Reginald St. Pierre Parry

Vice-Admiral Reginald St. P. Parry as a Captain, 1919.
Portrait: © National Portrait Gallery, London.

Vice-Admiral Reginald St. Pierre Parry, D.S.O., M.V.O., Royal Navy, Retired (29 June, 1879 – 17 July, 1939) was an officer in the Royal Navy. By our count, his command of a succession of 27 vessels makes him the most accomplished seagoing commander of the era.

Life & Career

Parry was the son of Lieutenant Colonel R. C. Parry.

Parry was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1901.

Beginning with an appointment in command of Cynthia on 24 July, 1905, Parry proceeded to command four further destroyers over the next forty months. Upon being discharged from the last, Teviot on 22 March, 1910, he was appointed to the battleship Russell.

Parry married Violet Beatrice Weymouth on 16 February, 1911 at St. Paul's Cathedral in Valetta, Malta. He was re-appointed in Russell as first officer on 1 August, 1911.

Parry was appointed in command of the destroyer Staunch on 3 December, 1912.

Parry was appointed in command of the destroyer Lynx on 16 December, 1913 and was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1913.

The Great War

Despite being in command of twelve separate ships during the War, Parry missed the Battle of Jutland.

Post-War

He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1919.

Parry was appointed in command of the battleship Neptune on 8 August, 1920.

In October 1921, he was appointed in command of Lion.

In July 1922, he was appointed in command of the light cruiser Caradoc. He was superseded on 20 August, 1924. In October, he began a Senior Officer's Technical Course in Portsmouth.

After Parry had commanded over 25 different ships, a memo from the Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth Station, Admiral Keyes dated 20 March, 1930 recommended that neither he nor Ernest William Leir should be retained for employment at flag rank.

Parry was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 7 April, 1931 and was placed on the Retired List the next day.

He was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on the Retired List on 1 January, 1936.

Bibliography

• "Vice-Admiral St. P. Parry" (Obituaries). The Times. Wednesday, 19 July, 1939. Issue 48361, col C, p. 16.

Service Records

• The National Archives. ADM 196/142.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/125.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/91.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/45.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Norman H. Carter	Captain of H.M.S. Cynthia 24 Jul, 1905 – Sep, 1905	Succeeded by Henry R. Heathcote
Preceded by Morris E. Cochrane	Captain of H.M.S. Fawn 19 Sep, 1905	Succeeded by Albert M. H. Phillips
Preceded by Albert M. H. Phillips	Captain of H.M.S. Crane 10 Jan, 1906 – 28 May, 1906	Succeeded by Henry F. D. Jelf
Preceded by Lionel J. G. Anderson	Captain of H.M.S. Vulture 28 May, 1906 – 24 Jan, 1908	Succeeded by Hugh T. Prichard
Preceded by Hubert S. Cardale	Captain of H.M.S. Teviot 24 Jan, 1908 – 22 Mar, 1910	Succeeded by Wilfred A. Thompson
Preceded by Frederick H. Hallowes	Captain of H.M.S. Astræa 19 Sep, 1912 – 3 Dec, 1912	Succeeded by John F. F. Anderson
Preceded by Hubert E. Gore-Langton	Captain of H.M.S. Staunch 3 Dec, 1912 – 16 Dec, 1913	Succeeded by Claude L. Bate
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Lynx 16 Dec, 1913 – 12 Jan, 1915	Succeeded by John F. H. Cole
Preceded by Charles F. Thorp	Captain of H.M.S. Edgar 20 Mar, 1915 – 7 May, 1915	Succeeded by Douglas L. Dent
Preceded by Harold O. Reinold	Captain of H.M.S. Hermione 7 May, 1915 – 15 May, 1915	Succeeded by Charles T. Gervers
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Medea 15 May, 1915 – 6 Dec, 1915	Succeeded by George L. D. Gibbs
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Magic 6 Dec, 1915 – mid Dec, 1915	Succeeded by Gerald C. Wynter
Preceded by Gerald C. Wynter	Captain of H.M.S. Nemesis c. mid Dec, 1915 – 27 Jan, 1916	Succeeded by Richard L. Hamer
Preceded by Ernest W. Kirkby	Captain of H.M.S. Cameleon 27 Jan, 1916 – 29 Mar, 1916	Succeeded by Hugh T. Prichard
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Nestor 29 Mar, 1916 – Apr, 1916	Succeeded by E. B. S. Bingham
Preceded by The Hon. Edward B. S. Bingham	Captain of H.M.S. Hornet Apr, 1916 – 11 Jun, 1917	Succeeded by George C. H. Lawson
Preceded by Walter C. Clark-Hall	Captain of H.M.S. Plover 11 Jun, 1917 – 19 Jul, 1917	Succeeded by Reginald B. C. Hutchinson
Preceded by Harold E. Sulivan	Captain of H.M.S. Kempenfelt 19 Jul, 1917 – 27 Feb, 1918	Succeeded by Edmond A. B. Stanley
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Whirlwind 27 Feb, 1918 – 20 Feb, 1919	Succeeded by Brian C. Gourley
Preceded by Rafe G. Rowley-Conwy	Captain of H.M.S. Parker 12 Mar, 1919 – 7 Jul, 1919	Succeeded by Claud F. Allsup
Preceded by Casper B. Ballard	Captain of H.M.S. Neptune 8 Aug, 1920 – 14 Apr, 1921	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by John D. Kelly	Captain of H.M.S. Princess Royal 14 Apr, 1921 – 1 Jul, 1921	Succeeded by Hartley R. G. Moore
Preceded by Ralph Eliot	Captain of H.M.S. Hercules 1 Jul, 1921 – Oct, 1921	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Arthur L. Gresson	Captain of H.M.S. Lion Oct, 1921 – Jun, 1922	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Guy P. Bigg-Wither	Captain of H.M.S. Caradoc 25 Jul, 1922 – 20 Aug, 1924	Succeeded by Reginald St. P. Parry
Preceded by Reginald St. P. Parry	Captain of H.M.S. Caradoc 20 Aug, 1922 – 22 Aug, 1922	Succeeded by Hugh D. Hamilton
Preceded by Ernest W. Leir	Captain of H.M.S. Triad 17 Dec, 1925 – 28 Jan, 1928	Succeeded by Hector Boyes
Preceded by Ernest W. Leir	Senior Officer, Persian Gulf 17 Dec, 1925 – 28 Jan, 1928	Succeeded by Hector Boyes
Preceded by Alexander R. W. Woods	Captain of Portsmouth Dockyard 3 Dec, 1928 – 18 Jan, 1931	Succeeded by Edward B. Cloete
Preceded by Rodolph H. F. De Salis	Captain of H.M.S. Vindictive 18 Feb, 1931 – 7 Apr, 1931[Inference]	Succeeded by Arthur M. Lecky