command of the corvette Garnet in August, 1890. In November 1893 and August 1894, there were irregularities in the canteen receipts for Garnet, and the Admiralty expressed its "extreme dissatisfaction" with the part Hughes-Hallett had played in the aftermath.

In September 1895, he received a certificate for taking a course in ballooning.

Hughes-Hallett was appointed in command of the first class protected cruiser Gibraltar in January, 1896. Four men were killed in a torpedo-handling accident aboard the cruiser on 9 February, 1897 when she was operating out of Zanzibar. Lieutenant Walter Ellerton was directing the quarterly examination of the dry primers for the torpedoes, the work being carried out by Leading Seaman Arthur Moxley and Able Seaman Albert Rock. After the pistols and primers had been examined and returned to their cases, the last one so examined by Ellerton was found by Lieutenant Calthrop to be outside of its case in pieces, with its safety pin removed. The explosion occurred soon afterward, and Moxley, who had been sitting on a box, was "blown to atoms". Three other men were injured so badly that they died that night. A fifth man survived, but could provide no helpful information as to the events leading up to the explosion.[1]

Placed on the Retired List on account of age on 11 October, 1899, Hughes-Hallett was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral (retired) on 15 June, 1901 and then to Vice-Admiral (retired) on 22 July, 1905.

He died in Plymouth Hospital from heart failure.

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
?
Captain of H.M.S. Firefly
c. 31 May, 1879[2]
Succeeded by
Reginald P. Cochran
Preceded by
Albert B. Jenkings
Captain of H.M.S. Garnet
1 Aug, 1890[3] – 1 Sep, 1894
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Angus MacLeod
Captain of H.M.S. Gibraltar
14 Jan, 1896[4]
Succeeded by
Harry L. F. Royle
Preceded by
Robert W. Craigie
Captain of H.M.S. Camperdown
28 May, 1898[5] – 11 Oct, 1899
Succeeded by
Alvin C. Corry

Footnotes

  1. "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Friday, Mar 05, 1897; pg. 7; Issue 35143.
  2. "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), 31 May 1879, p. 9.
  3. The Navy List. (April, 1894). p. 221.
  4. The Navy List. (March, 1896). p. 226.
  5. The Navy List. (October, 1898). p. 236.