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| − | [[File:Reginald Bacon Dodd Portrait.JPG|thumb|right|300px|Admiral Sir Reginald Bacon, portrayed as a Vice-Admiral.<br><small>Portrait: Francis Dodd, 1917.</small>]]
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| − | {{AdmRN}} {{SIR}} '''Reginald Hugh Spencer Bacon''', K.C.B., K.C.V.O., D.S.O., Royal Navy, Retired (6 September, 1863 – 9 June, 1947) commanded the [[Dover Patrol]] from 1915-17 and embarked on a post-retirement career as a naval historian.
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| − | ==Early Life==
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| − | Bacon was born in Wiggenholt, Sussex.
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| − | Having entered the navy in 1878, Bacon chose to specialise in a variety of areas dealing with innovations: from ship design to electricity to submarines (he conducted the first Royal Navy trials) to mining.
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| − | Bacon was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} with seniority of 20 August, 1883. He was appointed in command of the {{UK-1TB33|f=t}} on 7 July 1887, for manoeuvres.<ref>"Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Saturday, 2 July, 1887. Issue '''32114''', col C, p. 12.</ref>
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| − | On 11 July, 1893, Bacon was appointed to {{UK-TB81}} for the annual manoeuvres.<ref>"The Naval Manœuvres". ''The Times''. Monday, 10 July, 1893. Issue '''33999''', col D, p. 10.</ref>
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| − | He was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} on 30 June, 1895.<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/26647/pages/4233 no. 26647. p. 4233.] 26 July, 1895.</ref> He was thirty-one years, nine months and twenty-four days old at promotion. He later claimed that he was the youngest of the lieutenants promoted in that batch.<ref>Bacon. ''From 1900 Onwards''. p. 22.</ref> However, he was the second-youngest, after [[Arthur William Waymouth|Arthur W. Waymouth]].
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| − | For his services in Benin he was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.) on 25 May, 1897.<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/26856/pages/2928 no. 26856. p. 2928.] 25 May, 1897.</ref>
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| − | ==Captain==
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| − | Bacon was promoted to the rank of {{CaptRN}} on 30 June, 1900.<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/27211/pages/4433 no. 27211. p. 4433.] 17 July, 1900.</ref>
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| − | On 23 March, 1901, Bacon was appointed to ''President'' for "Special Service" at the Admiralty,<ref>ADM 196/42. f. 166.</ref> for, in his own words, "service with the submarine boats, on which work had already been commenced."<ref>Bacon. ''From 1900 Onwards''. p. 50.</ref> He served on the staff of the Controller, with an office at the Admiralty.<ref>Ibid. f. 54.</ref>
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| − | On 21 October, 1904, he was appointed to ''Hercules'' as Naval Assistant to [[John Arbuthnot Fisher, First Baron Fisher|Sir John Fisher]], the new [[First Sea Lord]].<ref>{{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 262.</ref>
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| − | He was appointed in command of the {{UK-Irresistible|f=y}} on 20 December, 1905
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| − | On 2 July, 1906, he was appointed in command of the {{UK-Dreadnought|f=y}}.<ref>ADM 196/42. f. 262.</ref>
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| − | From 27 March, 1907, he was also appointed Chief of the Staff to the Commander-in-Chief, [[Home Fleet (Royal Navy)|Home Fleet]], [[Francis Charles Bridgeman Bridgeman|Francis C. B. Bridgeman]]. He was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (C.V.O.) on 3 August.<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28048/pages/5390 no. 28048. p. 5390.] 6 August, 1907.</ref>
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| − | ===Director of Naval Ordnance===
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| − | In May, 1907, it was announced that Bacon would succeed Jellicoe as [[Director of Naval Ordnance and Torpedoes (Royal Navy)|Director of Naval Ordnance and Torpedoes]] (D.N.O.).<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Thursday, 30 May, 1907. Issue '''38346''', col F, p. 5.</ref> He was appointed to the Admiralty for temporary service on 12 August, 1907, and became D.N.O. on 25 August.<ref>{{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 262.</ref>
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| − | The Commander-in-Chief on the China Station, Vice-Admiral [[Hedworth Meux|Sir Hedworth Lambton]], wrote to the First Lord, [[Reginald McKenna|McKenna]], on 11 May, 1909:
