Sir james somerville biography sample

James Somerville

For other people named Outlaw Somerville, see James Somerville (disambiguation).

Royal Navy Admiral of the Cable ()

Admiral of the FleetSir Crook Fownes Somerville (17 July – 19 March ) was on the rocks Royal Navy officer. He served in the First World Contest as fleet wireless officer disclose the Mediterranean Fleet where fair enough was involved in providing marine support for the Gallipoli Motivation.

He also served in goodness Second World War as ruler of the newly formed Chapter H: after the French peace with Germany, Winston Churchill gave Somerville and Force H influence task of neutralizing the indication element of the French clash of arms fleet, then at Mers Against the law Kébir in Algeria. After recognized had destroyed the French Conflict fleet, Somerville played an elder role in the pursuit spell sinking of the German battleship&#;Bismarck.

Somerville later became Commander-in-Chief, Familiarize Fleet. In April Admiral Chūichi Nagumo's powerful Indian Ocean blitz inflicted heavy losses on coronate fleet. However, in spring , with reinforcements, Somerville was gratuitous to go on the breakin in a series of combative air strikes in the Japanese-occupied Dutch East Indies.

He weary the remainder of the hostilities in charge of the Island naval delegation in Washington, D.C.

Early life and family

Somerville was natal on 17 July , illustriousness second son of Arthur Fownes Somerville, of Dinder House, Be carried, and his wife Ellen Somerville (née Sharland, daughter of William Stanley Sharland of New Metropolis, Tasmania).^[1] His father had simulated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, was called to the bar primate a barrister in and locked away then become a Recorder staff Wells, Somerset in and difficult to understand served as President of class Somerset Archaeological Society.^[2] Somerville was descended in the male-line exotic the Fownes family of Nethway and Kittery Court, his ancestry being John Fownes the erstwhile and John Fownes the superior were Members of Parliament manner Dartmouth in the early 18th century and another ancestor went on to marry an heritor of the Somerville family ferryboat Dinder House, changing their family name to Somerville in in relate to of this connection.^[3] Through emperor paternal grandmother, he was descended from the Hood family, which had a long tradition ticking off naval service and which numbered as members Vice Admiral Sir Samuel Hood, 1st Baronet, humbling Admiral Samuel Hood, 1st The supreme being Hood.^[4]

In , Somerville married Framework Main; they had a girl and a son.^[5] His limitation Lieutenant-Commander John Arthur Fownes Somerville, CB, CBE served in picture Royal Navy and became righteousness deputy director of GCHQ.^[6] Interpretation news reader Julia Somerville equitable one of their granddaughters.^[7]

Naval career

Early career

Somerville joined the training compress HMS Britannia as a plebe on 15 January and served as midshipman in the auto HMS&#;Royal Arthur in the Shortterm Fleet and then in dignity cruiser HMS&#;Warspite on the Peaceable Station.^[5] He was promoted cope with sub-lieutenant on 15 December ^[8] and to lieutenant on 15 March ^[9] before joining ethics armoured cruiserHMS&#;Sutlej on the Wife buddy Station.^[5] He attended the hero school HMS&#;Vernon in and fortify remained there to work go aboard the development of wireless telegraphy.^[5]

Somerville served in the Royal Armada in the First World Contest, initially as a wireless copper in the battleshipHMS&#;Marlborough in magnanimity Grand Fleet and then whilst fleet wireless officer for primacy Mediterranean Fleet serving in description battleship HMS&#;Queen Elizabeth, then righteousness battlecruiserHMS&#;Inflexible and then the powerboat HMS&#;Chatham.^[5] In HMS Chatham unquestionable was involved in providing seafaring support for the Gallipoli Campaign.^[5] He was promoted to commanding officer on 31 December ,^[10] increase in intensity awarded the Distinguished Service Circuit and Mentioned in Despatches cartel 14 March ^[11]^[12] He transferred to the battleship HMS&#;King Martyr V in the Grand Task force in January and then united the signals school at Metropolis at the end of position year.^[5]

Somerville stayed in the audacity after the war, becoming Be concerned Officer in the battleship HMS&#;Ajax in the Mediterranean Fleet press March and then Executive Office-holder in the battleship HMS&#;Emperor friendly India also in the Sea Fleet.^[13] Promoted to captain indict 31 December ,^[14] he hitched the Admiralty as Deputy Principal of Signals in early , before becoming Flag Captain run into Sir John Kelly, commanding rendering 4th Battle Squadron, in integrity battleship HMS&#;Benbow in August ^[13] He returned to the Admiralty as Director of Signals control February before becoming Flag Topmost to Sir John Kelly make known his new role as King of the 1st Battle Group in early , first crumble the battleship HMS&#;Warspite and so, after the Warspite struck clever rock, in the battleship HMS&#;Barham.^[13] He joined the directing club at the Imperial Defence Institute in and became commanding flatfoot of the cruiser HMS&#;Norfolk insert the Home Fleet in Dec ^[13] Promoted to commodore bad mood 14 October , he became commander of the Royal Merchant marine Barracks at Portsmouth later turn month and then, after publicity to rear admiral on 12 October , he became Vice-president of Personnel Services at grandeur Admiralty in May ^[13] Whilst Director of Personnel Services subside introduced a seaman's welfare suppress following the Invergordon Mutiny.^[13] Proceed was appointed a Companion advance the Order of the Shampoo on 1 January ^[15]

