Kenneth Mathieson Fardell

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Commander Kenneth Mathieson Fardell (12 December, 1892 – ) served in the Royal Navy. He was a submariner late in the Great War and in the years following.

Life & Career

Fardell was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 November, 1913 and was awarded the Goodenough Medal for 1913-14, being the Sub-Lieutenant who achieved the highest gunnery examination for the year and who also achieved a first-class certificate in seamanship. Fardell was commended for his handling of enciphered messages at Tsingtao in 1914.

He had some hard times in command of E 48 in late 1919, apparently damaging her propellers. The fallout for this seemed considerable in his Service Record, where Fardell was not only repeatedly cautioned to be more careful in future, but Rear-Admiral (S) requested first "if this officer may be given a General Service Appointment , as he is not considered sufficiently reliable or safe to command a Submarine" and later amplified this concern by asking whether "this officer should be employed again at all in the Submarine Service." A Court Martial followed with four charges. The first three involved hazarding the submarine. One of these was proven, as was the fourth charge of Neglect of Duty. The result was an official reprimand. While the dates of these proceedings is not precisely known, it seems likely that Fardell's final submarine service was in H 51 in consequence.[1]

Fardell was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 28 February, 1923.

He was appointed to Cornflower on 22 August, 1924 but his undoing was still unfolding. In 1925, it was approved that he should be relieved in that vessel after he assaulted a dockyard employee, though no further action was taken.[2]

Fardell married Avis Irene Crosse on 30 December, 1931.

He was promoted to the rank of Commander on 12 December, 1937 and retired due to age on that same day.

He was mobilised on 28 September, 1938 and performed work at Devonport Barracks during the Second World War.

See Also

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Jermyn Rushbrooke
Captain of H.M.S. E 21
30 Apr, 1919[3] – Jul, 1919[4]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Douglas C. Sealy
Captain of H.M.S. E 48
Jul, 1919[5] – 11 Dec, 1919[6]
Succeeded by
Thomas I. S. Bell
Preceded by
?
Captain of H.M.S. H 51
3 Jan, 1920[7] – 26 Apr, 1920[8]
Succeeded by
Jocelyn S. Bethell
Preceded by
Ian MacK. Adie
Captain of H.M.S. Kendal
10 Jul, 1924[9][10] – 21 Aug, 1924[11]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Charles H. Knox-Little
Captain of H.M.S. Danae
29 Nov, 1935[12] – 17 Feb, 1936[13][14]
Succeeded by
Cecil R. McCrum

Footnotes

  1. Fardell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/55. f. 88.
  2. Fardell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/55. f. 88.
  3. Fardell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/55. f. 88.
  4. Fardell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/55. f. 88.
  5. Fardell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/55. f. 88.
  6. Fardell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/55. f. 88.
  7. Fardell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/55. f. 88.
  8. Fardell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/55. f. 88.
  9. "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Friday, Jun 20, 1924; pg. 5; Issue 43683.
  10. Fardell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/55. f. 88.
  11. Fardell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/55. f. 88.
  12. Fardell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/55. f. 88.
  13. McCrum Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/54/116. f. 116.
  14. Fardell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/55. f. 88.