Cecil Henry Hulton Sams
Captain (retired) Cecil Henry Hulton Sams (9 March, 1883 – 28 August, 1931) was an officer in the Royal Navy.
Another service record for him would tell us more of his life prior to March 1916.
Life & Career
Sams was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1904.
Sams was appointed in command of the destroyer Defender on 2 October, 1914.[1]
In March, 1916, Sams was appointed in command of the destroyer Obdurate.[2] He commanded her as part of the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla at the Battle of Jutland.[3]
Sams was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1917.
While he had been considered a very good destroyer captain previously, in April, 1918 things soured for him. Captain Dutton opined that he did not regard Sams's work as being very good, and Sams was subjected to a Court of Enquiry for a collision between Obdurate and Patrician. It criticised Sams for having attempted to close the other vessel "at a considerable angle in a dense fog" in order to regain station. Lastly, the same month he also was the target of complaints from officers of the torpedoed S.S. Tainui [?] which described Sams's behaviour as tactless in how he addressed men on his destroyer's forecastle when he did not himself possess all the facts.
On 11 January, 1921, Sams was appointed in command of the destroyer Shamrock.[4] In June, 1921, he was appointed in command of Veteran. Captain Rose's inspection of Veteran on 31 December, 1921 was satisfactory "but hair of ship's company too long in many cases and room for improvement in drills."
Sams was placed on Retired List at his own request on 24 January, 1923 and subsequently promoted to Captain (retired) on 9 March, 1928.
See Also
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Walter J. Fletcher |
Captain of H.M.S. Defender 2 Oct, 1914[5] |
Succeeded by Laurence R. Palmer |
| Preceded by Laurence R. Palmer |
Captain of H.M.S. Obdurate Mar, 1916[6] – 26 May, 1919 |
Succeeded by Charles W. T. V. S. Lepper |
| Preceded by Henry P. Boxer |
Captain of H.M.S. Shamrock 11 Jan, 1921[7] – Jun, 1921 |
Succeeded by Colin C. L. Mackenzie |
| Preceded by Walter H. G. Fallowfield |
Captain of H.M.S. Veteran Jun, 1921 – 2 Jan, 1922 |
Succeeded by William J. Whitworth |
| Preceded by Edward McC. W. Lawrie |
Captain of H.M.S. Witherington 3 Jan, 1922 – Jan, 1923 |
Succeeded by Eric Q. Carter |
Footnotes
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 301.
- ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 854.
- ↑ Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. pp. 34, 46, 224.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 863.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 393i.
- ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 854.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 863.
