Difference between revisions of "Anti-Submarine Committee (Royal Navy)"

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==History==
 
==History==
The committee was formally appointed on 1 April, 1910, under the presidency of Rear-Admiral [[Cecil Burney, First Baronet|Cecil Burney]]. It initially comprised a Flag Officer, a Captain, a Commander, and a Secretary.<ref>''Anti-Submarine Development and Experiments Prior to December 1916''.  p. 9.</ref> The committee met at Fort Blockhouse, the home of the submarine service, several times a week, usually in the morning.<ref>Arbuthnot diary entry for 5 April, 1910. National Maritime Museum, Arbuthnot papers, ARB/1/12.</ref> A member, Captain [[Robert Keith Arbuthnot, Fourth Baronet|Sir Robert K. Arbuthnot, Bart.]], went to H.M.S. ''Vernon'' to discuss gear and experiments with its captain, [[Robert Stewart Phipps Hornby|Robert S. P. Hornby]].<ref>Arbuthnot diary entry for 14 April, 1910. National Maritime Museum, Arbuthnot papers, ARB/1/12.</ref> In the morning of 20 April Burney and Arbuthnot went out and dived in a C-class submarine with Captain [[Frank Brandt]]. After lunch at Fort Blockhouse they finalised the committee's first report.<ref>Arbuthnot diary entry for 20 April, 1910. National Maritime Museum, Arbuthnot papers, ARB/1/12. Report reproduced in ''Anti-Submarine Development and Experiments Prior to December 1916''.  pp. 9-12.</ref>
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The committee was formally appointed on 1 April, 1910, under the presidency of Rear-Admiral [[Cecil Burney, First Baronet|Cecil Burney]]. The other members were Captain [[Robert Keith Arbuthnot, Fourth Baronet|Sir Robert K. Arbuthnot, Bart.]], Commander [[John Alfred Moreton|John A. Moreton]], and a Secretary.<ref>See lists below, and for composition see ''Anti-Submarine Development and Experiments Prior to December 1916''.  p. 9.</ref> Richard Dunley claims that the committee "appears to have been largely drawn from officers of the fleet",<ref>Dunley. "Anti-Submarine Warfare in the Pre-First World War Royal Navy: A Cultural Failure?" p. 15.</ref> providing no evidence to support this assertion. Commander Moreton was actually an experienced submarine commander.<ref>Moreton service record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/239.}}</ref>  
  
Up to the outbreak of war in August, 1914, the committee reported at least fifty-five times.<ref>''Anti-Submarine Development and Experiments Prior to December 1916''. p. 43.</ref>
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The committee initially met at Fort Blockhouse, the home of the submarine service, several times a week, usually in the morning.<ref>Arbuthnot diary entry for 5 April, 1910. National Maritime Museum. Arbuthnot papers. ARB/1/12.</ref> On 14 April Arbuthnot went to [[H.M.S. Vernon (Torpedo Training School)|H.M.S. ''Vernon'']] to discuss gear and experiments with its captain, [[Robert Stewart Phipps Hornby|Robert S. P. Hornby]].<ref>Arbuthnot diary entry for 14 April, 1910. National Maritime Museum. Arbuthnot Papers. ARB/1/12.</ref> In the morning of 20 April Burney and Arbuthnot went out and dived in a C-class submarine with Captain [[Frank Brandt]]. After lunch at Fort Blockhouse they finalised the committee's first report.<ref>Arbuthnot diary entry for 20 April, 1910. National Maritime Museum. Arbuthnot Papers. ARB/1/12. Report reproduced in ''Anti-Submarine Development and Experiments Prior to December 1916''. pp. 9-12.</ref>
 +
 
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Up to the outbreak of war in August, 1914, the committee reported at least fifty-five times.<ref>''Anti-Submarine Development and Experiments Prior to December 1916''. p. 43.</ref>
  
 
During its existence, the primary tools which would define the pinnacle of anti-submarine warfare through the end of the [[Great War]] were devised &ndash; particularly the [[Hydrophone|hydrophone]] and the hydrostatically fired [[:Category:Depth Charges (UK)|depth charge]] &ndash; but often alongside large numbers of grossly ineffective weapons and tactics which were slow to cede ground.
 
