Hugh Gaultier-Coghill Somerville

Vice-Admiral Hugh Gaultier-Coghill Somerville, C.B., D.S.O. (10 July, 1873 – 16 November, 1950) was an officer of the Royal Navy during the First World War.

Life & Career

Somerville was the son of Lieutenant-Colonel Somerville of County Cork and gained eight months' seniority on passing out of Britannia in July, 1888. His first naval appointment was to Monarch of the Channel Squadron, dated 1 September 1888. On 4 December, he was appointed to Swiftsure in the Pacific, taking his passage out in H.M.S. Champion. Once in the Pacific, he also served aboard Warspite from June, 1890 and in Champion from March to May, 1892.

Somerville was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1894.

Redbreast arrived at Basra on Sunday, 15 October, 1905. Somerville was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1905, and turned Redbreast over to Lt. Walter Hose on New Year's Day, 1906.

Somerville was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1914. On 2 July, he was appointed to Cressy for temporary command of Sapphire. In late October 1914, he was appointed in command of the first class protected cruiser Europa, and assumed command of her on 19 November.

Somerville was ordered home on 4 June, 1915 and was to the monitor Earl of Peterborough on the 28th, to assume command upon her commissioning. He left Mudros on 15 June in S.S. Altunia (?) Part of his extensive time in command of the monitor also required him to serve as Boom Commander in Salonika, where Rear-Admiral Nicholson records that he performed his duties with zeal and tact.

Somerville's monitor assisted in the evacuation of Gallipoli in early 1916.

Somerville was slightly wounded on 4 February, 1916. On 14 March, he was gazetted for being mentioned in despatches for service in Gallipoli.

On 24 May, 1917, Somerville bombarded an aerodrome at Prosecco and impressed the Admiralty with his ship handling. On 19 November, 1917, the Italian government's Minister of Convoy expressed through the British naval attaché his appreciation for Somerville's work.

Somerville was awarded a D.S.O. for his work in the Adriatic in the first half of 1918.

Post-War

In January 1922, Somerville was made Coast Guard Captain on the staff of Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches and placed in command of the Coast Guard's Queenstown Area. He stepped down on 31 March, 1923, having been selected for retirement.

Somerville was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 3 September, 1924 and was placed on the Retired List at his own request the following day.

Somerville was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 1 August, 1929.

Somerville died at Malmaison, Castle Townshend, County Cork, on 16 November, 1950 after a short illness at the age of seventy-seven. His funeral took place on 18 November.

See Also

• Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Woodcock 27 Mar, 1901 – 1903[Inference]	Succeeded by Charles A. W. Wrightson
Preceded by George C. Quayle	Captain of H.M.S. Redbreast 14 Apr, 1904 – 1 Jan, 1906	Succeeded by Walter Hose
Preceded by Cyril Asser	Captain of H.M.S. Mohawk 31 May, 1910 – 15 Dec, 1910	Succeeded by Francis A. W. Buller
Preceded by William F. Benwell	Captain of H.M.S. Alert 15 Dec, 1910 – 15 Dec, 1912	Succeeded by Arthur E. Wood
Preceded by Alldin U. Moore	Captain of H.M.S. Spartiate 14 Apr, 1913 – 30 Jun, 1913	Succeeded by Charles Tibbits
Preceded by Charles Tibbits	Captain of H.M.S. Argonaut 30 Jun, 1913 – 6 Dec, 1913	Succeeded by William D. Church
Preceded by James R. P. Hawksley	Captain of H.M.S. Venus 6 Dec, 1913 – 27 Dec, 1913	Succeeded by Robert G. D. Dewar
Preceded by Francis C. Brown	Captain of H.M.S. Sapphire 2 Jul, 1914 – 29 Oct, 1914	Succeeded by Peter W. E. Hill
Preceded by Gerald W. Vivian	Captain of H.M.S. Europa 29 Oct, 1914 – 4 Jun, 1915	Succeeded by Maurice S. FitzMaurice
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Earl of Peterborough 28 Jun, 1915 – 1 Jun, 1919	Succeeded by Nelson Wheelwright