Difference between revisions of "Richard Eustace Hollings"
m (→Post-War) |
(add RN/RNR/RNVR categories) |
||
Line 61: | Line 61: | ||
{{CatLComm|UK}} | {{CatLComm|UK}} | ||
{{CatBritannia|January, 1904}} | {{CatBritannia|January, 1904}} | ||
+ | {{CatRN}} |
Latest revision as of 15:13, 7 April 2022
Lieutenant-Commander Richard Eustace Hollings (29 November, 1888 – 11 July, 1928) was an officer in the Royal Navy.
Life & Career
Hollings was born in Surrey, the son of H. Hollings, Esq. J.P.. Hollings was ranked last of fifty-seven successful cadet candidates for the January, 1904 entry term at Britannia. He gained two months' time on passing out of Britannia on 15 May, 1905 and was appointed to join Russell. His superiors deemed his prospects "promising".[1]
On 14 February, 1907 he was appointed to join Venerable in the Mediterranean.
On 15 September 1908, he joined Section III.
On 25 March, 1909, he was admitted to Haslar Hospital and diagnosed with rubella.
Hollings was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 April, 1911 and he asked to be admitted to King Edward VII Hospital for an operation to his finger. This was deferred, as he could not be spared without relief, which was not immediately available. However, he was not frustrated for long, as he was admitted on the 29th.[2]
On 14 January, 1912, he was admitted to Portland Hospital with influenza, emerging fit twelve days later.
On 12 October, 1913, he was again admitted to Portland Hospital with syphilis II. He was found fit on 20 November.
A Court of Enquiry was convened to probe the loss of S.S. Roxburgh near Crete on 5 March, 1918. It was concluded that Hollings executed a good attack under the circumstances on the submarine UC 74, but that it was probably not effective.
Hollings was appointed in command of the destroyer Archer by the Commander-in-Chief on 22 April, 1918.[3]
At some point in 1918, there was an explosion of some of Archer's ammunition which resulted in the loss of two Italian vessels and some lives. Hollings attracted the Admiralty's severe displeasure for having failed to take proper precautions.[4]
On 23 December, 1918, Hollings received a dismal evaluation from Captain (D), Fifth Destroyer Flotilla Chetwode which noted that he was "not suited for promotion at present" as "during last few months has taken to drinking heavily. Wine bill averages bet. £10 and £15. As a result he is quite unreliable & untrustworthy and efficiency of ship never very good." It was recommended that Hollings should be placed in a large ship
Post-War
At the end of 1918, Hollings became severely ill with pneumonia in the Mediterranean. On 4 January, 1919, his condition was described as "critical". He stabilised, but it was not before 13 January that it was felt that the danger had passed. It would still take him six weeks in hospital. He did better than expected, as at the beginning of February the Royal Naval Attaché, Athens wired that Hollings could get up but that he needed time to regain strength. On 22 April, he left Malta in Osiris II for Marseilles, ultimately to arrive in England on 25 April. Oddly, it appears he was still on the books as being in command of Archer during this time, but it is more likely that his Lieutenant, Hugh Percival Chubb, acted as captain for at least part of the time.[5]
Hollings was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 1 April, 1919. There is not clear sign that he regained fitness from his pneumonia before he was admitted to Haslar on 1 December 1919 with enteric fever.[6]
Hollings gave up command of Archer on 1 March, 1920 when he was put on unpaid time on the books of Victory. In April 1920 he was appointed to battleship Warspite, where he remained until 1 February, 1922. His drinking had resulted in the issuance of regular reports on his work in the battleship, but these showed that he had apparently stopped drinking so heavily. He was again admitted to a hospital, Plymouth this time, in January with catarrh and from 20 June to 1 July, 1922.
On 22 October 1923, he was appointed to Calliope. The next day, he lost an anchor and cable from H.M.S. Scout. On 24 April, 1924, Hollings transferred to Ajax when she became the flagship of Senior Officer, Reserve Fleet, Nore.[7][8]
On 1 September 1925, Hollings was superseded in Ajax, seemingly again due to illness, as he was admitted to Chatham Hospital with pyrexia. Hollings was finally placed on the Retired List as medically unfit on 13 November, 1925.[9]
Hollings died "suddenly" of tuberculosis at Mentone on 11 July, 1928, as reported in The Times on 16 July.[10]
See Also
Naval Appointments | ||
Preceded by Frederic G. Schurr |
Captain of H.M. T.B. 13 11 May, 1915[11][12] – 26 Jan, 1916[13] |
Succeeded by Vessel Lost |
Preceded by New Command |
Captain of H.M.S. P15 31 Mar, 1916[14][15] – 20 Oct, 1916[16] |
Succeeded by Samuel W. Tansley |
Preceded by William B. Mackenzie |
Captain of H.M.S. Bulldog 24 Oct, 1916[17][18] – 21 Nov, 1916[19] |
Succeeded by Edmond Mansel Bowly |
Preceded by Edmond M. Bowly |
Captain of H.M.S. Jed 21 Nov, 1916[20][21] – 22 Apr, 1918[22] |
Succeeded by Francis R. Baxter |
Preceded by Basil A. Taylor |
Captain of H.M.S. Archer 22 Apr, 1918[23][24] – 1 Mar, 1920[25] |
Succeeded by ? |
Footnotes
- ↑ Hollings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/78. f. 438.
- ↑ Hollings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/78. f. 438.
- ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 731.
- ↑ Hollings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/78. f. 438.
- ↑ Hollings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/78. f. 438.
- ↑ Hollings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/78. f. 438.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1925). p. 215.
- ↑ Hollings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/78. f. 438.
- ↑ Hollings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/78. f. 438.
- ↑ Hollings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/78. f. 438.
- ↑ Hollings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/78. f. 438.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 400.
- ↑ Hepper. British Warship Losses in the Ironclad Era: 1860-1919. p. 52.
- ↑ Hollings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/78. f. 438.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1916). p. 396ii.
- ↑ Hollings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/78. f. 438.
- ↑ Hollings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/78. f. 438.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 392q.
- ↑ Hollings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/78. f. 438.
- ↑ Hollings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/78. f. 438.
- ↑ The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 394u.
- ↑ Hollings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/78. f. 438.
- ↑ Hollings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/78. f. 438.
- ↑ The Navy List. (June, 1919). p. 731.
- ↑ Hollings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/78. f. 438.