Henry Loftus Tottenham

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Admiral Henry Loftus Tottenham, C.B., Royal Navy, Retired (7 August, 1860 – 24 February, 1950) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

For services rendered during the operations in Egypt, Tottenham was specially promoted to the rank of Lieutenant with seniority of 18 November, 1882.[1]

Tottenham was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1895, aged thirty-four years, ten months, and twenty-three days.[2]

Captain

Tottenham was promoted to the rank of Captain on 1 January, 1901.[3]

In December 1903, he assumed command of the second class protected cruiser Furious.[4]

He was appointed in command of the battleship Repulse in January, 1905.[5] In March, however, he was made Captain of Lancaster.[6]

Tottenham served as captain of battleship Mars from March 1906 until July of the following year.[7]

He was appointed Captain of the Dockyard and King's Harbour Master at Portsmouth on 1 July, 1907.[8]

He served as captain of Implacable from March 1909 through May of the following year.[9]

Flag Rank

On 30 April, 1910, Tottenham was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral, vice Goodrich.[10]

He was appointed Rear-Admiral in the Devonport Division of the Home Fleet on 5 January, 1912, hoisting his flag in King Alfred. He struck his flag on 4 January, 1913.[11]

Tottenham was appointed an Ordinary Member of the Third Class, or Companion, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.) on 1 January, 1914.[12] He was considered for the position of Admiral of the Training Service in January, but the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, told the First Sea Lord,[13] Second Sea Lord,[14] and Naval Secretary:[15]

Upon reflection, I feel many doubts about Admiral Tottenham's personal qualifications for the command of the training service. Sympathy, broad-mindedness, and knowledge of social conditions, and other special qualities, are required for this important post, on which the happiness and well-being of thousands of boys and youths and the general system of naval training for the lower deck so largely depend. Would not Admiral Hood be a more suitable man? Admiral Tottenham, though a competent sea officer, has always seemed to me to be soured in tempter, rough in manners, and with a very limited outlook. Admiral Limpus also might be better suited to the training service, in which case Admiral Tottenham could be considered available for Turkey.[16]

In July it was announced that Tottenham would succeed Rear-Admiral Sackville H. Carden as Admiral-Superintendent of Malta Dockyard.[17]

Great War

On 1 August, 1914, Tottenham hoisted his flag in Albion as Rear-Admiral in the Seventh Battle Squadron. On 5 September he was given command of Cruiser Force E with his flag in the Sutlej. He transferred to Juno on 17 February, 1915, and to Isis on 10 March. He struck his flag on 5 April.

He was appointed to Minotaur as Rear-Admiral Commanding, Seventh Cruiser Squadron in the Grand Fleet on 6 April. His Flag Captain in Minotaur, Captain Edward B. Kiddle, later remembered Tottenham as "a sour pessimist who disliked us all and his appointment. Luckily a few months saw him promoted and he left unregretted and Rear-Admiral Heath hoisted his flag."[18] On 16 June, Jellicoe had written to the First Sea Lord, Sir Henry B. Jackson, suggesting that, "Tottenham might also be moved [from his command] when promoted."[19] He was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 24 October, 1915, vice Bush,[20] and struck his flag on 25 October.

Tottenham was placed on the Retired List on 26 October, 1918,[21] in accordance with the provisions of the Order in Council of 9 March, 1914. He was advanced to the rank of Admiral on the Retired List on 1 January, 1919.[22]

Bibliography

  • "Admiral Henry L. Tottenham" (Obituaries). The Times. Wednesday, 1 March, 1950. Issue 51628, col E, p. 9.

