Cecil Foley Lambert

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Admiral Sir Cecil F. Lambert as a Rear-Admiral, 1917.
Portrait: Francis Dodd. © IWM (Art.IWM ART 1757).

Admiral SIR Cecil Foley Lambert, K.C.B., Royal Navy, Retired (28 May, 1864 – 30 April, 1928) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Early Life & Career

At the examination for Naval Cadetships, Lambert placed twenty-first out of the successful batch of forty-six.[1]

Lambert entered the training ship Britannia on 15 July, 1877.

A stint in Nelson on the Australia Station ended with a charge of misconduct after Lambert took leave to visit friends and "never went near them." He was furthermore found to be in debt to the tune of £9. He was sent to the flagship until he repaid his debts and was to be subjected to regular reports on his conduct. His debts were cleared by year's end, and in May 1882 Captain Alexander Plantagenet Hastings of Euryalus reported that Lambert's conduct was "everything that could be wished."[2]

Lambert was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 January, 1888.[3]

He was loaned to command the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 25 on 4 July, 1888, for manoeuvres.[4]

Lambert was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1900.[5]

Captain

Lambert was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1905,[6] and was appointed to Sapphire II as Captain (D) on the same day.[7]

Lambert was appointed to H.M.S. Hibernia in command on 2 January, 1907.[8]

He was appointed to command the armoured cruiser Argyll in March 1909.

On 25 March, 1911, Lambert was appointed Naval Assistant to the Second Sea Lord.[9] Lionel Dawson, in 1911 a destroyer officer seeking a destroyer command at Portsmouth, later left an account of Lambert when he was serving as Naval Assistant:

Known to the Service as "Black" Lambert, he was not exactly the sort of officer who would be expected to regard my tale of personal inconvenience with any real sympathy. But he listened very patiently. I, of course, emphasized the point that I well appreciated my good fortune in getting any command at all.

"Well," he replied, "I'll do what I can, Mr. Dawson, but you make it a little difficult for me by laying down these geographical limitations!"[10]

On 31 July, 1912 he was appointed as Commodore, Second Class in Command of Destroyer Flotillas of First Fleet.[11]

The First Lord, Churchill, put forward Lambert to replace William C. Pakenham as Fourth Sea Lord, writing to the Prime Minister on 30 October, 1913:

I hope I may have your concurrence in submitting to the King the name of Commodore Lambert (he of the jowl!) I attach great importance to this officer's services because coming fresh from the oil-burning flotillas, he will be able to assist me in the use of this most expensive fuel. I do not need to tell you that he is a very able man, for you have had your own opportunities of judging.[12]

Great War

In early 1917 Sir Stanley Colville wrote to Sir Frederick T. Hamilton, Commander-in-Chief, Rosyth, that Lambert had been "turned out of the Admiralty much against his wishes," and that "I don't trust him a yard."[13]

Lambert was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 13 April, vice Christian.[14]

Lambert was appointed to succeed Hayes-Sadler on 24 February.[15]

Post-War

On 5 June, 1920, Lambert was knighted and appointed an Ordinary Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, of the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (K.C.B.) on the occasion of the King's birthday.[16]

Lambert was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 15 June, 1921.[17] He was placed on the Retired List at his own request "to facilitate the promotion of younger officers" on 5 December, 1921.[18] He was advanced to Admiral on the Retired List on 1 March, 1926.[19]

Bibliography

  • "Admiral Sir C. F. Lambert" (Obituaries). The Times. Thursday, 1 March, 1928. Issue 44830, col C, p. 16.
  • Newbolt, Henry (1931). Naval Operations. Vol. V. London: Longmans, Green and Co..

