Difference between revisions of "James Fownes Somerville"

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{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Cecil Burnaby Prickett|Cecil B. Prickett]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Norfolk (1928)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Norfolk'']]'''<br>28 Dec, 1931<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/47.|}} f. 292.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Henry Evelyn Charles Blagrove|H. Evelyn C. Blagrove]]'''}}
 
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Cecil Burnaby Prickett|Cecil B. Prickett]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Norfolk (1928)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Norfolk'']]'''<br>28 Dec, 1931<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/47.|}} f. 292.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Henry Evelyn Charles Blagrove|H. Evelyn C. Blagrove]]'''}}
 
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Hubert Edward Dannreuther|Hubert E. Dannreuther]]'''|'''[[Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth|Commodore-in-Command, Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth]]'''<br>14 Oct, 1932{{NLJan33|p. 284}}<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/47/87.|D7603794}} f. 292.</ref> &ndash; 4 May, 1934<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/47/87.|D7603794}} f. 292.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Geoffrey Layton|Geoffrey Layton]]'''}}
 
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Hubert Edward Dannreuther|Hubert E. Dannreuther]]'''|'''[[Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth|Commodore-in-Command, Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth]]'''<br>14 Oct, 1932{{NLJan33|p. 284}}<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/47/87.|D7603794}} f. 292.</ref> &ndash; 4 May, 1934<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/47/87.|D7603794}} f. 292.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Geoffrey Layton|Geoffrey Layton]]'''}}
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{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Frank Forester Rose|Frank F. Rose]]'''<br><small>as '''Rear Admiral (D) Commanding Destroyer Flotillas, Mediterranean'''</small>|'''[[Mediterranean Station|Vice-Admiral (D) Commanding Destroyer Flotillas, Mediterranean]]'''<br>Apr, 1938<ref>Successor assumed command that month.  Tovey Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/49.|}} f. 131.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[John Cronyn Tovey|John C. Tovey]]'''<br><small>as '''Rear Admiral (D) Commanding Destroyer Flotillas, Mediterranean'''</small>}}
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{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Andrew Browne Cunningham, First Viscount Cunningham|Andrew B. Cunningham]]'''<br><small>as '''Rear Admiral (D) Commanding Destroyer Flotillas, Mediterranean'''</small>|'''[[Mediterranean Station|Vice-Admiral (D) Commanding Destroyer Flotillas, Mediterranean]]'''<br>21 Mar, 1936{{NLJul37|p. 242}} &ndash; Apr, 1938<ref>Successor assumed command that month.  Tovey Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/49.|}} f. 131.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[John Cronyn Tovey|John C. Tovey]]'''<br><small>as '''Rear Admiral (D) Commanding Destroyer Flotillas, Mediterranean'''</small>}}
 
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[John Gregory Crace|John G. Crace]]'''<br><small>as '''Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station'''</small>|'''[[East Indies Station|Commander-in-Chief, East Indies]]'''<br>Jul, 1938 &ndash; Apr, 1939|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Ralph Leatham|Sir Ralph Leatham]]'''}}
 
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[John Gregory Crace|John G. Crace]]'''<br><small>as '''Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station'''</small>|'''[[East Indies Station|Commander-in-Chief, East Indies]]'''<br>Jul, 1938 &ndash; Apr, 1939|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Ralph Leatham|Sir Ralph Leatham]]'''}}
 
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[William Jock Whitworth|William J. Whitworth]]'''|'''[[Battle Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)|Rear-Admiral Commanding Battle Cruiser Squadron]]'''<br>28 Jun, 1940<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/47.|}} f. 292.</ref> &ndash; 10 Aug, 1940{{CN}}|Succeeded by<br>'''[[William Jock Whitworth|William J. Whitworth]]'''}}
 
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[William Jock Whitworth|William J. Whitworth]]'''|'''[[Battle Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)|Rear-Admiral Commanding Battle Cruiser Squadron]]'''<br>28 Jun, 1940<ref>Somerville Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/47.|}} f. 292.</ref> &ndash; 10 Aug, 1940{{CN}}|Succeeded by<br>'''[[William Jock Whitworth|William J. Whitworth]]'''}}

Revision as of 14:15, 17 June 2018

Admiral of the Fleet SIR James Fownes Somerville, G.C.B., G.B.E., D.S.O., Royal Navy (17 July, 1882 – 19 March, 1949) was an officer of the Royal Navy who played an extensive role in helping the service adopt and exploit wireless signalling.

