Patrick Birmingham Crohan

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Captain Patrick Birmingham Crohan, R.N., Retired (30 December, 1882 – 19 November, 1953) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Born in Southampton, Crohan placed sixtieth of sixty-one cadets passing out of Britannia in August 1899, earning just 894 of 2250 possible marks – well less than half those of his top-ranking term-mate.[1]

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

Crohan was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 September, 1913.

Crohan was appointed in command of the destroyer Arab on 22 May, 1914.[3]

In November, 1914, he grounded his destroyer Locust and was cautioned to be more careful.

On 3 May 1915, he was appointed in command of the "M" Class destroyer Miranda.

On 10 March, 1916, she collided with Lennox, and Crohan was blamed; he was told to be more careful in future.

After being castigated for grounding Lennox at Immingham Dock through an error in judgment on 29 March 1917, Crohan was appointed in command of the destroyer Skilful to take effect in April, 1917.[4]

He would be lauded for his "promptitude in attacking an enemy submarine & of seamanlike & gallant manner in which he went alongside a steamship burning furiously & saved the survivors" in April 1917.

His record is endorsed, “Sept. 1917. Great credit is due to Lt Cdr. Crohan for his conduct on occasion [of] Sharpshooter being mined. To be mentioned in Gazette. Mentioned in Despatches for services in action with enemy s/ms [submarines]. Gazette. 17.11.17.[5] On the corresponding Admiralty Honour Sheet, however, it is recorded that their Lordships “concur that great credit is due to him for his conduct on the 27th September 1917, when he attacked an enemy submarine.[6]

He further received their Lordships appreciation for the manner in which he attacked an enemy submarine with his "R" Class destroyer Skilful on 30 November, 1917.[7]

He was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1917.

He was appointed a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur at the end of 1917,[8] and awarded the French Croix de Guerre in May 1918.[9]

Crohan again received their Lordships appreciation for the manner in which he attacked an enemy submarine with his "R" Class destroyer Skilful on 17 May, 1918.[10]

Post-War

Crohan was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1927.

World War II

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
John J. Dixon
Captain of H.M. T.B. 86
12 Jan, 1906[11] – 29 Aug, 1906
Succeeded by
Ralph W. Wilkinson
Preceded by
Arthur F. Crutchley
Captain of H.M.S. Arab
22 May, 1914[12] – 3 May, 1915
Succeeded by
John M. Porter
Preceded by
Hugh B. Mulleneux
Captain of H.M.S. Miranda
3 May, 1915[13] – Mar, 1917
Succeeded by
Christopher H. Petrie
Preceded by
Christopher H. Petrie
Captain of H.M.S. Skilful
Mar, 1917 – 1 May, 1919
Succeeded by
Valentine Searles-Wood
Preceded by
Percy R. P. Percival
Captain of H.M.S. Rowena
27 Apr, 1920 – 8 May, 1920
Succeeded by
Reginald V. Holt
Preceded by
Alfred F. St. C. Armitage
Captain of H.M.S. Furious
24 Aug, 1922 – c. late Jun, 1923[Inference]
Succeeded by
John L. Pearson
Preceded by
John W. Durnford
Captain of H.M.S. Raider
10 Jul, 1924[14][15] – 25 Aug, 1924[16]
Succeeded by
Charles G. N. Graham
Preceded by
Arthur J. L. Murray
Captain of H.M.S. Windsor
4 Oct, 1924[17] – 29 Dec, 1925
Succeeded by
Henry P. Boxer
Preceded by
Oliver M. F. Stokes
Captain of H.M.S. Erebus
15 Jun, 1926 – 1 Sep, 1926
Succeeded by
Hubert S. Monroe

Footnotes

  1. "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Thursday, Aug 10, 1899; pg. 8; Issue 35904.
  2. The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 18.
  3. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 275.
  4. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 908.
  5. Crohan Service Record. The National Archives. 196/143/218. f. 228.
  6. The National Archives. ADM 171/83.
  7. The National Archives. ADM 171/83.
  8. The London Gazette (25 January 1918), p. 1230.
  9. Fourth Supplement to the London Gazette of 14 May 1918 (17 May 1918), p. 5861.
  10. The National Archives. ADM 171/83.
  11. The Navy List. (June, 1906). p. 400.
  12. The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 392c.
  13. The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 396cc.
  14. "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Friday, June 20, 1924, Issue 43683, p.5.
  15. Crohan Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/174. f. 578.
  16. Crohan Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/174. f. 578.
  17. The Navy List. (April, 1925). p. 289.