Difference between revisions of "Alastair Shand Cumming"

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{{CommRN}} '''Alistair Shand Cumming''', R.N., Retired (31 May, 1894 – ) was an officer in the [[Royal Navy]].
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{{CommRN}} '''Alastair Shand Cumming''', R.N., Retired (31 May, 1894 &ndash; 21 July, 1941) was an officer in the [[Royal Navy]]. His first name is misspelled as "Alistair" sin his Service Records.<ref name=duncan>Emails from his son, Duncan Cumming, 20230411 and 20230413.</ref>
  
 
==Life & Career==
 
==Life & Career==
 +
The son of John Arthur Cumming, Esq., a member of the Indian Civil Service.
  
Promoted to {{MidRN}} on 15 January, 1912.{{NLMar13|p. 19}}
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He was promoted to {{MidRN}} as he passed out of the Training Establishment on 15 January, 1912.{{NLMar13|p. 19}} He was appointed to the {{UK-Colossus|f=t}}, and served in her through the [[Battle of Jutland]], being promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} with seniority 15 December, 1915.  He was admitted to Haslar Hospital to be treated for an ear condition in August, 1916.  He was soon ordered to return to ''Colossus'', but was sent back to Plymouth Hospital in a matter of weeks.<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>
  
Cumming was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} with seniority 15 December, 1915.
+
On 1 March 1917, he was appointed to {{UK-Dolphin}} for a two month submarine course, after which he was appointed to {{UK-Maidstone}} to serve in her submarines.  Two service records indicate he was appointed to different submarines on 12 June, 1917:  {{UK-E29}} and {{UK-C24}}.  These, or this, appointment may have ended on 7 July 1918, when he was placed in {{UK-K5}}, on the books of {{UK-Fearless|f=p}}.  This lasted through late April, 1919, when he was appointed to {{UK-Thames|f=p}} and for the two and a half month Periscope Course.<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>
  
==Post-War==
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Following treatment at Haslar for a nasal obstruction, Cumming was appointed in command of the {{UK-L18|f=t}} on 6 December, 1920.<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>
Cumming was appointed in command of the {{UK-L18|f=t}} on 6 December, 1920.{{NLJan21|p. 799}}
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Cumming was promoted to the rank of {{LCommRN}} on 15 December, 1923.
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Cumming was promoted to the rank of {{LCommRN}} on 15 December, 1923. He passed a preliminary interpreter examination in French in 1924, and qualified as an interpreter in 1926.<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>
  
Cumming was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 3 May, 1927.
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In 1925 while at the [[Royal Naval College, Greenwich]], Cumming developed a new circular plotting board for submarines.  It went into service and was for a time known as the [[Cumming Plotting Board]].<ref name=duncan/><ref>It is mentioned in “The History of British Submarine Command Systems" by Commander David Parry.</ref>
  
Cumming was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} on 31 May, 1934.
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Cumming was placed on the Retired List at his own request with a gratuity of £1200 on 3 May, 1927.<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>
 +
 
 +
Cumming was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} on 31 May, 1934.<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>
 +
 
 +
Around 1938 when Alastair Cumming was conducting sea trials in {{UK-Ursula}}, he met Lieut. Commander George Phillips, who was to be in command.  Phillips was at that time developing improved foul weather gear for submariners and incorporated into its design a German leather two piece overall which Cumming used to wear, having acquired it at the end of World War I.  The new suit became known as the “Ursula Suit”, and there is (or was) an example of it on display at the Submarine Museum in Gosport.<ref name=duncan/>
 +
 
 +
==World War II==
 +
Cumming received a total exemption from service, owing to his employment at [[Vickers-Armstrongs]].  He died in mid-1941 in Barrow-in-Furness.<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref><ref name=duncan/>
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==
 
{{refbegin}}
 
{{refbegin}}
* [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_rv=simple&_q=ADM+Alistair+Shand+Cumming Service Records]
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* [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_rv=simple&_q=ADM+Shand+Cumming Service Records]
{{WP|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alistair_Shand_Cumming}}
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* [[H.M.S. Colossus at the Battle of Jutland]]
 
