Difference between revisions of "Ernest Frederick Augustus Gaunt"

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==Captain==
 
==Captain==
 
Gaunt was promoted to the rank of {{CaptRN}} on 31 December, 1903.<ref>''London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/27632/pages/25 no. 27632.  p. 25.]  1 January, 1904.</ref>
 
Gaunt was promoted to the rank of {{CaptRN}} on 31 December, 1903.<ref>''London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/27632/pages/25 no. 27632.  p. 25.]  1 January, 1904.</ref>
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He was appointed to command the battleship [[H.M.S. Majestic (1895)|''Majestic'']] on 9 January, 1908.<ref>''The Navy List'' (October, 1908).  p. 343.</ref>
  
 
He was appointed a [[Naval Aide-de-Camp]] to King George V on 16 May, 1913, vice [[Mark Edward Frederic Kerr|Kerr]].<ref>''London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28725/pages/3913 no. 28725.  p. 3913.]  3 June, 1913.</ref>
 
He was appointed a [[Naval Aide-de-Camp]] to King George V on 16 May, 1913, vice [[Mark Edward Frederic Kerr|Kerr]].<ref>''London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28725/pages/3913 no. 28725.  p. 3913.]  3 June, 1913.</ref>

Revision as of 20:16, 24 May 2012

Sir Ernest F. A. Gaunt, as a Rear-Admiral.

Admiral SIR Ernest Frederick Augustus Gaunt, K.C.B., K.B.E., C.M.G., Royal Navy (25 March, 1865 – 20 April, 1940) was an officer of the Royal Navy during the First World War.

Early Life & Career

His brother, Guy Gaunt, also rose to Flag Rank. His sister was the noted author Mary Gaunt. His son, John Gaunt (1905–1970) was a leading South Rhodesian politician during the 1960s.

Lieutenant

Commander

Gaunt was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1898.[1]

For his services in China, he was appointed a Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (C.M.G.) on 26 June, 1902.[2]

Captain

Gaunt was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1903.[3]

He was appointed to command the battleship Majestic on 9 January, 1908.[4]

He was appointed a Naval Aide-de-Camp to King George V on 16 May, 1913, vice Kerr.[5]

Flag Rank

He was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral dated 24 October, 1914.[6] He was reappointed to Chatham barracks as Rear-Admiral on 21 December.[7]

First Battle Squadron

Gaunt was appointed Rear-Admiral in the First Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet on 25 August, 1915.[8]

"One day an enormous parcel arrived from Australia. The good ladies of Melbourne had stitched the most enormous Rear-Admiral's flag [to] be flown in action. Father thanked [them] profusely but the last thing he intended to do, as Nelson almost did, [was] to advertise his ship's presence so the beautiful silk flag was never used."[9]

According to Mrs de Molyns: "Father worshipped Jellicoe; the greatest sailor ever; far superior to Nelson, Drake and all the others."[9]

Of Beatty he supposedly said: "Friend of Churchill. Rich wife. Helped Churchill with his polo ponies. [Should] never have been allowed to cross the threshold of a quarterdeck. [Self]-Advertiser. No place inside the Senior Service."[9]

In the Battle of Jutland on 31 May, 1916, he commanded the Fifth Division of the Grand Fleet from Colossus.

Fourth Battle Squadron

Following Jutland, on 12 June, Gaunt was appointed Rear-Admiral in the Fourth Battle Squadron.[10] On 15 September he 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.) dated 31 May.[11]

East Indies Station

On 23 June, 1917, Gaunt was appointed Commander-in-Chief on the East Indies Station.[12]

He was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 21 February, 1919, vice Wemyss.[13] On the occasion of the King's birthday he was appointed an Additional Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, in the Military Division of the Order of the Bath (K.C.B.) on 3 June.[14] On 1 August he was superseded on the East Indies Station and gave up command on 15 November.[15]

Western Approaches

Gaunt was appointed a Knight Commander in the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (K.B.E.) on 1 January, 1923.[16]

On 30 July, 1924, Gaunt was promoted to the rank of Admiral, vice Evan-Thomas.[17]

Retirement

Gaunt was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 17 March, 1925.[18]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ London Gazette: no. 26983. p. 3984. 1 July, 1898.
  2. ↑ London Gazette: no. 27456. p. 4669. 2 January, 1903.
  3. ↑ London Gazette: no. 27632. p. 25. 1 January, 1904.
  4. ↑ The Navy List (October, 1908). p. 343.
  5. ↑ London Gazette: no. 28725. p. 3913. 3 June, 1913.
  6. ↑ London Gazette: no. 28984. p. 9690. 24 November, 1914.
  7. ↑ ADM 196/42. f. 276.
  8. ↑ ADM 196/42. f. 276.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Sheila de Moleyns. Tape recording in possession of the Liddle Collection, University of Leeds.
  10. ↑ ADM 196/42. f. 276.
  11. ↑ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29751. p. 9070. 15 September, 1916.
  12. ↑ ADM 196/42. f. 276.
  13. ↑ London Gazette: no. 31223. p. 3295. 11 March, 1919.
  14. ↑ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 31379. p. 7045. 3 June, 1919.
  15. ↑ ADM 196/42. f. 276.
  16. ↑ London Gazette: no. 32782. p. 6. (Supplement) 1 January, 1923.
  17. ↑ London Gazette: no. 32953. p. 5162. 4 July, 1924.
  18. ↑ London Gazette: no. 33031. p. 1954. 20 March, 1925.

Bibliography

  • "Admiral Sir Ernest Gaunt" (Obituaries). The Times. Monday, 22 April, 1940. Issue 48596, col E, pg. 3.

Service Records


Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Hugh Evan-Thomas 		Rear-Admiral in the First Battle Squadron
1915 - 1916 		Succeeded by
Alexander L. Duff
Preceded by
Alexander L. Duff 		Rear-Admiral in the Fourth Battle Squadron
1916 - 1917 		Succeeded by
Roger J. B. Keyes
Preceded by
Sir Rosslyn E. Wemyss 		Commander-in-Chief on the East Indies Station
1917 - 1919 		Succeeded by
Sir Hugh H. D. Tothill
Preceded by
Sir Reginald G. O. Tupper 		Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches
1921 - 1922 		Succeeded by
Command Disbanded
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