Difference between revisions of "Harold Granville Grenfell"
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| − | {{CaptRN}} '''Harold Granville Grenfell''', R.N., Retired (11 January, 1870 – ) served in the [[Royal Navy]]. | + | {{CaptRN}} '''Harold Granville Grenfell''', R.N., Retired (11 January, 1870 – ) served in the [[Royal Navy]]. He was a polyglot, speaking at least four foreign languages with considerable fluidity. |
==Life & Career== | ==Life & Career== | ||
| − | Born in Rugby, | + | Born in Rugby, Harold Grenfell's stepfather, A. D. Graham, Esq. was listed as his guardian when he joined the {{UK-1Britannia|f=tp}} in January, 1883. Emerging in December 1884, his next three years were spent in {{UK-1Minotaur}} of the [[Channel Squadron]] and the {{UK-1Tourmaline|f=t}} on the [[North America and West Indies Station]].<ref>Grenfell Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/43/66.|}} f. 72.</ref> |
| − | Grenfell was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} in January, 1890. | + | Grenfell was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} in January, 1890. |
| − | By 1892, Grenfell was noted as being conversant to some degree in French and Spanish. | + | By 1892, Grenfell was noted as being conversant to some degree in French and Spanish. In July, he obtained a first-class certificate at the Royal Naval College examination for gunnery lieutenant.<ref>Grenfell Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/43/66.|}} f. 72.</ref> |
| − | Grenfell | + | A Court Martial on 29 April, 1896 tried Grenfell on a charge of negligent performance of duty and behaving with contempt toward a superior officer resulted in the charges not being proved. He arrived home on 10 August.<ref>Grenfell Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/43/66.|}} f. 72.</ref> |
| − | + | Grenfell was "found gravely to blame" for the death of armourer George Halse on 8 September 1900 at Spectacle Island, Sydney. He arrived back in England on 4 April, 1901. Starkly at odds with the previous pronoucement, he was thanked for his "the manner in which he wrote armourer instructions."<ref>Grenfell Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/43/66.|}} f. 72.</ref> | |
| − | = | + | Grenfell was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} in June, 1904. In late 1904, he ventured to Russia for three months to study the language, being placed on half pay for the duration.<ref>Grenfell Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/43/66.|}} f. 72.</ref> |
| − | Grenfell was placed on the Retired List on account of age with the rank of {{CaptRN}} on 11 January, 1920. | + | |
| + | Appointed in command of the {{UK-Cherwell|f=c}} on 2 October, 1905, Grenfell allowed the ship's propeller to touch ground on 16 November at T[illeg] Bay through what the Admiralty determined was an error in judgment. He was cautioned in the matter. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In early 1906, ''Cherwell'' was one of six destroyers to accompany the {{UK-CS|2}} from England to Gibraltar.{{NMI|Thursday, January 4, 1906, Issue 37908, p.8}} The destroyer received one poor inspection in 1906, in which Rear-Admiral Winsloe deemed her condition "fair", but not worthy of recommendation.<ref>Grenfell Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/43/66.|}} f. 72.</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Grenfell left the ship on 20 November 1906 when he was superseded in command in light of personal affairs. WInsloe futher opined of Grenfell, "has not done very well."<ref>Grenfell Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/43/66.|}} f. 72.</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | By 1909, Grenfell had also gained some command of Russian, Italian and Portuguese. In June 1911, he passed preliminary examinations in French, Russian, Spanish and Italian.<ref>Grenfell Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/43/66.|}} f. 72.</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Grenfell's appointment as Royal Naval Attaché at St. Petersburg in April 1912 extended until October 1917. He served in the Censor's Office at the War Office throughout 1918, and at the end of the year began an eight month stint under the Director of Naval Intelligence in the acting rank of Captain.<ref>Grenfell Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/43/66.|}} f. 72.</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | After some months of unemployed time, Grenfell was placed on the Retired List on account of age with the rank of {{CaptRN}} on 11 January, 1920. | ||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
