Richard Thornton Down
Captain Richard Thornton Down, C.V.O., D.S.O., Royal Navy (11 December, 1882 – 22 August, 1944) was an officer in the Royal Navy.
Life & Career
DOwn was born in Westbourne, the son of Captain William Thornton Down.[1]
Down served in the South African War and in China in 1900.
He was promoted to Lieutenant on 15 September, 1903.[2] In March 1906, he qualified as a gunnery lieutenant.[3]
Down was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander on 15 September, 1911.[4]
On 27 June, 1914 Down was appointed first and gunnery Lieutenant-Commander of H.M.S. Neptune, in which he served at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May, 1916 when she operated as part of the First Battle Squadron. Promoted to Commander on 30 June, 1916, Down remained in the battleship until 21 February, 1917. A brief appointment in command of a ship which may be Wallaroo ran from 17 to 24 March 1917 when he was appointed to the armoured cruiser Carnarvon.[5]
In early May 1917, while in an appointment in Carnarvon though not presently on board, he was selected to travel to Washington, D.C. as a "British Naval Technical Expert" to promote informational exchange between America and Britain. He compiled his experiences in a pair of reports in which he related the information he'd offered the Americans and the lessons he'd taken from them.[6]
From 1922 to 1926 he served as the Naval Attaché to Italy, before being placed on the Retired List at the rank of Captain on 14 December, 1928.[7]
World War II
Upon the outbreak of the Second World War he returned to duty, commanding a naval depôt in Scotland.
He suffered fractured ribs in August 1942 before reverting the Retired List on 4 July, 1944 and dying a little over a month later.[8]
Bibliography
- "Fallen Officers" (Obituaries). The Times. Thursday, 31 August, 1944. Issue 49949, col D, pg. 7.
- "Report of Proceedings by Commander Richard T. Down, R.N. during visit to Washington -- 6th May to 27th June" dated 5 July 1917 at The National Archives. ADM 137/1621.
See Also
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Reginald M. R. West |
Captain of H.M.S. Wallaroo 17 Mar, 1917[9] – 24 Mar, 1917[10] |
Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by Austen G. Lilley |
Captain of H.M.S. Forester 6 Mar, 1918[11] – 15 Dec, 1919 |
Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by Neston W. Diggle as Royal Navy Naval Attaché at Rome |
Naval Attaché for Italy, Greece, Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria 12 Jun, 1922 – Feb, 1926 |
Succeeded by Richard H. L. Bevan as Royal Navy Naval Attaché at Rome |
| Preceded by Tim M. Barrett |
Captain of H.M.S. Pegasus 11 May, 1927[12][13] – 12 Jun, 1928[14] |
Succeeded by Reginald B. C. Hutchinson |
Footnotes
- ↑ Down Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/112. f. 317.
- ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 22.
- ↑ Down Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/112. f. 317.
- ↑ Down Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/112. f. 317.
- ↑ Down Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/112. f. 317.
- ↑ Down Report. The National Archives. ADM 137/1621. pp 1-2.
- ↑ Down Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/112. f. 317.
- ↑ Down Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/112. f. 317.
- ↑ Down Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/112. f. 317.
- ↑ Down Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/112. f. 317.
- ↑ The Navy List. (September, 1919). p. 795.
- ↑ Down Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/112. f. 317.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1927). p. 258.
- ↑ Down Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/112. f. 317.
