Difference between revisions of "George Bibby Hartford"
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| − | {{CaptRN}} '''George Bibby Hartford''', D.S.O.*, Royal Navy, Retired (10 April, 1883 – 29 May, 1941) was an officer in the [[Royal Navy]]. | + | {{CaptRN}} '''George Bibby Hartford''', D.S.O.*, Royal Navy, Retired (10 April, 1883 – 29 May, 1941) was an officer in the [[Royal Navy]]. His naval career was notable for a considerable number of command appointments in destroyers. |
==Early Life & Career== | ==Early Life & Career== | ||
| + | Hartford's father was a physician, H. W. Hartford. He Joined H.M.S. Britannia as a Naval Cadet on 15 January, 1898.<ref>Hartford Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/48/80.|D7603984}} f. 83.</ref> | ||
| − | He | + | He joined {{UK-Crescent}}, the flagship of the [[North America and West Indies Station]] on 15 May, 1899. Vice-Admiral Bedford was in command of the station and ''Crescent'' was under Captain [[Stanley Cecil James Colville|Stanley Colville]] and Commander [[Henry Hervey Campbell|Henry Campbell]]. He was promoted to {{MidRN}} on 15 June.<ref>Hartford Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/48/80.|D7603984}} f. 83.</ref> |
| − | + | Hartford was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant on 15 June, 1902 and on the 24th, he was appointed from ''Crescent'' to join the {{UK-Ariadne|f=t}}. Much of 1902 and the first half of 1903 were filled with qualification studies in seamanship (932 marks of 1000 possible), navigation (883 of 1200 marks), pilotage (668 marks of 1000), gunnery (738 marks of 1000) and torpedoes (133 marks of 200).<ref>Hartford Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/48/80.|D7603984}} f. 83.</ref> | |
| − | + | On 24 June, 1903 he joined the {{UK-Ariadne|f=t}} which was then the Flagship of the North America and West Indies Station. Hartford was lent to the {{UK-1Tribune|f=t}} on 23 December, 1903. This became a regular appointment and he did not leave before she paid off on 16 December, 1904. He was promoted to {{LieutRN}} on 31 December. On 3 January, 1905 he was appointed in command of {{UK-TB74}}, which was under a nucleus crew, remaining with her until October 1906 when he left to join the {{UK-Formidable|f=t}} under Captain [[Ernest Alfred Simons|Simons]]. | |
| − | + | He was appointed in command of the {{UK-Vigilant|f=t}} as part of Captain (D) [[Reginald Yorke Tyrwhitt, First Baronet|Tyrwhitt]]'s [[Fourth Destroyer Flotilla (Royal Navy)|Portsmouth Flotilla]] on 14 August, 1908. Some time that year, he grounded her and was advised by the Admiralty that perhaps he had crowded himself by turning on the wrong side of a ferry. In November of 1909, he was appointed to command the {{UK-Racehorse|f=t}} in Captain (D) [[Alexander-Sinclair]]'s {{UK-DF|2}}. | |
| − | + | He would remain in command of ''Racehorse'' only briefly, as he was appointed to command the {{UK-Whiting|f=t}} on the [[China Station]] on 24 January, 1910. This command would last until 4 October, 1912. | |
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| − | + | Hartford was promoted to the rank of {{LCommRN}} on 31 December, 1912.<ref>Hartford Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/48/80.|D7603984}} f. 83.</ref> | |
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| − | + | Hartford was appointed in command of the {{UK-Waveney|f=t}}, serving in [[Edward George Lowther-Crofton]]'s {{UK-DF|9}}, on 14 March, 1913.{{NLJul13|p. 396}} In November, he was moved over to take command of the {UK-Boyne}} in the same flotilla, but he was appointed in command of the {{UK-Electra|f=t}} on 11 December, 1913,{{NLApr14|p. 308}} part of Commander (D) [[Ambrose Maynard Peck|Ambrose Peck]]'s [[Nore Local Defence Flotilla]]. He would be in this posting when the war broke out. | |
| + | ==Great War== | ||
| + | Hartford was appointed in command of {{UK-Acorn}} on 6 November, 1914,{{NLJan15|p. 267}} then operating with the {{UK-DF|2}}. He was still in command of {{UK-Acorn}} at the [[Battle of Jutland]], where she operated with the {{UK-DF|11}}.{{UKJutlandOD|pp. 34, 44}} | ||
| − | = | + | He was appointed in command of the {{UK-Marne|f=t}} of {{UK-DF|11}}, operating along with the Grand Fleet around August of 1915, and commanded her at the [[Battle of Jutland]]. |
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| − | + | He was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} on 30 June, 1917 and re-appointed to H.M.S. ''Marne'' in command<ref>Hartford Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/48/80.|D7603984}} f. 83.</ref> and as Divisional Leader of Escorts in connection with newly-organised Convoy System. | |
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| − | == | + | ==Post-war== |
| + | On 20 March, 1920, he was appointed in command of the gunboat H.M.S. ''Kinsha'', the flagship of Commodore Ellison's [[Yangtze Flotilla]]. Later that year he was re-appointed in command and as Chief Staff Officer to Rear-Admiral [[George Holmes Borrett|Borrett]]. | ||
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| + | On 30 April, 1921 he paid off ''Kinsha'' and was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 1 July, 1922. He was advanced to Captain on the retired list in 1928. | ||
| + | |||
| + | At the outbreak of the second war he was recalled to active duty, where he received a bar to his D.S.O. and was Mentioned in Despatches. He died on active service on 29th May, 1941, but his death wasn't announced until August. A keen archer, he was a member of the Royal Toxophilite Society. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==See Also== | ||
{{refbegin}} | {{refbegin}} | ||
| − | * | + | *[[George Bibby Hartford Account of Life in H.M.S. Britannia (Cadet Training Ship)]] |
| + | *"Fallen Officers" (Deaths). ''The Times''. Thursday, 21 August, 1941. Issue '''49010''', col E, pg. 7. | ||
| + | *His book, [http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/Commander_RN/FP.html ''Commander, R.N.''], written in 1927. | ||
{{refend}} | {{refend}} | ||
Revision as of 16:48, 2 September 2015
Captain George Bibby Hartford, D.S.O.*, Royal Navy, Retired (10 April, 1883 – 29 May, 1941) was an officer in the Royal Navy. His naval career was notable for a considerable number of command appointments in destroyers.
