James Robert Carnegie Cavendish

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Captain James Robert Carnegie Cavendish, R.N. (9 January, 1885 – 19 March, 1956) was an officer in the Royal Navy. He commanded a considerable number of warships for a man who appears never to have been awarded a medal.

Life & Career

Cavendish was born on Elphinstone Road in Cochin, located on the southwest shore of India. James Cavendish named his mother, who was then living in Germany, as his guardian as he joined the Royal Navy in May 1900.

On 8 February 1906, he was arrested by Civil Power for inciting acting Sub-Lt. Green[?] to resist arrest. This prompted a £2 fine and precipitated the Admiralty's severe displeasure and the commencement of monthly reports and restricting him to only that recreation required for his physical health.[1]

This would all blow over, as things usually did. Cavendish was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1907.[2]

After three months experience in T.B. 105, which was originally to have been a command position for him,[3][4] Cavendish was appointed Lieutenant & Commander of the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 049 in December, 1909. He'd retain this command until April of 1911, when he was appointed in command of T.B. 108 for five more months.[5]

Cavendish was appointed Lieutenant & Commander of the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 24 on 17 September, 1911. On 21 January, 1914, he was appointed to the armoured cruiser Warrior of the First Cruiser Squadron. He would be in her when war broke out.[6]

Great War

On 5 December, 1914, Cavendish was appointed in command of the destroyer Lightning.[7]

Cavendish was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 June, 1915. This news was muted by the loss of Lightning to a mine the very same day. Cavendish was given some time to recover from this, and was appointed to Hecla to take command of the Acasta Class destroyer Midge on 2 August, 1915. He would be in her, acting as part of the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla at the Battle of Jutland.[8][9]

He was appointed in command of the destroyer Scimitar on 21 October, 1918.[10]

Post-War

Cavendish was appointed in command of the new Modified "W" Class destroyer Witherington on 21 August, 1919. She commissioned on 10 September, and he commanded her until 19 February, 1920, being promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1919.[11]

Cavendish was appointed in command of the destroyer Urchin on 15 July, 1920.[12]

After being superseded in command of the flotilla leader Valorous on 9 January, 1925, Cavendish took an anti-submarine course and some unpaid time before being lent to the Royal Australian Navy for two years, commencing on 10 April, 1925.[13]

Upon his return to R.N. service on 19 August, 1927, Cavendish was on unpaid time for six months and then took the Senior Officers Training Course, Part 1. He then took a series of commands of light cruisers as they transitioned to reduced or reserved status. These duties were completed by 10 July, 1931.[14]

Cavendish retired at his own request with the rank of Captain on 9 January, 1932.[15]

World War II

Cavendish was summoned back as D.S.T.O., Cardiff on 25 August, 1939, having attended a Sea Transport Officers' Training Course earlier that year.[16]

In 1940 he served as R.N.O., Poole, and then in Clacton. On 17 February 1941, he was appointed as Captain of Auxiliary Patrols in Freetown.[17]

