Edward Williams Hamilton Brookfield

Captain (retired) Edward Williams Hamilton Brookfield, R.N. (24 June, 1880 – 8 February, 1965) served in the Royal Navy as a physical training officer.

Life & Career

Born in Canterbury, the son of A. M. Brookfield, Esq., M.P. and J.P..

Brookfield was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 March, 1903.

Brookfield was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 31 March, 1911. He was awarded the King Gustav Olympic Medal in 1912.

Brookfield was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1915. He would fight at the Battle of Jutland in the battleship Orion, in which he was first and physical training officer.

From May to August, 1917 he commanded Coastal Motor Boats.

On the last day of 1918, Brookfield commenced two months as acting Captain of H.M.S. Temeraire after Captain Underhill was stricken by pneumonia. Another officer identified only as "Hal" (possibly Commander Harry Cecil Brand Pipon) recorded that: "[Underhill] is going on well, but will probably take some time to get quite well. In the meantime Brookfield has put on a fourth stripe & is thoroughly enjoying himself as acting captain. He is very unfussy and quite undisturbed at any close work on the bridge which is very pleasant. Old Underhill used to get very nervous & consequently troublesome." Temeraire soon received a proper new Captain when Francis Wade Caulfeild was appointed to her in mid-February.

Brookfield retired on 1 September 1921 and was promoted to the rank of Captain on the Retired List dated 24 June, 1925.

See Also

• H.M.S. Orion at the Battle of Jutland
• Service Records

Bibliography

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Edwin V. Underhill	Captain of H.M.S. Temeraire 30 Dec, 1918 – Feb, 1919	Succeeded by Francis W. Caulfeild