Early Life & Career
Hartford's father was a physician, H. W. Hartford. He Joined H.M.S. Britannia as a Naval Cadet on 15 January, 1898.[1]
He joined Crescent, the flagship of the North America and West Indies Station on 15 May, 1899. Vice-Admiral Bedford was in command of the station and Crescent was under Captain Stanley Colville and Commander Henry Campbell. He was promoted to Midshipman on 15 June.[2]
Hartford was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant on 15 June, 1902 and on the 24th, he was appointed from Crescent to join the first class protected cruiser Ariadne. Much of 1902 and the first half of 1903 were filled with qualification studies in seamanship (932 marks of 1000 possible), navigation (883 of 1200 marks), pilotage (668 marks of 1000), gunnery (738 marks of 1000) and torpedoes (133 marks of 200).[3]
On 24 June, 1903 he joined the first class protected cruiser Ariadne which was then the Flagship of the North America and West Indies Station. Hartford was lent to the second class protected cruiser Tribune on 23 December, 1903. This became a regular appointment and he did not leave before she paid off on 16 December, 1904. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 31 December. On 3 January, 1905 he was appointed in command of T.B. 74, which was under a nucleus crew, remaining with her until October 1906 when he left to join the battleship Formidable under Captain Simons.
He was appointed in command of the destroyer Vigilant as part of Captain (D) Tyrwhitt's Portsmouth Flotilla on 14 August, 1908. Some time that year, he grounded her and was advised by the Admiralty that perhaps he had crowded himself by turning on the wrong side of a ferry. In November of 1909, he was appointed to command the destroyer Racehorse in Captain (D) Alexander-Sinclair's Second Destroyer Flotilla.
He would remain in command of Racehorse only briefly, as he was appointed to command the destroyer Whiting on the China Station on 24 January, 1910. This command would last until 4 October, 1912.
Hartford was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 31 December, 1912.[4]
Hartford was appointed in command of the destroyer Waveney, serving in Edward George Lowther-Crofton's Ninth Destroyer Flotilla, on 14 March, 1913.[5] In November, he was moved over to take command of the {UK-Boyne}} in the same flotilla, but he was appointed in command of the destroyer Electra on 11 December, 1913,[6] part of Commander (D) Ambrose Peck's Nore Local Defence Flotilla. He would be in this posting when the war broke out.
Great War
Hartford was appointed in command of Acorn on 6 November, 1914,[7] then operating with the Second Destroyer Flotilla. He was still in command of Acorn at the Battle of Jutland, where she operated with the Eleventh Destroyer Flotilla.[8]
He was appointed in command of the destroyer Marne of Eleventh Destroyer Flotilla, operating along with the Grand Fleet around August of 1915, and commanded her at the Battle of Jutland.
He was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1917 and re-appointed to H.M.S. Marne in command[9] and as Divisional Leader of Escorts in connection with newly-organised Convoy System.
Post-war
On 20 March, 1920, he was appointed in command of the gunboat H.M.S. Kinsha, the flagship of Commodore Ellison's Yangtze Flotilla. Later that year he was re-appointed in command and as Chief Staff Officer to Rear-Admiral Borrett.
On 30 April, 1921 he paid off Kinsha and was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 1 July, 1922. He was advanced to Captain on the retired list in 1928.
At the outbreak of the second war he was recalled to active duty, where he received a bar to his D.S.O. and was Mentioned in Despatches. He died on active service on 29th May, 1941, but his death wasn't announced until August. A keen archer, he was a member of the Royal Toxophilite Society.
See Also
- George Bibby Hartford Account of Life in H.M.S. Britannia (Cadet Training Ship)
- "Fallen Officers" (Deaths). The Times. Thursday, 21 August, 1941. Issue 49010, col E, pg. 7.
- His book, Commander, R.N., written in 1927.
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Sidney R. Drury-Lowe |
Captain of H.M. T.B. 74 3 Jan, 1905[10] |
Succeeded by Arthur M. Longmore |
| Preceded by Owen T. H. Phillips |
Captain of H.M.S. Waveney 14 Mar, 1913[11] |
Succeeded by Ralph W. H. Roberts |
| Preceded by Frank G. Terry |
Captain of H.M.S. Electra 11 Dec, 1913[12] |
Succeeded by Ralph Tindal |
| Preceded by Norman A. K. Money |
Captain of H.M.S. Acorn 6 Nov, 1914[13] |
Succeeded by Alfred G. Peace |
| Preceded by New Command |
Captain of H.M.S. Marne Aug, 1915[14] |
Succeeded by ? |
Footnotes
- ↑ Hartford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/80. f. 83.
- ↑ Hartford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/80. f. 83.
- ↑ Hartford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/80. f. 83.
- ↑ Hartford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/80. f. 83.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 396.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 308.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 267.
- ↑ Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. pp. 34, 44.
- ↑ Hartford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/80. f. 83.
- ↑ The Monthly Navy List. (December, 1905). p. 399.
- ↑ The Navy List. (November, 1913). p. 397.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 308.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 267.
- ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 843.
