Humphrey Maurice Robson

Captain (retired) Humphrey Maurice Robson (27 January, 1889 – 15 April, 1940) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Robson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 July, 1910.

Robson was credited with the sinking, by ramming, of a U-boat on the night of 12 September, 1916 while in command of Spitfire, but no known U-boat loss corresponds to this claim. He was invested with a D.S.O. for this supposed success, however, on 6 December, 1916.

A collision between Osiris and Vehement on 16 December, 1917 prompted a Court of Enquiry which informed Robson that he should be more careful in future.

On 31 December, 1917, Captain (D) Hugh Justin Tweedie of the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla directed that Robson go to hospital and that he not be considered fit for destroyers "for a considerable time", preferring that he serve in a large ship, as he was considered too young to command a destroyer. This is odd, as at age 28 Robson was not younger than many other destroyer commanders. Robson was superseded in command of Osiris on 3 January, 1918 and sent to President for work with "O M Convoys" while he recuperated from unspecified medical conditions. In mid April 1918 Robson was found fit and was appointed in command of Nereus.

Robson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 July, 1918.

Robson was appointed in command of the destroyer Tilbury on 20 August, 1918.

Post-War

On 18 September 1922, Robson was appointed to Ceres.

Robson was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1924. His mouth was so full of cavities that was admitted to Plymouth Hospital for three days on 22 June, 1925.

In 1926, after being treated for appendicitis, Robson was selected to attend an Air Intelligence Demonstration at Uxbridge.

In 1931, after a brief tenure in command of the aircraft carrier Eagle, Robson was appointed to Queen Elizabeth.

Robson was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Captain on 11 February, 1935. His service record is largely illegible due to tearing.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Thomas C. MacGill	Captain of H.M. T.B. 053 12 Jan, 1911 – 10 Apr, 1911	Succeeded by Vessel Decommissioned
Preceded by Arthur L. Harrison	Captain of H.M. T.B. 113 Aug, 1911 – 10 Nov, 1911	Succeeded by Humphrey M. Robson
Preceded by Humphrey M. Robson	Captain of H.M. T.B. 113 13 Dec, 1911 – Jan, 1913	Succeeded by Aubrey C. Thursfield
Preceded by Arthur G. Onslow	Captain of H.M. T.B. 23 5 Jun, 1915 – 8 Sep, 1915	Succeeded by Frederic C. Bradley
Preceded by Ralph W. H. Roberts	Captain of H.M.S. Waveney 9 Sep, 1915 – 6 Jun, 1916	Succeeded by Valentine M. Wyndham-Quin
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Nonpareil 6 Jun, 1916 – Jun, 1916	Succeeded by Ernald G. H. Master
Preceded by Ernald G. H. Master	Captain of H.M.S. Contest Jun, 1916 – 25 Jul, 1916	Succeeded by Harold O. Joyce
Preceded by Clarence W. E. Trelawny	Captain of H.M.S. Spitfire 25 Jul, 1916 – 8 Dec, 1916	Succeeded by Edward R. M. Geake
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Osiris 8 Dec, 1916 – 3 Jan, 1918	Succeeded by Philip A. Heyder
Preceded by Reginald Nash	Captain of H.M.S. Nereus 1 Apr, 1918 – 20 Aug, 1918	Succeeded by Frederick W. F. Fegen
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Tilbury 20 Aug, 1918 – 12 Jul, 1920	Succeeded by Robert B. Wilmot-Sitwell
Preceded by Frederick W. F. Fegen	Captain of H.M.S. Tumult 12 Jul, 1920 – 27 Sep, 1920	Succeeded by Richard Harter
Preceded by Hubert E. Dannreuther	Captain of H.M.S. Eagle 13 Jul, 1931 – 23 Aug, 1931	Succeeded by Michael W. Ewart-Wentworth
Preceded by Bernard S. Davies	Captain of H.M.S. Whitley 23 May, 1932 – 10 Sep, 1932	Succeeded by John Bostock
Preceded by John Brooke	Captain of H.M.S. Enchantress 6 May, 1933 – mid Aug, 1934[Inference]	Succeeded by Frank A. C. Baker