William Gilbert Howard

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Captain (retired) William Gilbert Howard, C.B.E. (12 March, 1877 – 18 January, 1960)[1] was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Born in Chelsea, S.W..

An undisclosed ailment pulled him from duty on 10 October, 1898. He was surveyed one month later and presumably found fit. Howard was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1899.[2] A second illness befell Howard on 23 September 1902. From this, he was again fit on 5 March, 1903, albeit to be restricted to a Home station for a time. On the 10th, he was appointed as first lieutenant in ironclad frigate Agincourt, which was part of the training establishment H.M.S. Boscawen. At some point around this time, Howard was scolded for swearing at and striking boys.[3]

On 14 June, 1906, Howard was blamed when his destroyer Gipsy fouled the anchor cable of a steam in Batten Bay, though no action was taken by the Admiralty in the matter. In July, 1906, Howard failed to pass a preliminary exam in Spanish.

Howard was appointed in command of the destroyer Ouse on 29 January, 1908. In August 1909, Howard was cautioned to be more careful when a copy of Gunnery Manual, Volume III went missing from the ship. He was similarly disciplined when, some time in 1910, he somehow damaged Boyne, likely while in Ouse.

Howard was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1912.[4]

He was appointed in command of the gunboat Foxhound on 4 November, 1913.[5]

Great War

Howard was in command of Foxhound, an element of the Fifth Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean until mid December, 1915. On 11 April, 1915, Howard was commended for the "zealous & efficient manner in which he carried out duty of escorting transports since beginning of December/14."[6]

Howard commanded her while she covered the landings at Anzac Cove in Gallipoli and at Suvla Bay on 6-7 August, 1915, the ship worked with five other Beagles and Arno to tow troop barges in.[7]

Howard was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Captain on 11 June, 1923.[8]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Hubert G. Brand
Captain of H.M.S. Cherwell
24 Apr, 1905[9] – late 1905[10]
Succeeded by
Harold G. Grenfell
Preceded by
Fitzroy H. Hall
Captain of H.M.S. Kangaroo
Oct, 1905[11][12] – 28 May, 1906[13]
Succeeded by
William S. F. Forbes
Preceded by
Denis G. Thynne
Captain of H.M.S. Gipsy
28 May, 1906[14][15] – 29 Jan, 1908[16]
Succeeded by
John G. de O. Coke
Preceded by
John G. de O. Coke
Captain of H.M.S. Ouse
29 Jan, 1908[17][18] – 8 Dec, 1910[19]
Succeeded by
Hamilton C. Allen
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Acorn
8 Dec, 1910[20][21] – 31 Jul, 1912[22]
Succeeded by
Arthur Marsden
Preceded by
?
Officer in Charge of Branch War College, Sheerness
1 Aug, 1912[23] – 1 Oct, 1913[24]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Bernard J. H. Ward
Captain of H.M.S. Foxhound
4 Nov, 1913[25][26] – 18 Dec, 1915[27]
Succeeded by
William G. A. Shuttleworth
Preceded by
George W. McO. Campbell
Captain of H.M. T.B. 99
8 Jan, 1916[28][29] – 19 Sep, 1916[30]
Succeeded by
Edward M. C. Rutherfoord
Preceded by
Vincent L. Bowring
Captain of H.M.S. Patia
19 Sep, 1916[31][32] – 13 Jun, 1918[33]
Succeeded by
Vessel Lost
Preceded by
Charles La P. Lewin
Captain of H.M.S. Macedonia
23 Aug, 1918[34][35] – 15 Feb, 1919[36]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
John C. H. Lindsay
Captain of H.M.S. Cordelia
28 Aug, 1922[37] – 11 Dec, 1922[38]
Succeeded by
?

Footnotes

  1. Ancestry.com [pay to view], England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995).
  2. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  3. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  4. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  5. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 320.
  6. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  7. Smith. Hard Lying. pp. 112-13.
  8. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  9. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  10. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  11. The Navy List. (November, 1905). p. 335.
  12. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  13. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  14. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  15. The Navy List. (March, 1907). p. 320.
  16. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  17. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  18. The Navy List. (April, 1910). p. 351.
  19. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  20. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  21. The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 272.
  22. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  23. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  24. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  25. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  26. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 394g.
  27. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  28. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  29. The Navy List. (October, 1916). p. 401a.
  30. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  31. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  32. The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 401w.
  33. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  34. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  35. The Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 997.
  36. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  37. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.
  38. Howard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/292. f. 328.