{{refend}}
 
{{refend}}
  
 
<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
 
<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
 
{{TabNaval}}
 
{{TabNaval}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[H.M.S. H 28 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''H 28'']]'''<br>3 Jul, 1919{{NLJun20|p. 782''a''}} &ndash; 20 Nov, 1920|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Humphrey George Veale|Humphrey G. Veale]]'''}}
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{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Charles Edwin Arthur William Cox|Charles E. A. W. Cox]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. H 28 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''H 28'']]'''<br>3 Jul, 1919{{NLJun20|p. 782''a''}} &ndash; 20 Nov, 1920<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[William Derek Stephens|William D. Stephens]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Anthony Bevis Lockhart|Anthony B. Lockhart]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. L 18 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''L 18'']]'''<br>6 Dec, 1920{{NLJan21|p. 799}} &ndash; 24 Jun, 1921|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Charles Henry Allen|Charles H. Allen]]'''}}
+
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Anthony Bevis Lockhart|Anthony B. Lockhart]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. L 18 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''L 18'']]'''<br>6 Dec, 1920<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>{{NLJan21|p. 799}} &ndash; 24 Jun, 1921<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Charles Henry Allen|Charles H. Allen]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Andrew Lancelot Besant|Andrew L. Besant]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. L 52 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''L 52'']]'''<br>23 Sep, 1922 &ndash; 30 Apr, 1923|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Frank Delamain Morris|Frank D. Morris]]'''}}
+
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Andrew Lancelot Besant|Andrew L. Besant]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. L 52 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''L 52'']]'''<br>23 Sep, 1922<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref> &ndash; 30 Apr, 1923<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Frank Delamain Morris|Frank D. Morris]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Gerald Aylmer Garnons-Williams|Gerald A. Garnons-Williams]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. H 32 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''H 32'']]'''<br>30 Apr, 1923{{NLJul24|p. 243}} &ndash; 7 Sep, 1924|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Gerald Edward Colpoys|Gerald E. Colpoys]]'''}}
+
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Lancelot Vivian Donne|Lancelot V. Donne]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. H 32 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''H 32'']]'''<br>30 Apr, 1923{{NLJul24|p. 243}} &ndash; 7 Sep, 1924<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Gerald Edward Colpoys|Gerald E. Colpoys]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Jermyn Rushbrooke|Jermyn Rushbrooke]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. L 53 (1919)|Captain of H.M.S. ''L 53'']]'''<br>17 Jul, 1926 &ndash; 20 Nov, 1926|Succeeded by<br>'''?'''}}
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{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Jermyn Rushbrooke|Jermyn Rushbrooke]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. L 53 (1919)|Captain of H.M.S. ''L 53'']]'''<br>17 Jul, 1926<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref> &ndash; 20 Nov, 1926<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[George Arthur Wallace Voelcker|George A. W. Voelcker]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[John Domvile Auchmuty Musters|John D. A. Musters]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. L 54 (1919)|Captain of H.M.S. ''L 54'']]'''<br>20 Nov, 1926 &ndash; 1 Apr, 1927|Succeeded by<br>'''?'''}}
+
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[John Domvile Auchmuty Musters|John D. A. Musters]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. L 54 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''L 54'']]'''<br>20 Nov, 1926<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref> &ndash; 1 Apr, 1927<ref>Cumming Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/132.|}} f. 134.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Rupert Richard Devlin|Rupert R. Devlin]]'''}}
 
{{TabEnd}}
 
{{TabEnd}}
 
</div name=fredbot:appts>
 
</div name=fredbot:appts>
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{{reflist}}
 
{{reflist}}
  
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cumming, Alistair}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cumming, Alastair Shand}}
  
{{CatPerson|UK|1894|}}
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{{CatPerson|UK|1894|1941}}
 
{{CatSubmariner|UK}}
 
{{CatSubmariner|UK}}
 
{{CatTrainEst|May, 1907}}
 
{{CatTrainEst|May, 1907}}
 +
{{CatInterpreter|UK|French}}
 +
{{CatRN}}

Latest revision as of 20:39, 13 April 2023

Commander Alastair Shand Cumming, R.N., Retired (31 May, 1894 – 21 July, 1941) was an officer in the Royal Navy. His first name is misspelled as "Alistair" sin his Service Records.[1]

Life & Career

The son of John Arthur Cumming, Esq., a member of the Indian Civil Service.

