Walter Thomas Arthur Bird

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Commander Walter Thomas Arthur Bird, D.S.C., (10 October, 1885 – ) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Bird was promoted to Acting Gunner (T) on 28 June, 1912.[1]

Great War

Bird was appointed to Mallard on 9 December, 1914.[2]

Bird was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 28 August, 1915.[3]

In December, 1915, Bird was asked to report at the Admiralty, leavingh Mallard. One week later, he was appointed to join the monitor M.26.[4]

Bird was appointed Lieutenant in Command of the destroyer Ouse on 16 December, 1917.[5]

Ouse attacked an enemy submarine on 28 August, 1918.

On 29 September, 1918, Bird in Ouse helped sink UB 115 and received the appreciation of the Admiralty. He was later awarded the D.S.C. for this action, in March, 1919.[6]

Post-War

Bird applied for command of a more modern destroyer in December, 1918, but instead the pressures of peacetime conversion first placed him in a non-command appointment in Observer, commencing on 5 February, 1919. In early April, however, he was appointed in command of the Beagle Class destroyer Scourge.[7]

Despite of Bird's concretely successful role in helping sink UB 115, on 11 November, 1919 Captain (D) Stapleton-Cotton recorded, "From what I have seen of this officer he will have to show a great deal more interest in his men & destroyers if he wishes to get on in the Navy."

Bird was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 28 August, 1923.[8]

Bird was placed on the Retired List with the rank of Commander on 8 June, 1927.[9]

In 1935, Bird was treated for a double inguinal hernia at Chatham Hospital.[10]

World War II

Bird was appointed to Vernon, additional, for instruction in May, 1938. In September, this was altered to indicate he would serve with the Naval Officer in Charge, Southampton. This appointment lasted just about one week, however.[11]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Thomas H. G. Barton
Captain of H.M.S. Ouse
16 Dec, 1917[12][13] – 5 Feb, 1919[14]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
John Hassard-Short
Captain of H.M.S. Scourge
3 Apr, 1919[15] – 17 Oct, 1919[16]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
George F. Strickland
Captain of H.M.S. Alresford
19 Nov, 1919[17] – Feb, 1922[18]
Succeeded by
Robert W. Wainewright
Preceded by
James C. Collie
Captain of H.M.S. P48
23 Mar, 1922[19] – 31 May, 1922[20]
Succeeded by
?

Footnotes

  1. Bird Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/154/23. f. 23.
  2. Bird Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/154/23. f. 23.
  3. Bird Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/154/23. f. 23.
  4. Bird Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/154/23. f. 23.
  5. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 857.
  6. Bird Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/154/23. f. 23.
  7. Bird Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/154/23. f. 23.
  8. Bird Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/154/23. f. 23.
  9. Bird Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/154/23. f. 23.
  10. Bird Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/154/23. f. 23.
  11. Bird Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/154/23. f. 23.
  12. Bird Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/154/23. f. 23.
  13. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 857.
  14. Bird Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/154/23. f. 23.
  15. Bird Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/154/23. f. 23.
  16. Bird Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/154/23. f. 23.
  17. Bird Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/154/23. f. 23.
  18. Bird Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/154/23. f. 23.
  19. Bird Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/154/23. f. 23.
  20. Bird Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/154/23. f. 23.