Claude Congreve Dobson

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Rear-Admiral Claude Congreve Dobson, V.C., D.S.O. (1 January, 1885 – 26 June, 1940) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Dobson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 March, 1906.[1] After appointments in Niobe, Vengeance and Illustrious, he was appointed to Mercury on 12 January, 1907 for instruction in submarines.[2]

Dobson was admitted to Plymouth hospital on 19 August, 1909 to be treated for syphilis, being discharged on 17 September.[3]

In 1911, Dobson was informed that he was to blame for a collision between B 5 and the Lily of Devon. He received the customary mild rebuke that he was to "be more careful in future."[4]

He was appointed to Monarch on 27 March, 1912.[5]

Dobson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 March, 1914.[6]

Dobson was appointed in command of the submarine C 27 on 7 April, 1914.[7] On 20 July, 1915, C 27 sank U 23 off Fair Island.[8][9] Dobson was awarded the D.S.O. for this success, being decorated by the King on 14 October, 1915 at Buckingham Palace.[10]

Dobson was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1918[11] and was superseded in command of the K 10 on 15 August, having been hospitalised two days previously, suffering from neurasthenia (a common consequence of syphilis, given the treatments available in the age). Given four weeks to recover, he was still unfit when discharged on 19 September, but on 10 October was deemed fit for shore service.[12]

Post-War

Dobson's long series of medical surveys spanned the end of the Great War. Declared unfit on 10 April, 1919, he was finally deemed ready for service two weeks later.[13]

Dobson was appointed to Osea on 17 July, 1919 to command a flotilla of Coastal Motor Boats, and was awarded the Victoria Cross "for most conspicuous gallantry" when on 18 August, 1919 his C.M.B. 31BD was credited with scoring two torpedo hits on a Russian battleship in Kronstadt harbour during a raid that Dobson was commanding.

Dobson was re-appointed to Osea for command of a C.M.B. flotilla on 18 December, 1919.[14] His work with these small vessels would take him have to Haslar C.M.B. Base for command of a flotilla on 19 April, 1921. He was superseded on 15 December, 1921.[15]

Dobson was loaned to the R.A.N. on 20 January, 1922, coming back on 9 January, 1925 for an appointment to Victory, additional for U.T. (unpaid time?) no in excess of six months while he battled health and vision problems that rendered him fit for harbour but not sea duty. On 3 March, he was appointed to Centurion, being promoted to Captain on 31 December, 1925 and being superseded on 5 January, 1926.[16]

Dobson was appointed in command of the light cruiser Colombo in October, 1927.

In October, 1931, he was appointed in command of the light cruiser Cambrian.

Dobson was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 1 January, 1935 and promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on the Retired List on 19 July, 1936.[17]

He died, aged 55 years, at Chatham Naval Hospital on 26 June 1940.[18]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
? 		Captain of H.M.S. A 7
1 May, 1909[19] – 1 Mar, 1910[20] 		Succeeded by
Reginald B. Darke
Preceded by
Charles W. Craven 		Captain of H.M.S. B 10
1 Mar, 1910[21][22] – 25 Jul, 1911[23] 		Succeeded by
Samuel M. G. Gravener
Preceded by
Henry H. G. D. Stoker 		Captain of H.M.S. B 5
25 Jul, 1911[24][25] – 27 Mar, 1912[26] 		Succeeded by
Cecil P. Talbot
Preceded by
Geoffrey S. White 		Captain of H.M.S. C 27
7 Apr, 1914[27] – 1 Sep, 1915[28] 		Succeeded by
Alfred M. Winser
Preceded by
New Command 		Captain of H.M.S. E 26
1 Sep, 1915[29] – 22 Jun, 1916[30] 		Succeeded by
Edward W. B. Ryan
Preceded by
Henry D. Gill 		Captain of H.M.S. G 6
22 Jun, 1916[31] – 5 Mar, 1917[32] 		Succeeded by
Cyril G. B. Coltart
Preceded by
New Command 		Captain of H.M.S. K 10
5 Mar, 1917[33] – 5 Aug, 1918[34] 		Succeeded by
Donald I. McGillewie
Preceded by
? 		In Command, Osea C.M.B. Flotilla
1 May, 1919 – 19 Apr, 1921 		Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
? 		In Command, Haslar C.M.B. Flotilla
19 Apr, 1921 – 15 Dec, 1921[35] 		Succeeded by
Sir Leonard P. Vavasour
Preceded by
Miles B. Birkett 		Captain of H.M.S. Caledon
30 Jun, 1927[36] – 8 Aug, 1927[37] 		Succeeded by
Egerton W. Isaacson
Preceded by
James S. C. Salmond 		Captain of H.M.S. Colombo
1 Oct, 1927[38] – 21 Jan, 1930[39] 		Succeeded by
Aubrey T. Tillard
Preceded by
Francis H. G. Walker 		Captain of H.M.S. Canterbury
23 Dec, 1930[40] – 2 Feb, 1931[41] 		Succeeded by
Graham F. W. Wilson
Preceded by
Guy L. Coleridge 		Captain of H.M.S. Malcolm
27 Jun, 1931[42][43] – 14 Jul, 1933[44] 		Succeeded by
William J. Whitworth
Preceded by
Guy L. Coleridge 		Captain (D), Nore Destroyer Flotilla
27 Jun, 1931[45] – 14 Jul, 1933[46] 		Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Guy L. Coleridge 		Captain of H.M.S. Cambrian
17 Oct, 1931[47][48] – 14 Jul, 1933[49] 		Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Arthur L. Snagge 		Senior Officer, Reserve Fleet, The Nore
17 Oct, 1931[50] – 17 Oct, 1933[51] 		Succeeded by
Richard M. King
Preceded by
William T. Makeig-Jones 		Captain of H.M.S. Cardiff
14 Jul, 1933[52] – 17 Oct, 1933[53] 		Succeeded by
Richard M. King

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 22.
  2. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  3. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  4. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  5. ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 346.
  6. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 121.
  7. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 396a.
  8. ↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 3, Part 21. p. 5.
  9. ↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 1, Part 1. p. 13.
  10. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  11. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 346c.
  12. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  13. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  14. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 819-20.
  15. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  16. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  17. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  18. ↑ Express and Echo (Exeter) (Thursday, 27 June 1940), p. 3.
  19. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  20. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  21. ↑ The Monthly Navy List. (March, 1911). p. 317.
  22. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  23. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  24. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1912). p. 317.
  25. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/15
  26. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  27. ↑ The Navy List. (June, 1914). p. 396.
  28. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  29. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/15
  30. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  31. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/15
  32. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  33. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/15
  34. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  35. ↑ "Coastal Motor-Boats." The Times (London, England), Tuesday, Nov 15, 1921; pg. 5; Issue 42878.
  36. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/15
  37. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  38. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  39. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  40. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/15
  41. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  42. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1931). p. 253.
  43. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/15
  44. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  45. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/15
  46. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  47. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1933). p. 219.
  48. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  49. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  50. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  51. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  52. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.
  53. ↑ Dobson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 9.

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