During its existence, the primary tools which would define the pinnacle of anti-submarine warfare through the end of the [[Great War]] were devised &ndash; particularly the [[Hydrophone|hydrophone]] and the hydrostatically fired [[:Category:Depth Charges (UK)|depth charge]] &ndash; but often alongside large numbers of grossly ineffective weapons and tactics which were slow to cede ground.
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==Presidents==
 
==Presidents==
 
<div name=fredbot:officePres otitle="President of Anti-Submarine Committee" nat="UK">
 
<div name=fredbot:officePres otitle="President of Anti-Submarine Committee" nat="UK">
{{Tenure|rank={{RearRN}}|name=Cecil Burney, First Baronet|nick=Cecil Burney|appt=1 April, 1910<ref>Burney Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/38.|D7578793}} f. 180.</ref>|end=15 February, 1911<ref>Burney Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/38.|D7578793}} f. 180.</ref>}}
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{{Tenure|rank={{RearRN}}|name=Cecil Burney, First Baronet|nick=Cecil Burney|appt=1 April, 1910<ref>Burney Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/38/232.}} ''Return, for the Year ended 31st March 1911, of the Army and Navy Officers permitted, under Rule 2 of the Regulations drawn up under Section 6 of the "Superannuation Act, 1887," to hold Civil Employment of Profit under Public Departments''. pp. 32-33.</ref>|end=15 February, 1911<ref>''Return, for the Year ended 31st March 1911, of the Army and Navy Officers permitted, under Rule 2 of the Regulations drawn up under Section 6 of the "Superannuation Act, 1887," to hold Civil Employment of Profit under Public Departments''. pp. 32-33.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank={{RearRN}}|name=Frederick Charles Doveton Sturdee, First Baronet|nick=F. C. Doveton Sturdee|appt=16 February, 1911<ref>Sturdee Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/39.}} f. 1256.</ref>|end=19 December, 1911<ref>Sturdee Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/39.}} f. 1256.</ref>}}
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{{Tenure|rank={{RearRN}}|name=Frederick Charles Doveton Sturdee, First Baronet|nick=F. C. Doveton Sturdee|appt=16 February, 1911<ref>Sturdee Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/39/476.}}</ref>|end=19 December, 1911<ref>Sturdee Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/39/476.}}</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank={{RearRN}}|name=Reginald Godfrey Otway Tupper|nick=Reginald G. O. Tupper|appt=20 December, 1911<ref>Tupper Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/39.}} f. 1337.</ref>|end=18 November, 1912<ref>Tupper Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/39.}} f. 1337.</ref>}}
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{{Tenure|rank={{RearRN}}|name=Reginald Godfrey Otway Tupper|nick=Reginald G. O. Tupper|appt=20 December, 1911<ref>Tupper Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/39/536.}}</ref>|end=18 November, 1912<ref>Tupper Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/39/536.}}</ref>}}
 
{{Tenure|rank={{RearRN}}|name=Bernard Currey|nick=Bernard Currey|appt=18 November, 1912<ref>Date inferred from the date of Tupper ceasing duty on the committee. Clearly listed as "President of Submarine Committee" in ''Return, for the Year ended 31st March 1913, of the Army and Navy Officers permitted, under Rule 2 of the Regulations drawn up under Section 6 of the "Superannuation Act, 1887," to hold Civil Employment of Profit under Public Departments''. pp. 22-23, 32-33.</ref>}}
 
{{Tenure|rank={{RearRN}}|name=Bernard Currey|nick=Bernard Currey|appt=18 November, 1912<ref>Date inferred from the date of Tupper ceasing duty on the committee. Clearly listed as "President of Submarine Committee" in ''Return, for the Year ended 31st March 1913, of the Army and Navy Officers permitted, under Rule 2 of the Regulations drawn up under Section 6 of the "Superannuation Act, 1887," to hold Civil Employment of Profit under Public Departments''. pp. 22-23, 32-33.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank={{RearRN}}|name=Robert Stewart Phipps Hornby|nick=Robert S. Phipps Hornby|appt=16 December, 1913<ref>Phipps Hornby Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 338.</ref>}}
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{{Tenure|rank={{RearRN}}|name=Robert Stewart Phipps Hornby|nick=Robert S. Phipps Hornby|appt=16 December, 1913<ref>Hornby Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42/378.}}</ref>}}
 
</div name=fredbot:officePres>
 
</div name=fredbot:officePres>
  
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''This list is not complete''.
 
''This list is not complete''.
  
