Difference between revisions of "Henry James Hartnoll"

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Commander Henry James Hartnoll, D.S.O., R.N., Retired (5 October, 1890 – 18 November, 1940) served in the Royal Navy in both World Wars.

Life & Career

Born the eldest son of Sir Henry Hartnoll, I.C.S., a judge in the Lower Burma court.^[1]

Though Hartnoll was accepted for the September 1903 intake term at Royal Naval College, Osborne,^[2] his service record indicates that he entered with the January, 1904 term. He gained one and a half months' seniority and made a Midshipman upon passing out on 15 September, 1908.^[3]

He served in the battleship Russell in the Atlantic for fifteen months, during which time Captain Ricardo described him as "slack but improving." He was then appointed by the Commander-in-Chief to the second class protected cruiser Minerva in the Mediterranean. Captain Wake described Hartnoll as "zealous" at the end of his appointment, when was moved, briefly, to the pre-dreadnought Exmouth on 18 August, 1910 before being placed in the battleship King Edward VII of the Home Fleet on 15 September, 1910. He spent nearly a year in this King Edward VII.^[4]

Hartnoll next spent six weeks in the new dreadnought battleship Hercules before being sent to undertake examinations on 18 September, 1911. His examinations did not distinguish him. He obtained third class certificates in Navigation and Gunnery, second class in Seamanship, Torpedoes, and Engineering, and failed the voluntary portion of the examination. Despite this, his evaluations would show that his superiors held him in generally high regard, and being of good physique, conduct, pluck and industry.^[5]

Hartnoll was granted the acting rank of Sub-Lieutenant on 28 November, 1911 and confirmed in the rank two days later. His first small vessel service started on 31 December 1911 with an appointment to the destroyer Savage. He would be in her as she worked as part of the Third Destroyer Flotilla. He obtained his deck watchkeeping certificate on 1 October, 1912 and was sent to the sloop Falmouth in which he commenced engine room training on 12 February, 1913, eventually receiving his E.R. Certificate in mid-June.^[6]

Hartnoll was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 November, 1913 while serving in the armoured cruiser Minotaur on the China Station.^[7]

Great War

At the outset of the Great War, Hartnoll was serving in the armoured cruiser Hampshire, then also on the China Station, in which he had been serving since January, 1914.^[8]

On 10 January, 1915 he was appointed to the destroyer Laforey as first lieutenant. He was there when the destroyer took part in the Battle off Noordhinder Bank on 1 May, 1915, assisting in the sinking of two German coastal destroyers. The Secretary of the Admiralty announced that Hartnoll had, in the wake of this action, dived into the water to save a German.^[9]

Laforey later operated in the Mediterranean with the Fifth Destroyer Flotilla before returning to the North Sea. Eventually, she would pay a belated part in the Battle of Jutland by escorting the torpedoed battleship Marlborough home. Through this, Captain (D), Third Destroyer Flotilla Francis Gerald St. John commended him for "shew[ing] great coolness & pluck in action."^[10]

Hartnoll was admitted to Shotley Hospital for a contusion to his left shoulder on 3 August, 1916 and was found fit three days later. On the 26th, he was appointed to the patrol boat P14 to assist in overseeing her completion, and which juncture he assumed command.^[11]

Hartnoll rescued an able-bodied seaman of the patrol boat P14 who had been knocked overboard by the recoil of a gun on 28 October, 1916 for which he was awarded the Royal Humane Society's Bronze Medal for lifesaving at sea in 1917.^[12]

On 8 February 1917 he salvaged a wrecked aeroplane at night in a rough sea.^[13]

On 20 June 1917, he was appointed in command of the destroyer Zubian, which had been fashioned from the bow of the Tribal Class destroyer Zulu and the stern of her sister Nubian, each of which had been severely damaged in their prior lives.^[14]

Hartnoll was credited with destroying UC 50 on 4 February, 1918 while in command of Zubian. He received a D.S.O. for this.^[15]

Hartnoll's last wartime appointment was in command of the "M" Class destroyer Mentor. from ate May 1918 through 28 December, 1918. He then started an appointment at R.N.C. Osborne that would last until September 1920.^[16]

Post-War

In February 1921 Hartnoll was hospitalized at Haslar for two days, suffering from diarrhea.

On 21 April, 1921, he completed the long course for a P. & R. T. officer, and was qualified.

Hartnoll was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 November, 1921. From 1922 through 1924, he served as Fleet P.& R. T. Officer in Iron Duke. He would then ply his new specialty at Devonport through 1927.^[17]

In 1929 through 1931, he served as executive officer in the light cruisers Cardiff, Carysfort and Ceres.^[18]

Having recently been afflicted with constipation that required time spent in Plymouth Naval Hospital, Hartnoll was placed on the Retired List at his own request at rank of Commander on 17 April, 1932.^[19]

World War II

Hartnoll was appointed to President for during with the Director of Naval Intelligence on 23 July, 1940.

Hartnoll died "suddenly" in November 1940 aged fifty at Winkleigh, North Devon while on leave.^[20][21]

See Also

Footnotes