On 14 March 1943, he was appointed as Maintenance Captain on the Staff of Flag Officer in Command, Gibraltar, vice Hine. He was superseded here on 30 June, 1943.[18]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Horatio V. M. McHardy
Captain of H.M. T.B. 049
Dec, 1909[19][20] – 3 Apr, 1911[21]
Succeeded by
Edward B. Hoyle
Preceded by
Salisbury H. Simpson
Captain of H.M. T.B. 108
3 Apr, 1911[22][23] – 17 Sep, 1911[24]
Succeeded by
John Daly
Preceded by
Thomas G. Carter
Captain of H.M. T.B. 24
17 Sep, 1911[25][26] – 21 Jan, 1914[27]
Succeeded by
James C. F. Lewis
Preceded by
Thomas C. C. Bolster
Captain of H.M.S. Lightning
5 Dec, 1914[28][29] – 30 Jun, 1915[30]
Succeeded by
Vessel Lost
Preceded by
Hubert E. Gore-Langton
Captain of H.M.S. Midge
2 Aug, 1915[31][32] – 6 Jul, 1916[33]
Succeeded by
Henry Forrester
Preceded by
Henry Forrester
Captain of H.M.S. Pellew
6 Jul, 1916[34] – 30 Jul, 1918[35]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Edward T. W. Church
Captain of H.M.S. Verdun
26 Jul, 1918[36] – Sep, 1918[37]
Succeeded by
Colin S. Thomson
Preceded by
temporary
Captain of H.M.S. Violent
9 Sep, 1918[38] – 9 Oct, 1918[39]
Succeeded by
Edward S. Graham
Preceded by
Christopher J. F. Eddis
Captain of H.M.S. Scimitar
21 Oct, 1918[40][41] – 6 Feb, 1919[42]
Succeeded by
Cuthbert H. Heath-Caldwell
Preceded by
Cuthbert H. Heath-Caldwell
Captain of H.M.S. Trojan
6 Feb, 1919[43] – 21 Aug, 1919[44]
Succeeded by
Arthur R. Farquhar
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Witherington
21 Aug, 1919[45][46] – 19 Feb, 1920[47]
Succeeded by
Vernon Hammersley-Heenan
Preceded by
Delorest J. D. Noble
Captain of H.M.S. Urchin
15 Jul, 1920[48][49] – 11 May, 1922[50]
Succeeded by
Robert T. Bower
Preceded by
George L. Massey
Captain of H.M.S. Gibraltar
Mar, 1923[51] – 6 Apr, 1923[52]
Succeeded by
Cosmo B. Hastings
Preceded by
Henry P. Boxer
Captain of H.M.S. Valentine
6 Apr, 1923[53] – 3 Jan, 1924[54]
Succeeded by
John I. Hallett
Preceded by
Thomas C. C. Bolster
Captain of H.M.S. Valorous
3 Jan, 1924[55][56] – 9 Jan, 1925[57]
Succeeded by
Martin J. C. de Meric
Preceded by
James C. J. Soutter
Captain of H.M.A.S. Anzac
6 Jun, 1925[58] – 4 Aug, 1926
Succeeded by
Christopher H. Ringrose
Preceded by
Reginald C. Creer
Captain of H.M.A.S. Swordsman
5 Aug, 1926[59] – 4 May, 1927[60]
Succeeded by
Christopher H. Ringrose
Preceded by
Frederick H. Taylor
Captain of H.M.S. Conquest
7 Apr, 1928[61][62] – 6 Jan, 1930[63]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Edward B. Cloete
Captain of H.M.S. Carysfort
6 Jan, 1930[64] – 26 Apr, 1931[65]
Succeeded by
Vessel Sold
Preceded by
Claud A. Merriman
Captain of H.M.S. Ceres
6 Apr, 1931[66] – 10 Jul, 1931[67]
Succeeded by
Guy O. Lydekker

Footnotes

  1. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. f. 179.
  2. The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 14.
  3. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  4. "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Monday, 20 September, 1909. Issue 39069, col D, p. 5.
  5. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  6. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  7. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 348.
  8. Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. pp. 34, 44.
  9. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  10. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 905.
  11. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  12. The Navy List. (December, 1920). p. 879.
  13. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  14. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  15. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  16. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  17. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  18. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  19. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  20. The Navy List. (April, 1910). p. 401a.
  21. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  22. "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Thursday, Mar 23, 1911; pg. 14; Issue 39540.
  23. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  24. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  25. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  26. The Navy List. (December, 1913). p. 400.
  27. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  28. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  29. The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 395m.
  30. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  31. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  32. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 396a.
  33. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  34. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  35. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  36. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  37. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  38. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  39. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  40. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  41. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 905.
  42. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  43. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  44. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  45. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  46. The Navy List. (February, 1920). p. 901.
  47. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  48. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  49. The Navy List. (December, 1920). p. 879.
  50. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  51. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  52. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  53. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  54. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235. Also inferring from John Ignatius Hallett's appointment.
  55. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  56. The Navy List. (July, 1924). p. 278.
  57. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  58. The Navy List. (February, 1926). p. 292.
  59. R.A.N. Service Record.
  60. R.A.N. Service Record.
  61. The Navy List. (February, 1929). p. 226.
  62. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  63. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  64. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  65. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  66. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.
  67. Cavendish Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/19. ff. 179, 235.