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| − | <blockquote>Bacon is in a great many ways the ablest man in the Service & I can say no more than that, should I ever command a fleet in war, I think I would rather have him for my second in command or "Captain of the Fleet" than any other man I know.<ref>Lambton to McKenna. "Miscellaneous Papers dealing with the antagonism of Admiral Lord Charles Beresford to the Policy and Administrative Arrangements of the Board of Admiralty 1906-1909." {{TNA|ADM 116/3108.}} Unnumbered folio.</ref></blockquote>
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| − | ==Rear-Admiral & Retirement==
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| − | On 12 July, 1909, he was promoted to the rank of {{RearRN}}, vice [[Charles Holcombe Dare|Dare]].<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28271/pages/5463 no. 28271. p. 5463.] 16 July, 1909.</ref> In accordance with the provisions of the [[Order in Council of 8 December, 1903]], he was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 25 November.<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28313/pages/9123 no. 28313. p. 9123.] 30 November, 1909.</ref>
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| − | By the year of his resignation from the navy - 1909 - he had reached the rank of Rear-Admiral, and settled into an entirely appropriate civilian career as Managing Director of the [[Coventry Ordnance Works]], having served his last two years as [[Director of Naval Ordnance (Royal Navy)|Director of Naval Ordnance]].
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| − | ==Great War==
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| − | The outbreak of [[First World War|war]] in August, 1914 brought Bacon's recall to active service and following a brief stint on the Western Front (using his own company's weaponry - a howitzer of his own design) as a [[Colonel, Second Commandant (Royal Marines)|Colonel, Second Commandant]] in the [[Royal Marine Artillery]] was handed command of the Dover Patrol the following April. He relinquished his temporary commission as Colonel, Second Commandant on 13 April, 1915<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29136/pages/3828 no. 29136. p. 3828.] 20 April, 1915.</ref> when he was appointed in command of the [[Dover Patrol (Royal Navy)|Dover Patrol]], hoisting his flag in the {{UK-Arrogant|f=t}}.{{SMNLNov15|p. 4}}
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| − | On 15 July, 1915, he was advanced to the rank of {{ViceRN}} on the Retired List.<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29236/pages/7073 no. 29236. p. 7073.] 20 July, 1915.</ref>
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| − | Bacon's task was apparently simple: to prevent German U-boat access to the English Channel, and to facilitate the despatch of supplies, both men and materials, across to the Western Front in France.
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| − | On 1 January, 1916, he was appointed an Additional Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (K.C.B.).{{GazSup|29423|80|31 December, 1915}} On 15 August he was appointed a Knight Commander in the Royal Victorian Order (K.C.V.O.) after the King visited the Army in France.<ref>''The London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29711/pages/8149 no. 29711. p. 8149.] 18 August, 1916.</ref>
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| − | The Chief of the Admiralty War Staff of the time, later [[Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff]], [[Henry Francis Oliver|Sir Henry F. Oliver]], later recalled, "Bacon was most energetic and tireless, he slept in his Office and when anything happened at night in his command and I telephoned[,] the Secretary would tell me he had gone afloat. He had the most exacting and arduous command of and Flag Officer in the War[,] and was very badly treated at the end of it. Keyes intrigued against him and when Lord Westerwemyss [sic] became 1st Sea Lord[,] pushed him out and supplanted him."<ref>Oliver Memoirs. '''II'''. pp. 170-171.</ref>
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| − | On 1 January, 1918, Bacon was superseded as Vice-Admiral, Dover Patrol, and on 12 January he was appointed for duty with the Ministry of Munitions, where he served as Controller of the Department for Munitions Inventions. He was promoted to the rank of {{AdmRN}} on the Retired List on 1 September, and ceased duty on 31 March, 1919.<ref>ADM 196/42. f. 262.</ref>
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| − | ==Retirement==
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| − | Bacon wrote an account of his service in command of the Dover Patrol, and later wrote a book about the Jutland Scandal. He wrote biographies of both Fisher and Jellicoe, as well as two volumes of memoirs.