*Commander [[John Alfred Moreton|John A. Moreton]], 1910<ref>Moreton Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44.}} f. 242.</ref>
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*Commander [[John Alfred Moreton|John A. Moreton]], 1910<ref>Moreton Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/239.}}</ref>
*Captain [[Robert Keith Arbuthnot, Fourth Baronet|Sir Robert K. Arbuthnot, Bart.]], 1 April, 1910<ref>Arbuthnot Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 202.</ref>
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*Captain [[Robert Keith Arbuthnot, Fourth Baronet|Sir Robert K. Arbuthnot, Bart.]], 1 April, 1910<ref>Arbuthnot Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42/244.}}</ref>
*Rear-Admiral [[Reginald Godfrey Otway Tupper|Reginald G. O. Tupper]], 16 August, 1910<ref>Tupper Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/39.}} f. 1337.</ref> &ndash; 20 December, 1911<ref>Tupper Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/39.}} f. 1337.</ref>
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*Rear-Admiral [[Reginald Godfrey Otway Tupper|Reginald G. O. Tupper]], 16 August, 1910<ref>Tupper Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/39/536.}}</ref> &ndash; 20 December, 1911<ref>Tupper Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/39/536.}}</ref>
*Rear-Admiral [[Bernard Currey]], 20 December, 1911<ref>Currey Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 36.</ref>
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*Rear-Admiral [[Bernard Currey]], 20 December, 1911<ref>Currey Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42/31.</ref>
 
*Captain [[Louis Charles Stirling Woollcombe|Louis C. S. Woollcombe]], 27 January &ndash; 30 June, 1913<ref>''Return, for the Year ended 31st March 1914, of the Army and Navy Officers permitted, under Rule 2 of the Regulations drawn up under Section 6 of the "Superannuation Act, 1887," to hold Civil Employment of Profit under Public Departments''. pp. 32-33.</ref>
 
*Captain [[Louis Charles Stirling Woollcombe|Louis C. S. Woollcombe]], 27 January &ndash; 30 June, 1913<ref>''Return, for the Year ended 31st March 1914, of the Army and Navy Officers permitted, under Rule 2 of the Regulations drawn up under Section 6 of the "Superannuation Act, 1887," to hold Civil Employment of Profit under Public Departments''. pp. 32-33.</ref>
  
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*''Return, for the Year ended 31st March 1913, of the Army and Navy Officers permitted, under Rule 2 of the Regulations drawn up under Section 6 of the "Superannuation Act, 1887," to hold Civil Employment of Profit under Public Departments''. H.C. 238 (1913).
 
*''Return, for the Year ended 31st March 1913, of the Army and Navy Officers permitted, under Rule 2 of the Regulations drawn up under Section 6 of the "Superannuation Act, 1887," to hold Civil Employment of Profit under Public Departments''. H.C. 238 (1913).
 
*''Return, for the Year ended 31st March 1914, of the Army and Navy Officers permitted, under Rule 2 of the Regulations drawn up under Section 6 of the "Superannuation Act, 1887," to hold Civil Employment of Profit under Public Departments''. H.C. 440 (1915).
 
*''Return, for the Year ended 31st March 1914, of the Army and Navy Officers permitted, under Rule 2 of the Regulations drawn up under Section 6 of the "Superannuation Act, 1887," to hold Civil Employment of Profit under Public Departments''. H.C. 440 (1915).
 +
*Dunley, Richard (2019). "Anti-Submarine Warfare in the Pre-First World War Royal Navy: A Cultural Failure?" ''War in History''. [https://doi.org/10.1177/0968344518797150 DOI: 10.1177/0968344518797150].
 
*Naval Staff (L.D.D.) (1920).  ''Anti-Submarine Development and Experiments Prior to December, 1916''.  '''The Technical History and Index.  Vol. 5.  Part 40'''.  C.B. 1515 (40).  Copy at the National Maritime Museum.
 
*Naval Staff (L.D.D.) (1920).  ''Anti-Submarine Development and Experiments Prior to December, 1916''.  '''The Technical History and Index.  Vol. 5.  Part 40'''.  C.B. 1515 (40).  Copy at the National Maritime Museum.
*{{TupperReminiscences}}
 
 
{{refend}}
 
{{refend}}
  

Revision as of 03:50, 8 March 2019

The Anti-Submarine Committee, also known simply as Submarine Committee, was an ad hoc body of the Royal Navy formed in 1910 for dealing with anti-submarine warfare proposals.

