Robert Gwynne Corbett

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Captain Robert Gwynne Corbett, D.S.O., R.N. (13 April, 1872 – 9 October, 1925) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Corbett was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1894.[1]

Corbett was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1905.[2]

Corbett was appointed in command of the destroyer Janus on 27 March, 1900.[3]

Corbett was appointed to Albion as executive officer on 28 March, 1906. On 10 August, 1909 he left the ship when he was appointed to Royal Sovereign, in command. He stayed here for one year, being appointed to Swift, additional, on 2 August, 1910. In 1911, he was found to have committed an error in judgment when Swift and the destroyer Beagle fouled each other.[4]

Corbett was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1912.[5]

Corbett's appointment in command of Algerine and as S.N.O. West Coast America on 10 December, 1913 was cut short when war broke out and he was appointed in command of the first class protected cruiser Niobe on 16 August, 1914. Niobe operated with the Fourth Cruiser Squadron on the North American and West Indies Station until September, 1915 when she was decreed to be too worn out to continue as a fighting ship. On 7 September, 1915, he was appointed in command of the armed merchant cruiser Calgarian and he returned from Halifax by way of New York. Corbett was praised as he left Niobe for the considerable challenges he had overcome to keep the ship in service.[6]

Corbett left Calgarian in September, 1917 when he "admitted intemperance when in cd". He was relieved in command and placed on permanent half pay as of 16 October.[7]

On 28 September 1918, he was appointed in command of Stornoway Naval Base, temporary.

Post-War

On 31 December, 1918, Corbett was appointed as Senior Naval Officer, Inverness, assuming these duties on 23 January, 1919. On 16 August, 1920, he was admitted to Haslar Hospital with an anal fistula. He applied for War and Technical Courses, but there is no indication that he attended. He was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 18 May, 1921.[8]

In 1925, Corbett died of stomach cancer and heart failure at Roke, Steep, Petersfield after a long illness.

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Cunningham R. de C. Foot
Captain of H.M. T.B. 45
Nov, 1892[9] – 17 Aug, 1893[10]
Succeeded by
Ion P. Barton
Preceded by
Lawrence de W. Satow
Captain of H.M.S. Hunter
1 Feb, 1899[11] – 27 Mar, 1900[12]
Succeeded by
John W. Renshaw
Preceded by
Llewellyn Griffiths
Captain of H.M.S. Chamois
22 Sep, 1899[13] – Mar, 1899[14][15]
Succeeded by
William Bowden-Smith
Preceded by
Guy de L. O. Johnson
Captain of H.M.S. Janus
27 Mar, 1900[16] – 1900
Succeeded by
Cyril Asser
Preceded by
Henry D. Wilkin
Captain of H.M.S. Otter
16 Nov, 1900[17]
Succeeded by
Charles P. Mansel
Preceded by
John K. Laird
Captain of H.M.S. Royal Sovereign
10 Aug, 1909[18][19] – 2 Aug, 1910[20]
Succeeded by
Herbert du C. Luard
Preceded by
?
Captain of H.M.S. Swift
2 Aug, 1910[21]
Succeeded by
John S. Dumaresq
Preceded by
Raymond A. Nugent
Captain (D), Fourth Destroyer Flotilla
5 Jul, 1913[22] – 20 Aug, 1913[23]
Succeeded by
Charles J. Wintour
Preceded by
Francis G. St. G. Brooker
Captain of H.M.S. Algerine
10 Dec, 1913[24] – 16 Aug, 1914[25]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
John H. K. Clegg
Captain of H.M.C.S. Niobe
16 Aug, 1914[26] – 3 Sep, 1915[27]
Succeeded by
Charles White
Preceded by
Thomas W. Kemp
Captain of H.M.S. Calgarian
7 Sep, 1915[28][29] – Sep, 1917[30]
Succeeded by
Robert A. Newton
Preceded by
Norman H. Rankin
Senior Naval Officer and D.N.T.O., Inverness
31 Dec, 1918[31] – 16 Oct, 1919[32]
Succeeded by
Command Disestablished
Preceded by
Howard F. J. Rowley
Divisional Naval Transport Officer, Inverness
31 Dec, 1918[33] – 16 Oct, 1919[34]
Succeeded by
?

Footnotes

  1. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  2. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  3. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Monday, 12 March, 1900. Issue 36087, col E, p. 7.
  4. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  5. The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 17.
  6. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  7. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  8. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  9. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280. Written as 11.93, but seemingly in error.
  10. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  11. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  12. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  13. The Navy List. (February, 1900). p. 237.
  14. The Navy List. (February, 1900). p. 237.
  15. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Monday, 12 March, 1900. Issue 36087, col E, p. 7.
  16. "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Monday, 12 March, 1900. Issue 36087, col E, p. 7.
  17. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  18. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  19. The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 370.
  20. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  21. The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 380.
  22. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  23. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  24. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  25. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  26. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  27. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  28. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  29. The Navy List. (August, 1917). p. 400z.
  30. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  31. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  32. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  33. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.
  34. Corbett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/254. f. 280.