Ralph Douglas Binney
Captain Ralph Douglas Binney, C.B.E., Royal Navy, Retired (14 October, 1888 – 8 December, 1944) was an officer in the Royal Navy. He was the brother of Thomas Hugh Binney.
Life & Career
Binney was born on 14 October 1888, the son of T. G. Binney of Guisnes Court, Tolleshunt D'Arcy, Essex. He entered the Royal Navy as a Naval Cadet on 15 May 1903, joining the training ship Britannia at Dartmouth. He passed out on 15 September 1904, on which day he was rated Midshipman and appointed to the Swiftsure in the Home Fleet, where he served until 10 July 1906.[1] That day he was appointed to Implacable in the Mediterranean from 10 July 1906 to December 1907. Until 15 October 1906 he was educated by the Navigating Officer and not a Naval Instructor. On 15 November he obtained 922 marks out of 1,000 in his seamanship examination and was promoted to the rank of Acting Sub-Lieutenant. The same month he received a £5 prize for the Junior Naval Officers' examination in French. He then studied for and was then examined in the various examinations for the rank of Lieutenant, obtaining first classes in College (Parts I and II), Gunnery, Pilotage and Torpedo. For this achievement he received a £10 prize, and was retrospectively promoted to Lieutenant with seniority of 15 November 1908. For the 1908 manœuvres he was appointed to the "C" Class destroyer Star on 30 June 1908. He was appointed to the "B" Class destroyer Quail on 17 June 1909 for the 1909 manœuvres.[1]
Binney was appointed to Blake for appointment to the River Class destroyer Itchen with the Home Fleet on 7 August 1909.[1]
Binney served in the armoured cruiser Shannon from 1 March, 1910 to 31 April, 1911.[1]
He qualified 13th out of 21 officers.
Binney joined the staff of the Inspector of Torpedo Practice for Home Fleet Battle Practice on 20 August, 1913 and then assisted the staff of the Director of Naval Ordnance in compiling Blue Books until 13 February, 1914.[1]
Binney was appointed as Gunnery Officer of London from 13 February, 1914 until the ship paid off on 27 October 1916. On 11 November he was appointed to Excellent for gunnery duties. He then returned to sea as Gunnery Officer of Collingwood in the Grand Fleet from 5 April 1917 to 12 February 1919.[1]
Binney married Ruth Frances on 6 November, 1918 in Broughton Parish Church.[1]
Post War
Binney was gunnery officer in King George V from 19 July, 1919 through 31 January, 1921, being re-appointed on promotion to Commander on 31 December 1920.[1]
He again applied for the staff course in March 1921, and was recommended by Captain Thesiger.[2]
The director of the college, Captain The Hon. Reginald A. R. P.-E.-E.-Drax, wrote of him:
Sat. Below av. Does not appear to be much gifted with intellect of the type required for Staff Work. Good tempered & cheerful. He may possess other valuable qualities, but has no aptitude for Staff Work & only just succeeded in qualifying.[2]
He was promoted to Captain upon retirement on 21 October, 1934.[1]
Death
Binney died at age 56 of injuries sustained in trying to stop "smash and grab raiders" in London who had made off with jewels valued at 3,500 pounds sterling. Binney had jumped onto the running board of the perpetrators' saloon car as they fled, but he lost this perch and was dragged under the car for a half mile and died at Guy's Hospital.
The driver of the car, a labourer named Ronald Hedley, was charged and found guilty of murder, the sentence being death by hanging. His accomplice, Thomas James Jenkins, welder, was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to eight years' penal servitude. Hedley was an experienced burglar, having been nicknamed "Silver" for repeatedly breaking into a jeweller's named Silver's in Bermondsey. The trial took six days and the two were convicted on 12 March, 1945. Hedley's subsequent appeal was dismissed by the Court of Criminal Appeals on 13 April. However, Hedley was reprieved by the Home Secretary on 26 April, two days before his planned execution on 28 April. In October, 1949 the Metropolitan Commissioner of Police appeared before the Royal Commission on Capital Punishment and stated that he believed that the key reason for the rise of armed gangs after the war had been the failure to execute Hedley in 1945.[3]
Bibliography
- "Marriages" (Marriages). The Times. Thursday, 7 November, 1918. Issue 41941, col C, pg. 9.
- "Naval Officer Dragged Under Car" (News). The Times. Saturday, 9 December, 1944. Issue 50012, col C, pg. 4.
- "Obituary" (Deaths). The Times. Monday, 11 December, 1944. Issue 50013, col E, pg. 6.
- "Funerals" (Deaths). The Times. Friday, 15 December, 1944. Issue 50017, col B, pg. 6.
- Thomas, Donald (2006). Villains' Paradise: A History of Britain's Underworld. London: Pegasus Books. ISBN 1933648171.
Service Record
- The National Archives. ADM 196/51/238.
- The National Archives. ADM 196/127/87.
- The National Archives. ADM 196/144/282.
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by William R. Phillimore |
Captain of H.M.S. Marshal Soult 26 Sep, 1930[4] |
Succeeded by William A. Willock |
Footnotes