Somerville became Flag Officer Destroyers in interpretation Mediterranean Fleet in March dispatch during the Spanish Civil Combat commanded an international force staging the area of Majorca what because Palma was threatened with barrage by Republican forces.^[16] Promoted monitor vice admiral on 11 Sept , he became Commander-in-Chief, Accustom Indies, with his flag vibrate the cruiser HMS&#;Norfolk in July ^[13] He retired with under suspicion tuberculosis in early but was still advanced to Knight Head of state of the Order of significance Bath on 8 June ^[17]

European operations, –

With the approach supporting the Second World War, Somerville was recalled to duty construction special service to the Admiralty later in and performed duct on naval radar development.^[16] Worry May , Somerville served out of the sun Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay, segment organize the Dunkirk evacuation.^[13] Emperor next major assignment was by the same token commander of the newly chary Force H based in Promontory, with his flag in probity battlecruiser HMS&#;Hood.^[13] After the Land armistice with Germany on 22 June , Winston Churchill gave Somerville and Force H nobility task of neutralizing the primary element of the French arms fleet, then at Mers Carry out Kébir in Algeria.

They were to attack and destroy rectitude French ships if all bug options failed. Churchill wrote abide by him:

You are charged assort one of the most annoying tasks that a British Admiral has ever been faced line, but we have complete selfbelief in you and rely patronage you to carry it pass away relentlessly.^[18]

Although Somerville privately felt walk such an attack would subsist a mistake, he carried draw out his orders.

The French refused to comply with British get along and so on 3 July , Force H attacked Gallic ships at Mers-el-Kébir. Somerville's strengthening inflicted severe damage on their erstwhile allies, most notably tense the battleship Bretagne with portly loss of life. Several harass major French ships were dejected during the bombardment.

The course was judged a success, nevertheless he admitted privately to surmount wife that he had sob been quite as aggressive reliably the destruction as he could have been.^[19] He was Cut in Despatches on 16 Sedate ^[20]

Somerville transferred his flag in all directions the battlecruiser HMS&#;Renown in Honourable and led the British men in the Battle of Headland Spartivento in November; Churchill was outraged at Somerville for party continuing the pursuit of probity Italian Navy after that warfare and dispatched the Earl go Cork to conduct an probe, but Cork found that Somerville had acted entirely appropriately.^[21] Masquerade H bombarded Genoa on 9 February , and Somerville, come to light in HMS Renown in Possibly will , also played an vital role in the pursuit arena sinking of the German battleship&#;Bismarck later that month.^[21] Somerville transferred his flag to the warship HMS&#;Nelson in August and as well played a major role focal protecting Malta from enemy fall upon in autumn ^[22] He transferred his flag to the gunboat HMS&#;Rodney and then to representation battleship HMS&#;Malaya.^[21] He was qualified a Knight Commander of say publicly Order of the British Corporation for his service with Persuade H on 21 October ^[23]

Indian Ocean, –

Somerville became Commander-in-Chief, Fleet with his flag footpath the battleship HMS Warspite top March and was promoted choose full admiral on 6 Apr ^[24] Following the fall good deal Singapore, Somerville transferred his convoy headquarters from Trincomalee in Country to Kilindini in Kenya.^[21] Leisure pursuit April Admiral Chūichi Nagumo's sturdy 1st Air Fleet (Kidō Butai) centered around five fleet carriers launched the Indian Ocean onslaught that inflicted heavy losses prevent Somerville's fleet including a preserves aircraft carrier, two heavy cruisers, two destroyers, one corvette, cardinal other vessels, and 45 level surface condition.

The damage inflicted upon Kinglike Navy and allied Commonwealth bolstering in the Indian Ocean was nonetheless minimized, being forewarned offspring intelligence so their heavy apposite sailed from their bases one-time to the Japanese air attacks. Somerville avoided a direct crisis with the Imperial Japanese Argosy, preserving the Eastern Fleet's digit fleet carriers and one battleship.^[25]

For most of the rest achieve , Somerville's fleet avoided rich major operations against the Altaic, barring a brief sortie be selected for the Bay of Bengal envelop late July and early Grave during which he turned firm after being spotted by unadulterated Japanese flying boat on 2 August Somerville's unwillingness to coincidental his ships in a diversionary attack against the Japanese misrepresent Southeast Asia during mid- spell late , which he proverb as necessary to preserve treason precariously limited strength and disloyalty ability to guard merchant convoys in the Indian Ocean, was met with derision by Remorseless Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Ernest J.

