Harry Hesketh Smyth

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Rear-Admiral Harry Hesketh Smyth, C.M.G., D.S.O., R.N., Retired (23 April, 1872 – 9 July, 1926) was an officer in the Royal Navy. His wartime work would be largely in command of minelaying vessels.

Life & Career

Smyth was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 October, 1894.[1]

Smyth was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1906.[2]

Smyth was appointed in command of the destroyer Intrepid on 17 January, 1913.[3]

Great War

Smyth was promoted to the rank of Acting Captain on 22 October, 1914.[4]

Smyth was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1914.[5]

Following the loss of his command, the first class protected cruiser Ariadne on 26 July, 1917, Smyth was appointed to Vernon, additional, for a special mining course on 7 September. When the course ended on 27 September, he was appointed in command of the first class protected cruiser Amphitrite, which had recently been converted to a minelayer. Smyth was awarded a C.M.G. for services in Minelaying Operations in the period 1 January, 1916 to 1 August, 1917, , gazetted 1 October, 1917.[6]

On 3 January, 1918, Smyth was moved over to command the Princess Margaret, which was also functioning as a minelayer.[7]

Post-War

Smyth was superseded in Princess Margaret at his own request on 9 November, 1919. There is no record of his immediate successive employment, but it appears that it was in fighting the Bolsheviks, as he was awarded a D.S.O. for this. In October, 1920 he was appointed to do Coast Guard work in the Nore Area.[8]

Smyth was mentioned in despatches, gazetted on 9 April, 1920 and placed on Retired List at own request on 5 July, 1922.[9]

Smyth was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 8 May, 1925. He died just over a year later, in Sway, Hants.[10]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Llewellyn Griffiths
Captain of H.M.S. Hardy
19 Apr, 1900[11] – 1900
Succeeded by
Norman H. Carter
Preceded by
Edward M. Hale
Captain of H.M.S. Boomerang
12 Jul, 1904[12]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
George C. Quayle
Captain of H.M.S. Hussar
18 Nov, 1905[13]
Succeeded by
David M. Hamilton
Preceded by
Richard B. Farquhar
Captain of H.M.S. Intrepid
17 Jan, 1913[14]
Succeeded by
Rupert S. Gwatkin-Williams
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Orvieto
8 Mar, 1915[15]
Succeeded by
George P. England
Preceded by
?
Captain of H.M.S. Wahine
26 May, 1916[16]
Succeeded by
Denis G. Thynne
Preceded by
William H. FitzClarence
Captain of H.M.S. Amphitrite
27 Sep, 1917[17]
Succeeded by
Cyril Peel
Preceded by
Lockhart Leith
Captain of H.M.S. Princess Margaret
3 Jan, 1918[18]
Succeeded by
Cecil E. Tooth

Footnotes

  1. Smyth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/287. ff. 227, 287.
  2. Smyth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/287. ff. 227, 287.
  3. The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 331.
  4. Smyth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/287. ff. 227, 287.
  5. Smyth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/287. ff. 227, 287.
  6. Smyth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/287. ff. 227, 287.
  7. Smyth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/287. ff. 227, 287.
  8. Smyth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/287. ff. 227, 287.
  9. Smyth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/287. ff. 227, 287.
  10. Smyth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/287. ff. 227, 287.
  11. "Naval & Military Intelligence". The Times. Monday, 2 April, 1900. Issue 36105, col E, p. 7.
  12. The Navy List. (October, 1904). p. 286.
  13. The Navy List. (January, 1907). p. 328.
  14. The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 331.
  15. The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 401r.
  16. The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 402.
  17. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 391h.
  18. The Navy List. (January, 1919). p. 1002-3.

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