Lionel George Preston
Admiral SIR Lionel George Preston, K.C.B., Royal Navy (27 September, 1875 – 21 September, 1971) was an officer of the Royal Navy. He would come to be the head of minesweeping operations in 1917.
Life & Career
He was confirmed in the rank of Sub-Lieutenant dated 14 October, 1894.[1]
He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant dated 1 April, 1897.[2]
On 7 April, 1908, Present was appointed in command of the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 81, and of her flotilla.[3] On 17 November, 1909, he was reappointed in both capacities upon his promotion to Commander.[4]
Preston was appointed in command of the destroyer Tartar on 4 January, 1910.[5]
From June, 1913 to February, 1914, Preston commanded the torpedo gunboat Jason and also the Minesweeping Flotilla, which was then a collection of gunboats. Jason paid off at Sheerness on 2 February for a refit.[6]
Great War
In December, 1914, Preston received uncommonly lavish praise when the Admiralty noted that in his destruction of mines at Scarborough, "the action taken by Commander Preston in "Skipjack" in anchoring among the mines & destroying them immediately after 2 trawlers had been mined was a splendid example to the mine-sweepers, maintained tranquillity amongst them & was certainly the cause of prevention of further loss of life or vessels." When the sweeping sloop Lilac struck a mine on 18 August, 1915, Preston helped salvage the vessel.[7]
Preston was appointed an Additional Member of the Third Class, or Companion, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.) on 1 January, 1916.[8]
In February of, 1917, Preston gave up his appointment as Captain in Charge of Fleet Sweepers and was appointed to President to head up the Minesweeping Division.[9]
Post-War
He was appointed in command of the convoy sloop H.M.S. Windflower on 1 December, 1919 but this appointment was cancelled in favour of an appointment inside the Admiralty while awaiting the commissioning of H.M.S. Harebell. He would take command of her in March as Senior Officer, Patrol, Minesweeping and Fishery Protection Squadron. He was superseded in this post on 16 November, 1920.[10][11]
Preston was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 2 April, 1930, vice Grace.[12]
On 19 January, 1933 Preston succeeded Air Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham as Commandant, Imperial Defence College.[13] He was promoted to the rank of Admiral on 28 February, 1934.[14]
Preston was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 16 January, 1935.[15]
World War II
Preston was called up to work with the Admiralty in a variety of positions. In 1940, he was made Director of the Small Vessels Pool. He would work within until 16 February, 1945 before being finally reverted to the Retired List on 29 March, 1945.[16]
Preston died on 21 September, 1971 at Dunstable aged ninety-five.
See Also
- Wikipedia
- Service Records
- "Deaths" (Deaths). The Times. Friday, 24 September, 1971. Issue 58281, col C, p. 24.
Footnotes
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 26681. p. 6252. 19 November, 1895.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 26838. p. 1882. 2 April, 1897.
- ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 8 April, 1908. Issue 38615, col A, p. 9.
- ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 11 November, 1909. Issue 39114, col D, p. 7.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1910). p. 382.
- ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Tuesday, Jan 27, 1914; pg. 10; Issue 40431.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 29423. p. 80. (Supplement) 1 January, 1916.
- ↑ The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 396p.
- ↑ "Naval Appointments" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Monday, 1 December, 1919. Issue 42271, col C, p. 20.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 33596. p. 2327. 11 April, 1930.
- ↑ "Flag Appointments" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Friday, 19 August, 1932. Issue 46216, col B, p. 15.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 34029. p. 1425. 2 March, 1934.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 34125. p. 485. 18 January, 1935.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1907). p. 287.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ The Navy List. (November, 1905). p. 313.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1907). p. 287.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1909). p. 401.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 401a.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1910). p. 382.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 397a.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 334.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 374.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1916). p. 395xx.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. p. 122.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1924). p. 236.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.
- ↑ "Flag Appointments" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Friday, 19 August, 1932. Issue 46216, col B, p. 15.
- ↑ Preston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/79. f. 79.