Difference between revisions of "Reginald Thomas Herbert Fletcher, First Baron Winster"

{{LCommRN}} '''Reginald Thomas Herbert Fletcher, First Baron Winster''', K.C.M.G, R.N. (27 March, 1885 – 7 June, 1961) was an officer of the [[Royal Navy]], a politician and colonial governor.

==Career==

Fletcher was born in Lewisham, the son of Nicholas and Dinah Fletcher of Rampholme, Westmorland.<ref>"Lord Winster" (Obituary).  ''The Times''.  Friday, 9 June, 1961.  Issue '''55103''', col A, p. 20.</ref> Nicholas was an Instructor of Mathematics at the [[Royal Naval College, Greenwich]], for 26 years (not a Professor as frequently stated).<ref>''The Navy List, Corrected to the 20th March, 1891''. p. 360.</ref><ref>"Deaths" (Death notice).  ''The Times''.  Monday, 24 July, 1905.  Issue '''37767''', col A, p. 1.</ref> On 15 May, 1900, he entered the [[Royal Navy]] as a {{NavCadRN}} at the [[H.M.S. Britannia (Training Ship)|''Britannia'']]. After 16 months he passed out with two months' time towards the rating of {{MidRN}}. On 15 September, 1901, he was appointed to the battleship [[H.M.S. Repulse (1892)|''Repulse'']] in the [[Channel Squadron (Royal Navy)|Channel Squadron]]. On 15 November he was rated Midshipman without examination. Captain [[Spencer Henry Metcalfe Login|Spencer H. M. Login]] considered him "Attentive & persevering." After two and a half years in ''Repulse'' he was appointed to the battleship [[H.M.S. Cornwallis (1901)|''Cornwallis'']] in the [[Mediterranean Station|Mediterranean]]. Captain [[William Blake Fisher|William B. Fisher]] considered him "Wanting in method." On 15 February, 1905, he passed the seamanship examination with a first class, with 918 out of 1,000 marks, and from that day became an Acting {{SubRN}}. He then went to study at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, and in May passed Navigation Part I (A and B) at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, with a third class certificate, and in October passed Pilotage with a first class (900 out of 1,000 marks). After a course at [[H.M.S. Vernon (Torpedo Training School)|''Vernon'']] in Portsmouth he passed in torpedo with a third class certificate (130 out of 200 marks) on 23 February, 1906. A month later, after study at [[H.M.S. Excellent (Gunnery Training School)|''Excellent'']], he failed in gunnery, but on 4 April later passed with a second class certificate, 795 out of 1,000 marks.