Lawrence D'Oyly Bignell

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Captain (retired) Lawrence D'Oyly Bignell, R.N. (29 October, 1883 – 19 July, 1947) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Bignell was born in Ajmer, Rajputana, India.

Bignell gained four months time on passing out of Britannia. He received his first appointment to Centurion on 15 May, 1899.

On 31 March, 1903, Bignell suffered Their Lordships' severe displeasure "for assisting Act Sub Lieuts de Satgé & Rawlings in deserting from Greenwich College." Given the brief description of this misdeed, the punishment seems light, indeed. After failing to obtain even 40% of marks in a course on Hydraulics, he misplaced a confidential book. Things did not seem to improve for him before he was granted a watchkeeping certificate in March, 1905.[1]

Bignell was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 September, 1905.[2]

In November, 1910 he failed to qualify as a signals Lieutenant.

Bignell was appointed in command of the destroyer Flying Fish on 14 August, 1913.[3]

Bignell was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 September, 1913.[4]

He was appointed in command of the destroyer Greyhound on 17 January, 1914.[5]

Great War

Bignell was appointed in command of the destroyer Zulu on 6 September, 1914.[6] His command was suspended briefly in mid-November to early December 1914 by illness, during which time he was replaced by Lt. Cdr. Arthur S. D. George, loaned from Saracen.

Bignell commissioned the new destroyer Talisman in January, 1916 but was invalided on the 19th to Chatham Hospital for anemia. This condition proved somewhat protracted, as he was not declared fit until 7 April, on which date he was appointed in command of the decoy ship Q1. He was fit only briefly when on 20 June he was admitted to Haulbowline hospital for one week due to an abscess on his right foot. He was sent to H.M.S. Vivid on 4 December, 1916, one day after his Q ship was torpedoed and sunk by U 63 in the Mediterranean. On 15 February, 1917, he was appointed in command of the Medea Class destroyer Melampus. Medical complaints would render him unfit for sea service and he spent the first half of 1918 ashore.[7]

On 27 August, 1918, he was appointed in command of the destroyer Orford.[8]

Post-war

Bignell was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1920.[9]

On 1 December, 1920, he was appointed in command of the destroyer Warwick.[10]

After being relieved in command of the "S" Class destroyer Seawolf and moved to half pay, on 12 September 1925, Bignell was scolded for "very high consumption of spirits by himself and other officers" of the Seawolf during his period in command.

Bignell was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Captain on 1 May, 1930.[11]

World War II

Bignell was mobilised on 26 September, 1938, and appointed to Drake, additional for duty with Naval Officer in Charge, Cardiff but this lasted all but one week. In 1939 he was informed that his services could not be used at present.

He was reverted to the Retired List as medically unfit on 2 April, 1942. He would die in 1947 of heart ailments.