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Arthur J. Loane 		Captain of H.M.S. Thrush
14 Mar, 1893[23] 		Succeeded by
Archibald P. Stoddart
Preceded by
New Command 		Captain of H.M.S. Starfish
14 Jan, 1896[24] – 22 May, 1896[25] 		Succeeded by
Sidney R. Olivier
Preceded by
? 		Captain of H.M.S. Harrier
8 Jul, 1896[26] 		Succeeded by
Colin R. Keppel
Preceded by
Charles G. W. Aylen 		Captain of H.M.S. Barham
3 Oct, 1899[27] – 11 Jan, 1901[28][29] 		Succeeded by
Godfrey H. B. Mundy
Preceded by
William F. S. Mann 		Captain of H.M.S. Audacious
16 Jul, 1902[30] – Nov, 1903 		Succeeded by
Arthur G. M. Meredyth
as Captain of H.M.S. Imperieuse
Preceded by
Edward H. Bayly 		Captain of H.M.S. Conqueror
21 Jul, 1903[31] 		Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Henry C. Kingsford 		Captain of H.M.S. Furious
3 Dec, 1903[32] – 2 Jan, 1905[33] 		Succeeded by
George W. Smith
Preceded by
Spencer H. M. Login 		Captain of H.M.S. Repulse
3 Jan, 1905[34] – 1 Mar, 1905[35] 		Succeeded by
Herbert L. Heath
Preceded by
Sir George J. S. Warrender, Bart. 		Captain of H.M.S. Lancaster
2 Mar, 1905[36] – 19 Mar, 1906 		Succeeded by
Herbert L. Heath
Preceded by
John L. Marx 		Captain of H.M.S. Mars
20 Mar, 1906[37] – 30 Jun, 1907[38] 		Succeeded by
Francis G. Eyre
Preceded by
William B. Fawckner 		Captain of H.M.S. Implacable
31 Mar, 1909[39][40] – 21 May, 1910[41] 		Succeeded by
Robert J. Prendergast
Preceded by
Robert S. P. Hornby 		Rear-Admiral in Command, Eighth Battle Squadron
1 Aug, 1914[42] 		Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Robert S. Phipps Hornby 		Rear-Admiral Commanding, Cruiser Squadron E
5 Sep, 1914[43] 		Succeeded by
George B. Hutton
as Senior Officer, Cruiser Force E
Preceded by
Arthur W. Waymouth 		Rear-Admiral Commanding, Seventh Cruiser Squadron
7 Apr, 1915[44] – 25 Oct, 1915[45] 		Succeeded by
Herbert L. Heath

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 25169. p. 5173. 17 November, 1882.
  2. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 26647. p. 4233. 26 July, 1895.
  3. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 27263. p. 82. 4 January, 1901.
  4. ↑ Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
  5. ↑ Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
  6. ↑ Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
  7. ↑ Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
  8. ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 393.
  9. ↑ Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
  10. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 28362. p. 3063. 3 May, 1910.
  11. ↑ ADM 196/39. f. 1320.
  12. ↑ The Edinburgh Gazette: no. 12630. p. 7. 2 January, 1914.
  13. ↑ Admiral His Serene Highness Prince Louis of Battenberg.
  14. ↑ Vice-Admiral Sir John R. Jellicoe.
  15. ↑ Rear-Admiral Dudley R. S. de Chair, who was the eventual choice for Admiral of the Training Service.
  16. ↑ Memorandum of 19 January, [1914]. Churchill Papers. Churchill Archives Centre. CHAR 13/6A/60.
  17. ↑ "Second Sea Lord" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 23 July, 1914. Issue 40586, col G, p. 10.
  18. ↑ Kiddle. Naval Memories. Kiddle Papers. National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth: 1988.337. f. 88.
  19. ↑ Jackson Papers. National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth: 255/4/1.
  20. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 29340. p. 10509. 26 October, 1915.
  21. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 30992. p. 13001. 5 November, 1918.
  22. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 31104. p. 199. 3 January, 1919.
  23. ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1894). p. 260.
  24. ↑ Tottenham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 92/182.
  25. ↑ Tottenham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 92/182.
  26. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Thursday, Jul 09, 1896; pg. 11; Issue 34938.
  27. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1901). p. 229.
  28. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1901). p. 229.
  29. ↑ The Navy List. (May, 1902). p. 229.
  30. ↑ The Navy List. (May, 1903). p. 230.
  31. ↑ "APPOINTMENTS FOR THE NAVAL MANOEUVRES." The Times (London, England), Thursday, Jul 16, 1903; pg. 8; Issue 37134.
  32. ↑ Tottenham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 623.
  33. ↑ Tottenham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 623.
  34. ↑ Tottenham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 623.
  35. ↑ Tottenham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 623.
  36. ↑ Tottenham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 623.
  37. ↑ Tottenham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 623.
  38. ↑ Tottenham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 623.
  39. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 329.
  40. ↑ Tottenham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 623.
  41. ↑ Tottenham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 623.
  42. ↑ "New Sea Lord" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Friday, 7 August, 1914. Issue 40597, col D, p. 4.
  43. ↑ Tottenham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. f. 1320.
  44. ↑ Tottenham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. p. 1320.
  45. ↑ Tottenham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. p. 1320.

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