History

The committee was formally appointed on 1 April, 1910, under the presidency of Rear-Admiral Cecil Burney. The other members were Captain Sir Robert K. Arbuthnot, Bart., Commander John A. Moreton, and a Secretary.[1] Richard Dunley claims that the committee "appears to have been largely drawn from officers of the fleet",[2] providing no evidence to support this assertion. Commander Moreton was actually an experienced submarine commander.[3]

The committee initially met at Fort Blockhouse, the home of the submarine service, several times a week, usually in the morning.[4] On 14 April Arbuthnot went to H.M.S. Vernon to discuss gear and experiments with its captain, Robert S. P. Hornby.[5] In the morning of 20 April Burney and Arbuthnot went out and dived in a C-class submarine with Captain Frank Brandt. After lunch at Fort Blockhouse they finalised the committee's first report.[6]

Up to the outbreak of war in August, 1914, the committee reported at least fifty-five times.[7]

During its existence, the primary tools which would define the pinnacle of anti-submarine warfare through the end of the Great War were devised – particularly the hydrophone and the hydrostatically fired depth charge – but often alongside large numbers of grossly ineffective weapons and tactics which were slow to cede ground.

Presidents

Members

This list is not complete.

Footnotes

  1. See lists below, and for composition see Anti-Submarine Development and Experiments Prior to December 1916. p. 9.
  2. Dunley. "Anti-Submarine Warfare in the Pre-First World War Royal Navy: A Cultural Failure?" p. 15.
  3. Moreton service record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/239.
  4. Arbuthnot diary entry for 5 April, 1910. National Maritime Museum. Arbuthnot papers. ARB/1/12.
  5. Arbuthnot diary entry for 14 April, 1910. National Maritime Museum. Arbuthnot Papers. ARB/1/12.
  6. Arbuthnot diary entry for 20 April, 1910. National Maritime Museum. Arbuthnot Papers. ARB/1/12. Report reproduced in Anti-Submarine Development and Experiments Prior to December 1916. pp. 9-12.
  7. Anti-Submarine Development and Experiments Prior to December 1916. p. 43.
  8. Burney Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38/232. Return, for the Year ended 31st March 1911, of the Army and Navy Officers permitted, under Rule 2 of the Regulations drawn up under Section 6 of the "Superannuation Act, 1887," to hold Civil Employment of Profit under Public Departments. pp. 32-33.
  9. Return, for the Year ended 31st March 1911, of the Army and Navy Officers permitted, under Rule 2 of the Regulations drawn up under Section 6 of the "Superannuation Act, 1887," to hold Civil Employment of Profit under Public Departments. pp. 32-33.
  10. Sturdee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39/476.
  11. Sturdee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39/476.
  12. Tupper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39/536.
  13. Tupper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39/536.
  14. Date inferred from the date of Tupper ceasing duty on the committee. Clearly listed as "President of Submarine Committee" in Return, for the Year ended 31st March 1913, of the Army and Navy Officers permitted, under Rule 2 of the Regulations drawn up under Section 6 of the "Superannuation Act, 1887," to hold Civil Employment of Profit under Public Departments. pp. 22-23, 32-33.
  15. Hornby Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42/378.
  16. Moreton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/239.
  17. Arbuthnot Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42/244.
  18. Tupper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39/536.
  19. Tupper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39/536.
  20. Currey Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42/31.
  21. Return, for the Year ended 31st March 1914, of the Army and Navy Officers permitted, under Rule 2 of the Regulations drawn up under Section 6 of the "Superannuation Act, 1887," to hold Civil Employment of Profit under Public Departments. pp. 32-33.

Bibliography

  • Return, for the Year ended 31st March 1913, of the Army and Navy Officers permitted, under Rule 2 of the Regulations drawn up under Section 6 of the "Superannuation Act, 1887," to hold Civil Employment of Profit under Public Departments. H.C. 238 (1913).
  • Return, for the Year ended 31st March 1914, of the Army and Navy Officers permitted, under Rule 2 of the Regulations drawn up under Section 6 of the "Superannuation Act, 1887," to hold Civil Employment of Profit under Public Departments. H.C. 440 (1915).
  • Dunley, Richard (2019). "Anti-Submarine Warfare in the Pre-First World War Royal Navy: A Cultural Failure?" War in History. DOI: 10.1177/0968344518797150.
  • Naval Staff (L.D.D.) (1920). Anti-Submarine Development and Experiments Prior to December, 1916. The Technical History and Index. Vol. 5. Part 40. C.B. 1515 (40). Copy at the National Maritime Museum.

See Also