Wilfred Neville Custance
Rear-Admiral Wilfred Neville Custance, C.B., (25 June, 1884 – 13 December, 1939) was an officer in the Royal Navy.
He served as Gunnery Officer in H.M.S. Vanguard 1914-1917.
Life & Career
Custance was promoted to Lieutenant on 15 january, 1905.[1]
Custance was married on 18 February, 1911 to Winifred Olive Cave at St. Peter's Church.[2]
Custance was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander on 15 January, 1913. On 30 April, he was appointed to Vanguard as her gunnery officer.[3]
Custance was promoted to Commander on 30 June, 1917 and was fortunate to survive Vanguard's destruction on 9 July, 1917, having been one of sixteen of her crew to visit Royal Oak for an evening of entertainment. As Gunnery Commander in the lost ship, Custance offered important testimony about how the magazine temperatures were monitored, and the Court was satisfied that his methods were not to blame for the explosion. After the Court was concluded, Custance wound up at Excellent for gunnery duties, remaining there until 30 July, 1919.[4]
Post-War
Custance was promoted to Captain on 30 June, 1925.[5]
In June 1928, he was appointed in command of the light cruiser Castor.
Custance was in command of the Rodney when she ran aground on 9 October, 1935 in circumstances involving another vessel, M.V. Atlas. Custance was faulted for the misfortune.[6]
Custance was promoted to Rear-Admiral on 17 February, 1936.[7]
See Also
- Transcript of the Report of the Court of Enquiry. G.W.P.D.A.
- Loss of H.M.S. Vanguard Court of Inquiry at The National Archives. ADM 137/3680.
Footnotes
- ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 19.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Day of month inferred from Wake-Walker Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/76. 187.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1934). p. 234.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.
- ↑ Custance Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 34.