Early Life & Career

Somerville was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 March, 1904.[1]

Somerville was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 March, 1912.[2]

Somerville was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1915.[3]

Somerville was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1921.[4]

Somerville was appointed in command of Benbow on 20 August, 1922, but Kenelm Everard Lane Creighton was superseded him as a temporary captain in November, 1923.

He was appointed in command of the heavy cruiser Norfolk on 28 December, 1931. He would be superseded in her when she was recommissioned.[5]

Somerville was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 12 October, 1933.[6]

Somerville was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 11 September, 1937.[7]

Somerville was retired as medically unfit on 31 July, 1939.[8]

World War II

Somerville was promoted to the rank of Admiral on the Retired List on 6 April, 1942.[9] [TO BE CONTINUED - TONE]

Bibliography

  • "Admiral of the Fleet Sir J. Somerville" (Obituaries). The Times. Monday, 21 March, 1949. Issue 51335, col E, pg. 7.
  • Macintyre, Captain Donald (1961). Fighting Admiral: The Life of Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Somerville, G.C.B., G.B.E., D.S.O.. London: Evans Brothers Limited.

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Dudley R. S. de Chair 		Captain of H.M. T.B. 95
early 1904[10] – 16 May, 1904[11] 		Succeeded by
Albert G. Baggs
Preceded by
Arthur E. F. Bedford 		Captain of H.M.S. Benbow
20 Aug, 1922[12] – 31 Oct, 1924[13] 		Succeeded by
Kenelm E. L. Creighton
Preceded by
Joseph C. W. Henley 		Captain of H.M.S. Barham
6 May, 1927[14][15] – Dec, 1927[16] 		Succeeded by
Hubert S. Monroe
Preceded by
Hubert S. Monroe 		Captain of H.M.S. Warspite
Dec, 1927[17] – 1 Sep, 1928[18] 		Succeeded by
John W. Carrington
Preceded by
George R. B. Blount 		Captain of H.M.S. Barham
1 Sep, 1928[19] – Apr, 1929[20] 		Succeeded by
John C. Hamilton
Preceded by
Formation Established 		Flag Officer Commanding, Force H
1929 – 10 Jan, 1942 		Succeeded by
Edward N. Syfret
Preceded by
Cecil B. Prickett 		Captain of H.M.S. Norfolk
28 Dec, 1931[21] 		Succeeded by
H. Evelyn C. Blagrove
Preceded by
Hubert E. Dannreuther 		Commodore-in-Command, Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth
14 Oct, 1932[22][23] – 4 May, 1934[24] 		Succeeded by
Geoffrey Layton
Preceded by
Andrew B. Cunningham
as Rear Admiral (D) Commanding Destroyer Flotillas, Mediterranean 		Vice-Admiral (D) Commanding Destroyer Flotillas, Mediterranean
21 Mar, 1936[25] – Apr, 1938[26] 		Succeeded by
John C. Tovey
as Rear Admiral (D) Commanding Destroyer Flotillas, Mediterranean
Preceded by
John G. Crace
as Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station 		Commander-in-Chief, East Indies
Jul, 1938 – Apr, 1939 		Succeeded by
Sir Ralph Leatham
Preceded by
William J. Whitworth 		Rear-Admiral Commanding Battle Cruiser Squadron
28 Jun, 1940[27] – 10 Aug, 1940[Citation needed] 		Succeeded by
William J. Whitworth
Preceded by
Sir Tom S. V. Phillips
as Commander-in-Chief, China Station 		Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Fleet
Feb, 1942 – Aug, 1944 		Succeeded by
Sir Bruce A. Fraser
as Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet
 

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/87. f. 292.
  2. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/87. f. 292.
  3. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/87. f. 292.
  4. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/87. f. 292.
  5. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/87. f. 292.
  6. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/87. f. 292.
  7. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/87. f. 292.
  8. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/87. f. 292.
  9. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/87. f. 292.
  10. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47. f. 292.
  11. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47. f. 292.
  12. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47. f. 292.
  13. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47. f. 292.
  14. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1927). p. 216.
  15. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47. f. 292.
  16. ↑ Inferred from successor. Monroe Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 403.
  17. ↑ Date inferred from his successor in Barham and Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47. f. 292.
  18. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47. f. 292.
  19. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47. f. 292.
  20. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47. f. 292.
  21. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47. f. 292.
  22. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1933). p. 284.
  23. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/87. f. 292.
  24. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/87. f. 292.
  25. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1937). p. 242.
  26. ↑ Successor assumed command that month. Tovey Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 131.
  27. ↑ Somerville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47. f. 292.

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