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| − | He died at his Romsey home on 9 June, 1947.<ref>"Adm. Sir Reginald Bacon" (Obituaries). ''The Times''. Tuesday, 10 June, 1947. Issue '''50783''', col E, p. 6.</ref> His funeral took place on 12 June at Braishfield Church, Romsey. Amongst the mourners were Admiral [[Frederic Charles Dreyer|Sir Frederic]] and Lady Dreyer, and two of Jellicoe's daughters, Lady Gwendoline Latham and Lady Norah Wingfield.<ref>"Funerals" (Obituaries). ''The Times''. Friday, 13 June, 1947. Issue '''50786''', col F, p. 6.</ref> Lady Bacon died on 18 June, 1955.<ref>"Obituaries" (Obituaries). ''The Times''. Monday, 20 June, 1955. Issue '''53251''', col C, p. 11.</ref>
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| − | ==Assessment==
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| − | In his 1946 memoirs, Admiral of the Fleet [[Henry Francis Oliver|Sir Henry F. Oliver]] wrote that, "Bacon was about the ablest and cleverest Officer I have ever known."<ref>Oliver. '''II'''. f. 33.</ref>
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| − | ==Bibliography==
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| − | {{refbegin}}
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| − | *"Adm. Sir Reginald Bacon" (Obituaries). ''The Times''. Tuesday, 10 June, 1947. Issue '''50783''', col E, p. 6.
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| − | *Bacon, Admiral Sir Reginald (1925). ''A Naval Scrapbook: First Part, 1877–1900''. London: Hutchinson & Co..
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| − | *Bacon, Admiral Sir Reginald (1940). ''From 1900 Onward''. London: Hutchinson & Co..
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| − | {{refend}}
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| − | ==Service Records==
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| − | {{refbegin}}
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| − | *{{TNA|ADM 196/99.|D8117726}}
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| − | *{{TNA|ADM 196/87.|D8115322}}
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| − | *{{TNA|ADM 196/42.|D7602086}}
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| − | *{{TNA|ADM 196/20.|D7590714}}
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| − | {{refend}}
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| − | ==See Also==
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| − | {{refbegin}}
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| − | {{WP|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_Bacon}}
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| − | {{refend}}
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| − | <div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
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| − | {{TabNaval}}
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| − | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[H.M. T.B. 33 (1885)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 33]]'''<br>7 Jul, 1887<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence". ''The Times''. Saturday, 2 July, 1887. Issue '''32114''', col C, p. 12.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Edward Matson Hewett|Edward M. Hewett]]'''}}
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| − | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Philip Jeston Hodges|Philip J. Hodges]]'''|'''[[H.M. T.B. 52 (1885)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 52]]'''<br>21 Jul, 1891<ref>Bacon Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 166.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Louis Charles Stirling Woollcombe|Louis C. S. Woollcombe]]'''}}
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| − | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Frederick Charles Doveton Sturdee, First Baronet|Frederick C. D. Sturdee]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Vesuvius (1874)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Vesuvius'']]'''<br>5 May, 1893{{NLApr94|p. 264}}|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Dudley Rawson Stratford de Chair|Dudley R. S. de Chair]]'''}}
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| − | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Frederick Charles Doveton Sturdee, First Baronet|Frederick C. D. Sturdee]]'''|'''[[H.M. T.B. 81 (1885)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 81]]'''<br>11 Jul, 1893<ref>"The Naval Manœuvres". ''The Times''. Monday, 10 July, 1893. Issue '''33999''', col D, p. 10.</ref> – 17 Aug, 1893<ref>Bacon Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 262.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Reginald Hugh Spencer Bacon|Reginald H. S. Bacon]]'''}}
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| − | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Reginald Hugh Spencer Bacon|Reginald H. S. Bacon]]'''|'''[[H.M. T.B. 81 (1885)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 81]]'''<br>18 Jul, 1894|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Dudley Rawson Stratford de Chair|Dudley R. S. de Chair]]'''}}
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| − | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Dudley Rawson Stratford de Chair|Dudley R. S. de Chair]]'''|'''[[H.M. T.B. 95 (1894)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 95]]'''<br>24 Jul, 1895|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Dudley Rawson Stratford de Chair|Dudley R. S. de Chair]]'''}}