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<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}} | <div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}} | ||
{{TabNaval}} | {{TabNaval}} | ||
| − | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[ | + | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Walter John Wyndham Steward|Walter J. W. Steward]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Grasshopper (1887)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Grasshopper'']]'''<br>10 Apr, 1902{{NLMay02|p. 262}} – 13 Jan, 1903|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Samuel Montagu Agnew|Samuel M. Agnew]]'''}} |
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Charles Henry Umfreville|Charles H. Umfreville]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Curlew (1885)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Curlew'']]'''<br>13 Jan, 1903{{NLMay03|p. 246}} – 30 Jun, 1904|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Edgar Robert Morant|Edgar R. Morant]]'''}} | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Charles Henry Umfreville|Charles H. Umfreville]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Curlew (1885)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Curlew'']]'''<br>13 Jan, 1903{{NLMay03|p. 246}} – 30 Jun, 1904|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Edgar Robert Morant|Edgar R. Morant]]'''}} | ||
| − | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[H.M.S. Waveney (1903)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Waveney'']]'''<br>14 Jul, 1904 – Aug, 1904{{INF}}|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Reginald Yorke Tyrwhitt, First Baronet|Reginald Y. Tyrwhitt]]'''}} | + | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[H.M.S. Waveney (1903)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Waveney'']]'''<br>14 Jul, 1904{{ToL|Appointments for the Naval Manoeuvres|Saturday, Jul 09, 1904; pg. 12; Issue 37442}} – Aug, 1904{{INF}}|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Reginald Yorke Tyrwhitt, First Baronet|Reginald Y. Tyrwhitt]]'''}} |
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[William Gilbert Howard|William G. Howard]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Cherwell (1903)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Cherwell'']]'''<br>2 Oct, 1905{{NLJun06|p. 294}} – 20 Nov, 1906|Succeeded by<br>'''[[William Francis Benwell|William F. Benwell]]'''}} | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[William Gilbert Howard|William G. Howard]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Cherwell (1903)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Cherwell'']]'''<br>2 Oct, 1905{{NLJun06|p. 294}} – 20 Nov, 1906|Succeeded by<br>'''[[William Francis Benwell|William F. Benwell]]'''}} | ||
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Aubrey Clare Hugh Smith|Aubrey C. H. Smith]]'''|'''[[Naval Attaché (Royal Navy)|Royal Navy Naval Attaché at St. Petersburg]]'''<br>1 Apr, 1912{{NLJan18|p. 1817}} – Oct, 1917|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Francis Allen Newton Cromie|Francis A. N. Cromie]]'''<br><small>as '''Royal Navy Naval Attaché at Petrograd'''</small>}} | {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Aubrey Clare Hugh Smith|Aubrey C. H. Smith]]'''|'''[[Naval Attaché (Royal Navy)|Royal Navy Naval Attaché at St. Petersburg]]'''<br>1 Apr, 1912{{NLJan18|p. 1817}} – Oct, 1917|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Francis Allen Newton Cromie|Francis A. N. Cromie]]'''<br><small>as '''Royal Navy Naval Attaché at Petrograd'''</small>}} | ||
| Line 38: | Line 49: | ||
{{CatPerson|UK|1870|}} | {{CatPerson|UK|1870|}} | ||
{{CatCapt|UK}} | {{CatCapt|UK}} | ||
| + | {{CatGunneryOfficer|UK}} | ||
{{CatBritannia|January, 1883}} | {{CatBritannia|January, 1883}} | ||
| + | {{CatInterpreter|UK|Spanish}} | ||
| + | {{CatRN}} | ||
Latest revision as of 23:07, 6 April 2022
Captain Harold Granville Grenfell, R.N., Retired (11 January, 1870 – ) served in the Royal Navy. He was a polyglot, speaking at least four foreign languages with considerable fluidity.
Life & Career
Born in Rugby, Harold Grenfell's stepfather, A. D. Graham, Esq. was listed as his guardian when he joined the training ship H.M.S. Britannia in January, 1883. Emerging in December 1884, his next three years were spent in Minotaur of the Channel Squadron and the corvette Tourmaline on the North America and West Indies Station.[1]
Grenfell was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in January, 1890.
