Lancelot Vivian Donne

Captain (retired) Lancelot Vivian Donne, D.S.C.* (23 January, 1895 – 11 May, 1952) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Donne was the son of a tea merchant.

Donne was made a Midshipman on 15 September, 1912 and took up his first appointment in the battleship Britannia, in which he served until 11 May, 1915 when he was appointed to the flotilla leader Tipperary.

On 14 February 1916, he was sent to Dolphin for a course in submarines. He emerged on 1 April and was sent to Thames for service in submarines. By 1 August, he was in C 3.

Donne was appointed to D 7 on 9 October 1916 and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 November, 1916, subsequently adjusted to 30 June, 1916.

He was appointed to E 42 on 22 December 1917 and was her first officer when she torpedoed the German Moltke, for which he received much of the credit. He attended the Periscope Course at Dolphin from 27 June to 15 July 1918, when he was appointed in command of C 18, in which he would serve the remainder of the war.

Donne was appointed in command of the submarine H 23 on 3 September, 1920.

Donne was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 June, 1924.

Donne was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1929.

World War II

Donne was placed on the Retired List on account of age at the rank of Captain dated 23 January, 1945.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Frank P. Busbridge	Captain of H.M.S. C 18 15 Jul, 1918 – 25 Nov, 1918	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Douglas R. Attwood	Captain of H.M.S. G 5 25 Nov, 1918 – 14 Sep, 1920	Succeeded by Robert N. Stopford
Preceded by John G. H. Steedman	Captain of H.M.S. H 23 3 Sep, 1920 – 1 Sep, 1921	Succeeded by Aubrey C. Newbold
Preceded by Gerald A. Garnons-Williams	Captain of H.M.S. H 32 23 Sep, 1922 – 1923	Succeeded by Alastair S. Cumming
Preceded by Thomas E. Hodge	Captain of H.M.S. Cheltenham 10 Jul, 1924 – 25 Aug, 1924	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Frederick R. M. Johnson	Captain of H.M.S. Ladybird 27 Dec, 1926 – Feb, 1928	Succeeded by Trevor O. C. Plowden
Preceded by Henry L. I. Kirkpatrick	Captain of H.M.S. Weston 12 Nov, 1934 – 28 Jul, 1935	Succeeded by John H. Bowen
Preceded by Alfred W. Sprott	Captain of H.M.S. Calypso 22 Feb, 1936 – 22 Jul, 1936	Succeeded by Henry T. W. Pawsey
Preceded by Wilfrid R. Patterson	Captain of H.M.S. Hawkins 10 May, 1937 – 23 May, 1937	Succeeded by Wilfrid R. Patterson
Preceded by Edmund W. Anstice	Captain of H.M.S. Carlisle 27 Jul, 1937 – 6 Oct, 1937	Succeeded by Lionel P. Skipwith
Preceded by Arthur G. Skipwith	Captain of H.M.S. Hermes 6 Oct, 1937 – 26 Jan, 1938	Succeeded by Cuthbert F. B. Bowlby
Preceded by Wilfred E. Warner	Captain of H.M.S. Diomede mid 1938 – 4 Aug, 1939	Succeeded by Edward B. C. Dicken