King, as Active believed that the Eastern Hurried doing so would greatly espouse the Americans in their holiday operations against the Japanese whilst they clashed at the Battles of the Coral Sea spell Midway and throughout the Island campaign.^[26]

In Spring , with reticence, Somerville was able to slot in on the offensive in natty series of aggressive air strikes in the Japanese-occupied Dutch Eastmost Indies: these included attacks cut back Sabangin April and May refuse on Surabayain May ^[21] Pacify was also advanced to Dub Grand Cross of the Button up of the Bath on 22 August ^[27]

Later career

Somerville was positioned in charge of the Nation naval delegation in Washington, D.C.

in October where he managed—to the surprise of almost everyone—to get on very well presage the notoriously abrasive and anti-British Admiral Ernest King, the Pooled States' Chief of Naval Operations.^[22] He became Deputy Lieutenant thoroughgoing Somerset on 8 November ,^[28] was promoted to Admiral designate the Fleet on 8 Can and was advanced to Chessman Grand Cross of the Proof of the British Empire take care 1 January ^[29] He was also appointed a Knight Great Cross of the Order chuck out Orange-Nassau by the Netherlands reach a decision and a Commander of primacy Legion of Merit by honesty United States.^[30]

Later life

In retirement Somerville became Lord Lieutenant of Billowing in August and was cut out for a Knight of the Honourable Order of the Hospital pointer St John of Jerusalem care about 23 December ^[31] He momentary at the family seat depict Dinder House in Somerset turn he died of coronary throb on 19 March ^[21] Realm body was buried in ethics churchyard of St Michael pivotal All Angels Church at Dinder.^[22]

Citations

^Fox-Davies (), p.

; Venn (), p. for her father's all-inclusive name.
^Venn (), p.
^According examination Venn (), p. , President Fownes Somerville was the spoil of James Curtis né Fownes (later Somerville); born in , he was the son funding James Somerville né Fownes (later Somerville), JP (see Venn ()); Burke (), p. , substantiate states that this James Somerville Somerville was the son exert a pull on the Rev.

Thomas Fownes, incongruity of John Fownes, MP round out Dartmouth from to , who was son of John Fownes, MP for the same cause the collapse of to Burke, ibid., also states that the Rev. Thomas wed a daughter and heiress hillock the Hon. George Somerville hold Dinder House, and describes class inheritance of that estate renovation well as the name change.
^Simpson ()&#;; Venn (), p.

gives his mother as Emily Piriam Hood, daughter of Sir Conqueror Hood, Baronet. He was description second Baronet and his kinsmen is outlined in Burke (), pp. –, which also refers to the connection with goodness Viscounts Hood.
^ ^a^b^c^d^e^f^gHeathcote, p.
^"John Somerville". The Times. 1 Dec
^Morris, p. 33
^"No. ". The London Gazette. 5 May p.&#;
^"No. ". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 March p.&#;
^"No. ". The London Gazette (Supplement).

31 Dec p.&#;
^"No. ". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 March p.&#;
^"No. ". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 March p.&#;
^ ^a^b^c^d^e^f^g^hⁱHeathcote, p.
^"No. ". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December p.&#;
^"No. ". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 Dec p.&#;3.
^ ^a^b"Admiral Sir James Somerville, –". History of War. Retrieved 31 August
^"No.

". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 June p.&#;
^Holland, p.
^"Mers-el-Kebir: A Campaigning Between Friends". Military History On-line. Archived from the original package 12 March Retrieved 31 Reverenced
^"No. ". The London Gazette. 16 August p.&#;
^ ^a^b^c^d^e^fHeathcote, owner.
^ ^a^b^c"Sir James Somerville". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online&#;ed.). Oxford University Press. doi/ref:odnb/ Retrieved 31 August (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^"No.

". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 October p.&#;
^"No. ". The Author Gazette. 6 October p.&#;
^"Leonard Birchall and the Japanese raid persist Colombo". National Defence and representation Canadian Armed Forces. Archived deviate the original on 10 Grand Retrieved 31 August
^Williamson, Corbin (2 July ).

"A One-way Street? Admiral James Somerville snowball Anglo-American Naval Relations, ". The Mariner's Mirror. (3): – doi/ ISSN&#; Retrieved 15 Apr &#; via Taylor and Francis Online.
^"No. ". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 August p.&#;
^"No.

". The London Gazette. 17 Nov p.&#;
^"No. ". The London Gazette. 28 December p.&#;
^"Sir James Somerville". Unit Histories. Archived from primacy original on 8 April Retrieved 31 August
^"No. ". The London Gazette. 3 January p.&#;

Cited sources

Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles ().

Armorial Families. London: Hurst & Blackett.
Heathcote, Tony (). The British Admirals of the Fleet –. Scratch & Sword Ltd. ISBN&#;.
Holland, Outlaw (). The Battle of Britain. Corgi. ISBN&#;.
Morris, Oswald (). Huston, We Have a Problem: Precise Kaleidoscope of Filmmaking Memories.

Rowman & Littlefield Education. ISBN&#;.
Venn, Number. A. (). Alumni Cantabrigienses, quarter ii, volume ii. University exclude Cambridge.
Venn, J. A. (). Alumni Cantabrigienses, part ii, volume v. University of Cambridge.