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| − | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Price Vaughan Lewes|P. Vaughan Lewes]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Hazard (1894)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Hazard'']]'''<br>20 Aug, 1901<ref>Bacon Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 262.</ref> – 1 Jan, 1903<ref>Bacon Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 262.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Edgar Lees|Edgar Lees]]'''}}
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| − | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''New Appointment'''|'''[[Inspecting Captain of Submarines|Inspecting Captain of Submarines]]'''<br>20 Aug, 1901<ref>Bacon Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 262.</ref> – 21 Oct, 1904<ref>Bacon Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 262.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Edgar Lees|Edgar Lees]]'''}}
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| − | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Henry Louis Fleet|Henry L. Fleet]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Thames (1885)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Thames'']]'''<br>1 Jan, 1903{{NLOct04|p. 385}} – 21 Oct, 1904<ref>Bacon Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 262.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Edgar Lees|Edgar Lees]]'''}}
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| − | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Frederick Robert William Morgan|Frederick R. W. Morgan]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Latona (1890)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Latona'']]'''<br>1 Jan, 1903<ref>Bacon Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 262.</ref> – 21 Jul, 1903<ref>Bacon Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 262.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Charles William Winnington-Ingram|Charles W. Winnington-Ingram]]'''}}
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| − | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[First Sea Lord|Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord]]'''<br>21 Oct, 1904<ref>Bacon Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 262.</ref> – 20 Dec, 1905<ref>Bacon Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 262.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Charles Edward Madden, First Baronet|Charles E. Madden]]'''}}
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| − | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Sackville Hamilton Carden|Sackville H. Carden]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Irresistible (1898)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Irresistible'']]'''<br>20 Dec, 1905<ref>Bacon Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42}}. f. 262.</ref> – 2 Jul, 1906<ref>Bacon Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 262.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Lionel Grant Tufnell|Lionel G. Tufnell]]'''}}
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| − | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''New Command'''|'''[[H.M.S. Dreadnought (1906)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Dreadnought'']]'''<br>2 Jul, 1906<ref>Bacon Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 262.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Charles Edward Madden, First Baronet|Charles E. Madden]]'''}}
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| − | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[John Rushworth Jellicoe, First Earl Jellicoe|John R. Jellicoe]]'''|'''[[Naval Ordnance Department (Royal Navy)|Director of Naval Ordnance and Torpedoes]]'''<br>25 Aug, 1907<ref>Bacon Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 262.</ref> – 16 Dec, 1909<ref>Bacon Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 262.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Archibald Gordon Henry Wilson Moore|A. G. H. W. Moore]]'''}}
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| − | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Horace Lambert Alexander Hood|The Hon. Horace L. A. Hood]]'''<br><small>as '''Rear-Admiral, Dover Patrol'''</small>|'''[[Dover Patrol|Vice-Admiral, Dover Patrol]]'''<br>13 Apr, 1915{{SMNLSep17|p. 4}} – 1 Jan, 1918<ref>Bacon Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 262.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Roger John Brownlow Keyes, First Baron Keyes|Sir Roger J. B. Keyes]]'''}}
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| − | {{TabEnd}}
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| − | </div name=fredbot:appts>
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| − | ==Footnotes==
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| − | {{reflist}}
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| − | {{DEFAULTSORT:Bacon, Reginald}}
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| − | {{CatPerson|UK|1863|1947}}
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| − | {{CatBritannia|January, 1877}}
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| − | {{CatTorpedoOfficer|UK}}
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| − | [[Category:Senior Naval Officers, Dover]]
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| − | {{CatAdm|UK}}
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| − | [[Category:Colonels, Second Commandant, Royal Marine Artillery]]
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