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
George Le C. Egerton 		Captain of H.M. T.B. 25
4 Jul, 1888[20][21] – 30 Aug, 1888[22] 		Succeeded by
Richard C. Steele
Preceded by
New Command 		Captain of H.M.S. Skate
14 Jan, 1896[23] – 2 Mar, 1896[24] 		Succeeded by
Hastings F. Shakespear
Preceded by
New Command 		Captain of H.M.S. Opossum
13 Mar, 1896[25] – Aug, 1896 		Succeeded by
William G. E. Ruck-Keene
Preceded by
Neville F. J. Wilson 		Captain of H.M.S. Assaye
9 May, 1898[26] – 1898 		Succeeded by
Odiarne U. Coates
Preceded by
George S. Q. Carr 		Captain of H.M.S. Lapwing
10 Dec, 1898[27] – 31 Jul, 1900[28] 		Succeeded by
John G. Armstrong
Preceded by
Montague G. Cartwright 		Captain of H.M.S. Skipjack
30 Aug, 1900[29] – 15 Jan, 1901[30] 		Succeeded by
S. Gordon Douglas
Preceded by
William Bowden-Smith 		Captain of H.M.S. Chamois
15 Jul, 1901[31] – 15 Aug, 1901[32] 		Succeeded by
Walter E. Woodward
Preceded by
Frederick H. Hallowes 		Captain of H.M.S. Panther
5 Dec, 1901[33] – 22 Jan, 1902[34] 		Succeeded by
Lancelot N. Turton
Preceded by
Lancelot N. Turton 		Captain of H.M.S. Myrmidon
23 Jan, 1902[35][36] 		Succeeded by
Allan F. Everett
Preceded by
Reginald Yorke Tyrwhitt 		Captain of H.M.S. Gipsy
14 Jul, 1904[37][38] – 30 Aug, 1904[39] 		Succeeded by
Geoffrey B. Spicer-Simson
Preceded by
New Command 		Captain of H.M.S. Sapphire
3 Jan, 1905[40] – 1 Jan, 1907[41] 		Succeeded by
Walter H. Cowan
Preceded by
New Command 		Captain of H.M.S. Hibernia
2 Jan, 1907[42] – 11 Jun, 1908[43] 		Succeeded by
The Hon. Algernon D. E. H. Boyle
Preceded by
Reginald A. Allenby 		Captain of H.M.S. Argyll
24 Mar, 1909[44][45] – 13 Dec, 1910[46] 		Succeeded by
Michael Culme-Seymour
Preceded by
William O. Boothby 		Naval Assistant to the Second Sea Lord
25 Mar, 1911[47] – 30 Jul, 1912[48] 		Succeeded by
Edward M. Phillpotts
Preceded by
Francis M. Leake 		Captain of H.M.S. Amethyst
1 Oct, 1913[49] – 1 Dec, 1913[50] 		Succeeded by
Reginald Y. Tyrwhitt
Preceded by
William C. Pakenham 		Fourth Sea Lord
1 Dec, 1913[51][52] – 4 Dec, 1916[53] 		Succeeded by
Lionel Halsey
Preceded by
William E. Goodenough
as Commodore Second Class Commanding, Second Light Cruiser Squadron 		Commodore First Class Commanding, Second Light Cruiser Squadron
5 Dec, 1916[54][55] – 23 Feb, 1918[56] 		Succeeded by
James A. Fergusson
as Rear-Admiral Commanding, Second Light Cruiser Squadron
Preceded by
Arthur Hayes-Sadler 		Rear-Admiral Commanding, Ægean Squadron
24 Feb, 1918[57] – 1 Sep, 1918[58] 		Succeeded by
Michael Culme-Seymour

Footnotes

  1. ↑ "Naval Cadetships" (News). The Times. Saturday, 30 June, 1877. Issue 28982, col A, p. 14.
  2. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 279.
  3. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 25772. p. 15. 3 January, 1888.
  4. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence". The Times. Tuesday, 3 July, 1888. Issue 32428, col A, p. 10.
  5. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 27263. p. 82. 4 January, 1901.
  6. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 27812. p. 4557. 30 June, 1905.
  7. ↑ "Naval Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 6 July, 1905. Issue 37752, col D, p. 9.
  8. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Saturday, 8 December, 1906. Issue 38198, col A, p. 8.
  9. ↑ "Naval Appointments" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Monday, 13 March, 1911. Issue 39531, col E, p. 4.
  10. ↑ Dawson. Flotillas. p. 86.
  11. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 285.
  12. ↑ Winston S. Churchill. Companion Volume II. Part 3. p. 1793.
  13. ↑ Letter of 16 April, 1917. Hamilton Papers. National Maritime Museum. HTN/118/A.
  14. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 30022. p. 3599. 17 April, 1917.
  15. ↑ Newbolt. Naval Operations. V. p. 298.
  16. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 31931. p. 6316. 5 June, 1920.
  17. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 32384. p. 5486. 8 July, 1921.
  18. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 32544. p. 10025. 9 December, 1921.
  19. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 33139. p. 1650. 5 March, 1926.
  20. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence". The Times. Tuesday, 3 July, 1888. Issue 32428, col A, p. 10.
  21. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  22. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  23. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  24. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  25. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Friday, Mar 13, 1896; pg. 7; Issue 34837.
  26. ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1898). p. 226.
  27. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  28. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  29. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  30. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  31. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  32. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  33. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  34. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  35. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  36. ↑ The Navy List. (May, 1903). p. 282.
  37. ↑ "Appointments for the Naval Manoeuvres." The Times (London, England), Saturday, Jul 09, 1904; pg. 12; Issue 37442.
  38. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  39. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  40. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 279.
  41. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  42. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 279.
  43. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 304/614.
  44. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 279.
  45. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  46. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  47. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  48. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 253/510.
  49. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 279.
  50. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 279.
  51. ↑ The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. p. 125.
  52. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 279.
  53. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 279.
  54. ↑ Squadrons and Senior Naval Officers in Existence on 11th November, 1918. f. 25.
  55. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 279.
  56. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 279.
  57. ↑ Squadrons and Senior Naval Officers in Existence on 11th November, 1918. Unnumbered folio.
  58. ↑ Lambert Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 279.

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