He was promoted to Midshipman as he passed out of the Training Establishment on 15 January, 1912.[2] He was appointed to the battleship Colossus, and served in her through the Battle of Jutland, being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant with seniority 15 December, 1915. He was admitted to Haslar Hospital to be treated for an ear condition in August, 1916. He was soon ordered to return to Colossus, but was sent back to Plymouth Hospital in a matter of weeks.[3]

On 1 March 1917, he was appointed to Dolphin for a two month submarine course, after which he was appointed to Maidstone to serve in her submarines. Two service records indicate he was appointed to different submarines on 12 June, 1917: E 29 and C 24. These, or this, appointment may have ended on 7 July 1918, when he was placed in K 5, on the books of H.M.S. Fearless. This lasted through late April, 1919, when he was appointed to H.M.S. Thames and for the two and a half month Periscope Course.[4]

Following treatment at Haslar for a nasal obstruction, Cumming was appointed in command of the submarine L 18 on 6 December, 1920.[5]

Cumming was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 December, 1923. He passed a preliminary interpreter examination in French in 1924, and qualified as an interpreter in 1926.[6]

In 1925 while at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, Cumming developed a new circular plotting board for submarines. It went into service and was for a time known as the Cumming Plotting Board.[1][7]

Cumming was placed on the Retired List at his own request with a gratuity of £1200 on 3 May, 1927.[8]

Cumming was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 May, 1934.[9]

Around 1938 when Alastair Cumming was conducting sea trials in Ursula, he met Lieut. Commander George Phillips, who was to be in command. Phillips was at that time developing improved foul weather gear for submariners and incorporated into its design a German leather two piece overall which Cumming used to wear, having acquired it at the end of World War I. The new suit became known as the “Ursula Suit”, and there is (or was) an example of it on display at the Submarine Museum in Gosport.[1]

World War II

Cumming received a total exemption from service, owing to his employment at Vickers-Armstrongs. He died in mid-1941 in Barrow-in-Furness.[10][1]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Charles E. A. W. Cox
Captain of H.M.S. H 28
3 Jul, 1919[11] – 20 Nov, 1920[12]
Succeeded by
William D. Stephens
Preceded by
Anthony B. Lockhart
Captain of H.M.S. L 18
6 Dec, 1920[13][14] – 24 Jun, 1921[15]
Succeeded by
Charles H. Allen
Preceded by
Andrew L. Besant
Captain of H.M.S. L 52
23 Sep, 1922[16] – 30 Apr, 1923[17]
Succeeded by
Frank D. Morris
Preceded by
Lancelot V. Donne
Captain of H.M.S. H 32
30 Apr, 1923[18] – 7 Sep, 1924[19]
Succeeded by
Gerald E. Colpoys
Preceded by
Jermyn Rushbrooke
Captain of H.M.S. L 53
17 Jul, 1926[20] – 20 Nov, 1926[21]
Succeeded by
George A. W. Voelcker
Preceded by
John D. A. Musters
Captain of H.M.S. L 54
20 Nov, 1926[22] – 1 Apr, 1927[23]
Succeeded by
Rupert R. Devlin

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Emails from his son, Duncan Cumming, 20230411 and 20230413.
  2. The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 19.
  3. Cumming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/56/132. f. 134.
  4. Cumming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/56/132. f. 134.
  5. Cumming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/56/132. f. 134.
  6. Cumming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/56/132. f. 134.
  7. It is mentioned in “The History of British Submarine Command Systems" by Commander David Parry.
  8. Cumming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/56/132. f. 134.
  9. Cumming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/56/132. f. 134.
  10. Cumming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/56/132. f. 134.
  11. The Navy List. (June, 1920). p. 782a.
  12. Cumming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/56/132. f. 134.
  13. Cumming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/56/132. f. 134.
  14. The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 799.
  15. Cumming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/56/132. f. 134.
  16. Cumming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/56/132. f. 134.
  17. Cumming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/56/132. f. 134.
  18. The Navy List. (July, 1924). p. 243.
  19. Cumming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/56/132. f. 134.
  20. Cumming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/56/132. f. 134.
  21. Cumming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/56/132. f. 134.
  22. Cumming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/56/132. f. 134.
  23. Cumming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/56/132. f. 134.