Laurence Reynolds Palmer

Captain (retired) Laurence Reynolds Palmer, D.S.O. (3 May, 1885 – ) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Palmer was born in Bengal, India in 1885 and gained two months time on passing out of Britannia on 15 September, 1901. His first appointments would be in the battleships Jupiter, Russell and finally the newly commissioned Queen. After ten months in the second class protected cruiser Leander and in King Edward VII, he was appointed to the destroyer Nith on 4 March, 1907.

Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1907, Palmer was reappointed in Nith until receiving his first command appointment in T.B. 72 on 18 September, 1907. This stint would last two years and a half years.

Palmer was appointed in command of the destroyer Bonetta on 3 November, 1912.

Palmer was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 June, 1915.

In March, he was appointed in command of H.M.S. Obdurate, but on 4 April he was appointed to the destroyer Defender, in which he would fight at the Battle of Jutland, operating with the First Destroyer Flotilla.

On 23 November, 1917, Palmer was appointed in command of the destroyer Violent. He would finish out the war in her.

Post-War

Palmer was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1919, and was discharged from Violent that day for a new appointment to Egmont as her Executive Officer, and to provide disciplinary duties. He left to be sent to Plymouth Hospital for rheumatic fever. He would not be found fit again for a considerable time.

Palmer was promoted to the rank of Captain and place on the Retired List at his own request on 10 May, 1931.

See Also

• Service Records
• First D.F. (Royal Navy) at the Battle of Jutland
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Philip G. Wodehouse	Captain of H.M. T.B. 72 11 Sep, 1907 – 5 Apr, 1910	Succeeded by Geoffrey T. Wright as Captain of H.M. T.B. 072
Preceded by James F. Houstoun	Captain of H.M.S. Crane 8 Jan, 1912 – Jul, 1912	Succeeded by Arthur G. Onslow
Preceded by Arthur K. Gregory	Captain of H.M.S. Ettrick Jul, 1912 – Aug, 1912	Succeeded by Alexander G. Fleming
Preceded by Philip A. Shepherd	Captain of H.M. T.B. 7 17 Aug, 1912 – 17 Oct, 1912[Inference]	Succeeded by Fairfax M. Kerr
Preceded by Wilfrid W. Hunt	Captain of H.M.S. Fawn 31 Aug, 1912 – 3 Nov, 1912	Succeeded by John H. Smith-Wright
Preceded by Richard W. U. Bayly	Captain of H.M.S. Bonetta 3 Nov, 1912 – 3 Dec, 1913	Succeeded by Arthur G. Tippet
Preceded by Henry de B. Tupper	Captain of H.M.S. Seal 3 Dec, 1913 – 3 Mar, 1914	Succeeded by Charles H. N. James
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Obdurate 8 Mar, 1916 – 4 Apr, 1916	Succeeded by Cecil H. H. Sams
Preceded by Cecil H. H. Sams	Captain of H.M.S. Defender 4 Apr, 1916 – 15 Oct, 1916	Succeeded by Walter O. H. Lambert
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Norseman 15 Oct, 1916 – 23 Nov, 1917	Succeeded by Patrick Butter
Preceded by Ralph W. Wilkinson	Captain of H.M.S. Violent 23 Nov, 1917 – 6 Sep, 1919	Succeeded by James R. C. Cavendish
Preceded by Kenneth F. Sworder	Captain of H.M.S. Sharpshooter 5 Feb, 1922 – 13 Jul, 1922	Succeeded by Valentine Searles-Wood
Preceded by Charles D. Burke	Captain of H.M.S. Centaur 20 Feb, 1925 – c. Mar, 1925	Succeeded by Colin K. MacLean
Preceded by Francis B. Hanson	Captain of H.M.S. Shikari 8 Jun, 1927 – 26 Nov, 1928	Succeeded by Geoffrey S. Holden