Arthur Henry Christian

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Admiral Arthur H. Christian.
© National Portrait Gallery, London.

Admiral Arthur Henry Christian, C.B., M.V.O., R.N. (31 August, 1863 – 20 August, 1926) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Christian was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1885.[1]

Christian was promoted to the rank of Commander on 1 January, 1896,[2] for services on the West and East Coasts of Africa.[3]

Captain

Christian was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1901.[4] On 5 June, 1902, he was appointed to President for service as Flag Captain to Rear-Admiral Charles C. Drury in Highflyer.[5]

Christian was appointed as captain of the second class protected cruiser Juno on 6 January, 1905.[6]

Christian was appointed to command the new armoured cruiser Duke of Edinburgh on 1 January, 1906[7], and commissioned her on 20 January.[8]

He was appointed to command the battleship Temeraire on 25 October, 1910.[9]

Flag Rank

Christian was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 21 August, 1911, vice de Horsey.[10] From 12 February he was on a Signals course,[11] and from 4 March to 21 June, 1912, he attended the Royal Naval War College, and was placed second out of five flag officers in order of merit. He was adjudged to be: "Very zealous, careful, & sound."[12] From 23 September to 11 October he took a Gunnery course at Portsmouth and from 21 October to 8 November took a Torpedo course there.[13]

On 5 January, 1913, Christian was appointed Rear-Admiral in the Home Fleets at Devonport, and was superseded in that position on 9 May, 1914.[14] From 13 July to 26 July he commanded the Seventh Cruiser Squadron in the test mobilisation.[15]

Great War

He was appointed to command a "Special Force" on 13 August, 1914, with Euryalus as his flagship. Whatever this business was, it ended on 1 October when he struck his flag.[16]

At some point Christian had been considered for command of what became the Dover Patrol. A note in the papers on the loss on Aboukir, Cressy and Hogue reads: "Please tell 1 S.L. not to appoint R.A. Christian to the separate command of the Dover Patrol till I have had the opportunity of further discussion with him."[17]

On 14 March, 1916, Christian was appointed an Additional Member of the Third Class, or Companion, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.) dated 1 January.[18]

Christian was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 13 April, 1917, vice Anson.[19]

Christian was promoted to the rank of Admiral on 1 July, 1919, vice Bayly.[20]

He was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 3 October, 1919.[21]

Bibliography

  • "Admiral Christian" (Obituaries). The Times. Monday, 23 August, 1926. Issue 44357, col D, p. 15.

See Also

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Henry L. Tottenham 		Rear-Admiral in the Home Fleets at Devonport
1913 – 1914 		Succeeded by
Became Seventh Cruiser Squadron

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Frederic E. E. Brock 		Captain of H.M.S. Highflyer
5 Jun, 1902[22] – 24 Nov, 1903[23] 		Succeeded by
Robert S. Phipps Hornby
Preceded by
William F. De Salis 		Captain of H.M.S. Juno
6 Jan, 1905[24] – 27 Jun, 1905[25] 		Succeeded by
John G. Hewitt
Preceded by
New Command 		Captain of H.M.S. Duke of Edinburgh
1 Jan, 1906[26] – 9 Jan, 1908[27] 		Succeeded by
Harry H. Stileman
Preceded by
Edwyn S. Alexander-Sinclair 		Captain of H.M.S. Racer
24 Jun, 1908[28] – 5 Oct, 1910 		Succeeded by
Horace L. A. Hood
Preceded by
Edwyn S. Alexander-Sinclair 		Captain of Royal Naval College, Osborne
16 Jul, 1908[29] – 5 Oct, 1910[30] 		Succeeded by
The Hon. Horace L. A. Hood
Preceded by
Alexander L. Duff 		Captain of H.M.S. Temeraire
25 Oct, 1910[31][32] – 12 Aug, 1911[33] 		Succeeded by
Reginald A. Allenby
Preceded by
Archibald G. H. W. Moore 		Rear-Admiral Commanding, Seventh Cruiser Squadron
13 Jul, 1914[34] – 26 Jul, 1914[35] 		Succeeded by
Henry H. Campbell
Preceded by
Stuart Nicholson 		Rear-Admiral, Second in Command, Eastern Mediterranean Squadron
Jul, 1915[36] – 20 Jul, 1917[37] 		Succeeded by
Sydney R. Fremantle

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 25545. p. 7. 1 January, 1886.
  2. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 26694. p. 7532. 31 December, 1895.
  3. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 26696. p. 4. 3 January, 1896.
  4. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 27393. p. 3. 3 January, 1902.
  5. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Saturday, 3 May, 1902. Issue 36758, col B, p. 14.
  6. ↑ Christian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 142.
  7. ↑ Christian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 142.
  8. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 72.
  9. ↑ Christian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 142.
  10. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 28525. p. 6306. 25 August, 1911.
  11. ↑ ADM 196/42. f. 142.
  12. ↑ ADM 203/99. f. 49.
  13. ↑ ADM 196/42. f. 142.
  14. ↑ ADM 196/42. f. 142.
  15. ↑ ADM 196/20. f. 435.
  16. ↑ Christian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 142.
  17. ↑ The National Archives. ADM 137/47. f. 65.
  18. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29507. p. 2869. 14 March, 1916.
  19. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 30022. p. 3599. 17 April, 1917.
  20. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 31433. p. 8390. 4 July, 1919.
  21. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 31610. p. 12892. 21 October, 1919.
  22. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Saturday, 3 May, 1902. Issue 36758, col B, p. 14.
  23. ↑ Christian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 142.
  24. ↑ Christian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 142.
  25. ↑ Christian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 142.
  26. ↑ Christian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 142.
  27. ↑ Christian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 142.
  28. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 364.
  29. ↑ Christian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 142.
  30. ↑ Christian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 142.
  31. ↑ Christian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 142.
  32. ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 383.
  33. ↑ Christian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 142.
  34. ↑ Christian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. p. 435.
  35. ↑ Christian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. p. 435.
  36. ↑ Christian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 142.
  37. ↑ Christian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 142.

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