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Montague R. Bernard
Captain of H.M.S. Flying Fish
14 Aug, 1913[12][13] – 3 Dec, 1913[14]
Succeeded by
Philip W. S. King
Preceded by
Julian H. Woodbridge
Captain of H.M.S. Albacore
3 Dec, 1913[15] – 17 Jan, 1914[16][17]
Succeeded by
John F. H. Cole
Preceded by
Cyril P. Franklin
Captain of H.M.S. Greyhound
17 Jan, 1914[18][19] – 6 Sep, 1914[20]
Succeeded by
William C. Castle
Preceded by
William C. Castle
Captain of H.M.S. Zulu
6 Sep, 1914[21][22] – 14 Sep, 1916[23]
Succeeded by
Arthur S. D. George
Preceded by
?
Captain of H.M.S. Milbrook
16 Sep, 1915[24]c. Oct, 1915[25][26]
Succeeded by
Charles G. Naylor
Preceded by
James F. Dewar
Captain of H.M.S. Nereide
Oct, 1915[27] – Nov, 1915[28]
Succeeded by
Charles H. Jones
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Minion
Nov, 1915[29]c. late Nov, 1915[30]
Succeeded by
Henry C. Rawlings
Preceded by
Henry C. Rawlings
Captain of H.M.S. Alarm
c. late Nov, 1915[31] – 18 Dec, 1915[32]
Succeeded by
Kenneth Cary Helyar
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Talisman
30 Dec, 1915[33]c. 19 Jan, 1916[Inference]
Succeeded by
John I. Hallett
Preceded by
George O. Hewett
Captain of H.M.S. Melampus
15 Feb, 1917[34][35] – 16 Aug, 1917[36]
Succeeded by
Charles E. H. White
Preceded by
Thomas B. Fellowes
Captain of H.M.S. Ophelia
23 Jul, 1918[37] – 27 Aug, 1918[38]
Succeeded by
Hugh J. Woodward
Preceded by
John P. Landon
Captain of H.M.S. Orford
27 Aug, 1918[39][40] – 12 Mar, 1919[41]
Succeeded by
Reginald H. Bunyard
Preceded by
Richard L. Hamer
Captain of H.M.S. Rowena
12 Mar, 1919[42][43] – 1 Oct, 1919[44]
Succeeded by
Percy R. P. Percival
Preceded by
Loben E. H. Maund
Captain of H.M.S. Torbay
4 Mar, 1920[45][46] – 1 Sep, 1920[47]
Succeeded by
Lionel G. Foote
Preceded by
Arthur M. Lecky
Captain of H.M.S. Warwick
1 Dec, 1920[48][49] – May, 1921[50]
Succeeded by
Arthur M. Lecky
Preceded by
Kenneth B. Millar
Captain of H.M.S. Velox
May, 1921[51][52] – 14 Sep, 1922[53]
Succeeded by
Kenneth B. Millar
Preceded by
Victor L. A. Campbell
Captain of H.M.S. Versatile
14 Sep, 1922[54][55] – 21 May, 1923[56]
Succeeded by
John Fawcett
Preceded by
Edward F. B. Law
Captain of H.M.S. Relentless
10 Jul, 1924[57][58] – 21 Aug, 1924[59]
Succeeded by
Robert A. Fell
Preceded by
Gerald C. Harrison
Captain of H.M.S. Seawolf
16 Jan, 1925[60][61] – 26 Aug, 1925[62]
Succeeded by
Geoffrey S. Arbuthnot
Preceded by
Charles H. Knox-Little
Captain of H.M.S. Serapis
1 Apr, 1926[63] – Jan, 1927[64]
Succeeded by
Percy R. P. Percival
Preceded by
Henry I. M. L. Scott
Captain of H.M.S. Tyrian
27 Jul, 1927[65] – 16 Jan, 1929[66]
Succeeded by
Philip G. Wodehouse
Preceded by
Frederick L. Cavaye
Captain of H.M.S. Thisbe
1 May, 1929[67] – 10 Oct, 1929[68]
Succeeded by
Alan G. D. Twigg

Footnotes

  1. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  2. The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 7.
  3. The Navy List. (December, 1913). p. 315.
  4. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  5. The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 322.
  6. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 398.
  7. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  8. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 855.
  9. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  10. The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 898.
  11. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  12. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  13. The Navy List. (December, 1913). p. 315.
  14. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  15. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  16. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  17. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  18. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  19. The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 322.
  20. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  21. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  22. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 398.
  23. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  24. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  25. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  26. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 396e.
  27. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 396e.
  28. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  29. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  30. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  31. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  32. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  33. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  34. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  35. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 395p.
  36. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  37. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  38. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  39. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  40. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 855.
  41. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  42. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  43. The Navy List. (October, 1919). p. 898.
  44. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  45. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  46. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 855.
  47. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  48. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  49. The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 898.
  50. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  51. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  52. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 855.
  53. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  54. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  55. The Navy List. (January, 1923). p. 831.
  56. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  57. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  58. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 855.
  59. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  60. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  61. The Navy List. (April, 1925). p. 269.
  62. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  63. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  64. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  65. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  66. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  67. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  68. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.