By 1892, Grenfell was noted as being conversant to some degree in French and Spanish. In July, he obtained a first-class certificate at the Royal Naval College examination for gunnery lieutenant.[2]
A Court Martial on 29 April, 1896 tried Grenfell on a charge of negligent performance of duty and behaving with contempt toward a superior officer resulted in the charges not being proved. He arrived home on 10 August.[3]
Grenfell was "found gravely to blame" for the death of armourer George Halse on 8 September 1900 at Spectacle Island, Sydney. He arrived back in England on 4 April, 1901. Starkly at odds with the previous pronoucement, he was thanked for his "the manner in which he wrote armourer instructions."[4]
Grenfell was promoted to the rank of Commander in June, 1904. In late 1904, he ventured to Russia for three months to study the language, being placed on half pay for the duration.[5]
Appointed in command of the River Class destroyer Cherwell on 2 October, 1905, Grenfell allowed the ship's propeller to touch ground on 16 November at T[illeg] Bay through what the Admiralty determined was an error in judgment. He was cautioned in the matter.
In early 1906, Cherwell was one of six destroyers to accompany the Second Cruiser Squadron from England to Gibraltar.[6] The destroyer received one poor inspection in 1906, in which Rear-Admiral Winsloe deemed her condition "fair", but not worthy of recommendation.[7]
Grenfell left the ship on 20 November 1906 when he was superseded in command in light of personal affairs. WInsloe futher opined of Grenfell, "has not done very well."[8]
By 1909, Grenfell had also gained some command of Russian, Italian and Portuguese. In June 1911, he passed preliminary examinations in French, Russian, Spanish and Italian.[9]
Grenfell's appointment as Royal Naval Attaché at St. Petersburg in April 1912 extended until October 1917. He served in the Censor's Office at the War Office throughout 1918, and at the end of the year began an eight month stint under the Director of Naval Intelligence in the acting rank of Captain.[10]
After some months of unemployed time, Grenfell was placed on the Retired List on account of age with the rank of Captain on 11 January, 1920.
See Also
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Walter J. W. Steward |
Captain of H.M.S. Grasshopper 10 Apr, 1902[11] – 13 Jan, 1903 |
Succeeded by Samuel M. Agnew |
| Preceded by Charles H. Umfreville |
Captain of H.M.S. Curlew 13 Jan, 1903[12] – 30 Jun, 1904 |
Succeeded by Edgar R. Morant |
| Preceded by ? |
Captain of H.M.S. Waveney 14 Jul, 1904[13] – Aug, 1904[Inference] |
Succeeded by Reginald Y. Tyrwhitt |
| Preceded by William G. Howard |
Captain of H.M.S. Cherwell 2 Oct, 1905[14] – 20 Nov, 1906 |
Succeeded by William F. Benwell |
| Preceded by Aubrey C. H. Smith |
Royal Navy Naval Attaché at St. Petersburg 1 Apr, 1912[15] – Oct, 1917 |
Succeeded by Francis A. N. Cromie as Royal Navy Naval Attaché at Petrograd |
Footnotes
- ↑ Grenfell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/66. f. 72.
- ↑ Grenfell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/66. f. 72.
- ↑ Grenfell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/66. f. 72.
- ↑ Grenfell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/66. f. 72.
- ↑ Grenfell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/66. f. 72.
- ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Thursday, January 4, 1906, Issue 37908, p.8.
- ↑ Grenfell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/66. f. 72.
- ↑ Grenfell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/66. f. 72.
- ↑ Grenfell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/66. f. 72.
- ↑ Grenfell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/66. f. 72.
- ↑ The Navy List. (May, 1902). p. 262.
- ↑ The Navy List. (May, 1903). p. 246.
- ↑ "Appointments for the Naval Manoeuvres." The Times (London, England), Saturday, Jul 09, 1904; pg. 12; Issue 37442.
- ↑ The Navy List. (June, 1906). p. 294.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1918). p. 1817.
