Charles Edward Whately Pyddoke

Captain Charles Edward Whately Pyddoke (4 June, 1874 – 31 January, 1940) was an officer in the Royal Navy during the Great War. Psychological strain prompted his retirement mid-war, but he continued to serve his country in less trying support roles.

Life & Career

Pyddoke passed out of Britannia in December 1888 and was appointed to Iron Duke on the 21st. He also served in Orlando, Cordelia and Narcissus before joining the College on 20 September 1893.

Upon leaving a one year appointment in the Nile in the Mediterranean, Pyddoke was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in October, 1895.

Pyddoke was appointed to Terpsichore on the Cape of Good Hope Station as first and gunnery officer on 1 September, 1904. Leaving her when she paid off on 9 November 1906, Pyddoke was soon given his first ship command, an appointment as captain of the destroyer Speedy dated 8 January, 1907.

He was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1907.

As a Commander, Pyddoke was appointed captain of the destroyer Grafton of the Training Squadron on 9 April, 1913.

He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1914.

Great War

Though Pyddoke had received solid evaluations throughout his peacetime naval career, the stresses of war found his limits.

On 4 August, 1914 Pyddoke was appointed in command of the armed merchant cruiser Empress of Britain. Pyddoke was placed on the ship's sick list on 3 January, 1915 and left the ship three days later, to be sent to Plymouth Hospital suffering from neurasthenia and melancholia. He was not found fit again until 7 September 1915, on which date he was appointed in command of the battleship Mars. On 6 March, 1916 he was appointed in command of the destroyer Intrepid. On 23 May, 1916, Pyddoke was invalided from command of Intrepid after suffering a nervous breakdown.

After spending some time at Haslar Hospital, his condition had not greatly improved. Pyddoke was retired as unfit on 9 October, 1916 and appointed Captain Superintendent of the training ship Cornwall on 17 November, 1916.

See Also

• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Arthur J. Davies	Captain of H.M.S. Kangaroo 14 Aug, 1901 – 20 Oct, 1903	Succeeded by Rowland H. Bather
Preceded by Edgar R. Morant	Captain of H.M.S. Speedy 8 Jan, 1907 – 16 Jul, 1907	Succeeded by Reginald L. Crichton
Preceded by Henry F. G. Talbot	Captain of H.M.S. Mallard 29 Nov, 1908 – 12 Aug, 1910	Succeeded by Henry W. Osburn
Preceded by Frederic A. Whitehead	Captain of H.M.S. Grafton 9 Apr, 1913 – 1 Aug, 1914	Succeeded by Hugh L. P. Heard
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Empress of Britain 4 Aug, 1914 – 6 Jan, 1915	Succeeded by Ernest Wigram
Preceded by Richard M. Harbord	Captain of H.M.S. Mars 7 Sep, 1915 – 6 Mar, 1916	Succeeded by Francis V. Wilson
Preceded by Harry H. Smyth	Captain of H.M.S. Intrepid 6 Mar, 1916 – 23 May, 1916	Succeeded by Rupert S. Gwatkin-Williams
Preceded by Francis W. Caulfieid as Captain of H.M.S. Cornwall	Captain Superintendent of H.M.S. Cornwall 17 Nov, 1916	Succeeded by ?