William Christopher Pakenham

Admiral Sir William C. Pakenham, portrayed as a Rear-Admiral, June, 1917.
Portrait: Francis Dodd. © IWM (Art.IWM ART 1765).

Admiral SIR William Christopher Pakenham, G.C.B., K.C.M.G., K.C.V.O., Royal Navy (10 July, 1861 – 28 July, 1933) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Early Life & Career

William Christopher Pakenham was born in London on 10 July, 1861, the son of Captain the Honourable Thomas Alexander Pakenham, Royal Navy, and Sophia, daughter of Sir Tatton Sykes. His paternal grandfather was Thomas Pakenham, Third Earl of Longford. He entered the Royal Navy and was appointed to the training ship Britannia on 15 July, 1874. He was discharged to the Duke of Wellington on 22 July, 1876, and appointed to the battleship Minotaur on 24 August. On 4 October he was appointed to the turret ship Monarch on the Mediterranean Station, and was rated Midshipman on 21 October. He was appointed to the frigate Raleigh on 19 May, 1877. While in the Raleigh he, with a coxswain, saved the life of an able seaman who fell overboard as the ship was leaving Lanarca, Cyprus. On 18 September, 1879 he was appointed to the sloop Cruiser. On 12 March, 1880 he was appointed to the Mediterranean flag ship Alexandra, in which he was senior midshipman, and on 21 October, 1880, he was appointed Acting Sub-Lieutenant, having obtained a First Class Certificate in Seamanship, with 940 marks. He was appointed to Excellent on 23 October to study for examinations for the rank of Lieutenant. He joined the Royal Naval College, Greenwich in December, and remained there until August, 1881.

Lieutenant

He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 21 October, 1883.

On 12 November, 1884, Pakenham was appointed to Nelson as Flag Lieutenant to George Tryon, Commander-in-Chief on the Australian Station.

In the Jubilee Review of 1887, Pakenham was appointed to Vernon for command of T.B. 29.

Pakenham was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1896.

Captain

Pakenham was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1903. On 30 September he was appointed to President for a War Course, for which he was awarded a First Class on 28 December. That day he was appointed to the Naval Intelligence Department on Committee Pay & Allowances. On 20 January, 1904 he was appointed to the battleship Glory on the China Station for Special Service, and on 14 March he became Naval Attaché for China and Japan. In this capacity, he found himself present at the Battle of Tsushima aboard Asahi.^{[Citation needed]} His appointment as attaché ended on 1 January, 1906.

On 31 August, 1906, he was appointed in command of the armoured cruiser Antrim in the Second Cruiser Squadron. He was superseded in command on 1 September, 1908, and on 8 September again took command of the his old ship Glory in the Mediterranean. On 29 March, 1909 he was given command of the second-class battleship Triumph.^{[Citation needed]} On 19 January, 1910, he was appointed to Vivid for command of the new dreadnought battleship Collingwood, building at Devonport Royal Dockyard. He commissioned her on 19 April, and was superseded in command on 1 December, 1911. On 5 December, he was appointed Fourth Sea Lord on the Board of Admiralty.

Flag Rank

Pakenham was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 4 June, 1913, vice Jerram. On 19 December he hoisted his flag in Boadicea as Rear-Admiral Commanding the Third Cruiser Squadron, and transferred it to Antrim the following day.

Great War

On 15 September, 1916 he was appointed an Additional Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, in the Military Division of the Order of the Bath (K.C.B.) dated 31 May.

He was appointed in command of the Battle Cruiser Force in November 1916, assuming command on the 29th.

He was confirmed in the rank of Vice-Admiral on 1 September, 1918.

Post-War

He was relieved in command of the Battle Cruiser Force by Vice-Admiral Henry Oliver on 28 February, 1919.

He was promoted to the rank of Admiral on 6 April, 1922, vice Phipps Hornby. He was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 1 March, 1926.

Bibliography

• "Admiral Sir William Pakenham" (Obituaries). The Times. Monday, 31 July, 1933. Issue 46510, col A, p. 7.
• Lowis, Commander Geoffrey L. (1959). Fabulous Admirals and Some Naval Fragments. London: Putnam.

Papers

• Papers in the possession of the National Maritime Museum. For a detailed list see Pakenham Papers at the National Maritime Museum.

Images

• 1920 William Nicholson portrait in the possession of the Imperial War Museum. Catalogue Number 3142.

Service Records

• The National Archives. ADM 196/88.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/42.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/20.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Charles E. Madden	Fourth Sea Lord 1911 – 1913	Succeeded by Cecil F. Lambert
Preceded by Charles E. Madden	Rear-Admiral Commanding, Third Cruiser Squadron 1913 – 1915	Succeeded by William L. Grant
Preceded by Sir George E. Patey	Rear-Admiral Commanding, Second Battle Cruiser Squadron 1915 – 1916	Succeeded by Arthur C. Leveson
	Rear-Admiral Commanding the Australian Fleet 1915 – 1916
Preceded by Sir David R. Beatty	Vice-Admiral Commanding, Battle Cruiser Force 1916 – 1919	Succeeded by Sir Henry F. Oliver
Preceded by Sir Henry B. Jackson	President of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich 1919 – 1920	Succeeded by Sir Frederick C. T. Tudor
Preceded by Sir Trevylyan D. W. Napier	Commander-in-Chief on the North America and West Indies Station 1920 – 1923	Succeeded by Sir Michael Culme-Seymour, Bart.