Reginald Watkins Grubb

File:Reginald Watkins Grubb Magnificent.jpg

Grubb as a Midshipman in Magnificent, c. 1905.
From official officers' photograph in album of George Napier Tomlin.

Captain (retired) Reginald Watkins Grubb (15 July, 1883 – 13 December, 1954) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

The son of Lt. Col. A. Grubb of the Royal artillery, Retired was born in Charlton, Kent.

Though they were not to pass out until the following year, Grubb enlivened the passing-out ceremony of December, 1897 at Britannia by dancing the hornpipe with cadets Robinson and Longstaff.

Grubb was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1904. On 16 July, he was appointed to the battleship H.M.S. Magnificent along with Lt. George Napier Tomlin, in whose photo album Grubb and also his cabin appear. He left the ship in November 1906 and went to the Royal Naval Barracks at Pembroke Royal Dockyard. Upon leaving there in November of 1908, he took a short course in gunnery and then spent eight months in the destroyer Diamond before being given command of Sunfish for four months, then Thrasher for nine months, and then Doon for a little over one year. Grubb left Doon when he was appointed in command of the destroyer Rattlesnake on 7 October, 1911.

Grubb was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 June, 1912 and remained in Rattlesnake until being placed in Sutlej during the Test Mobilisation in July 1914. Though he had been appointed for command of Linnet, this was rescinded and he was appointed in command of the Laforey Class destroyer Leonidas on 1 August, 1914.

Grubb was commended for his work in sinking two German coastal torpedo boats Template:DE-A2 and Template:DE-A6 on 1 May, 1915 at the Battle off Noordhinder Bank when in command of Leonidas.

Grubb was appointed to the "M" Class destroyer Marvel on 14 December, 1915, to take command upon her commissioning. He commanded the destroyer Marvel five and a half months later at the Battle of Jutland as part of the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla. During the battle, her four ship-strong First Division was ordered to attack German destroyers at 7.43pm. They felt that they sank a German destroyer flying a Commodore's pendant and rejoined Faulknor at 8.8pm.

Grubb commanded the "M" Class destroyer Mary Rose from 25 August, 1916 to 23 February, 1917, being promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1916.

Post-War

In December, 1919, Admiral Cowan recorded his dissatisfaction with Grubb for having returned to Rosyth with a topmast that had carried away when Cowan felt this could have been replaced by the ship.

Grubb was placed on the Retired List at his own request upon his relief on 10 November, 1920.

Grubb was promoted to the rank of Captain on the Retired List on 15 July, 1928.

World War II

Grubb was called up for work with the Naval Officer in Charge, Clyde in 1939. Sent to Bermuda in April 1940, he functioned as N.C.S.O. Bermuda from 25 August, 1940 before being recalled to Portsmouth in December, 1940 where he undertook an appointment , though he was "N.T.J." [not to join].

He reverted to the Retired List on 9 July, 1943 but on 1 August was called for special duty outside Ministry of War Transport. This appointment was terminated on 31 October, 1944 and Grubb was reverted to the Retired List the following day.

See Also

• Service Records
• Twelfth D.F. (Royal Navy) at the Battle of Jutland
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Henry C. Stahl	Captain of H.M.S. Sunfish 4 Aug, 1909 – 24 Jan, 1910	Succeeded by Francis S. McGachen
Preceded by George H. Knowles	Captain of H.M.S. Thrasher 24 Jan, 1910 – 10 Sep, 1910	Succeeded by Richard A. A. Plowden
Preceded by Richard A. A. Plowden	Captain of H.M.S. Doon 10 Sep, 1910 – 7 Oct, 1911	Succeeded by Ralph W. Wilkinson
Preceded by James F. Dewar	Captain of H.M.S. Rattlesnake 7 Oct, 1911 – Jun, 1914	Succeeded by Philip G. Wodehouse
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Leonidas 1 Aug, 1914 – 14 Dec, 1915	Succeeded by William E. B. Magee
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Marvel 14 Dec, 1915 – 25 Aug, 1916	Succeeded by Edwin A. Homan
Preceded by Edwin A. Homan	Captain of H.M.S. Mary Rose 25 Aug, 1916 – 23 Feb, 1917	Succeeded by Charles Leonard Fox
Preceded by Gerald C. Harrison	Captain of H.M.S. Manners 19 Apr, 1917 – 1 May, 1917	Succeeded by Charles E. H. White
Preceded by Ambrose T. N. Abbay	Captain of H.M.S. Rob Roy 22 Jan, 1919 – Sep, 1919	Succeeded by Kenneth B. Millar
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Sturdy 1 Oct, 1919 – 5 Mar, 1920	Succeeded by Alfred E. Evans
Preceded by Philip H. Waterer	Captain of H.M.S. Ark Royal 12 Jul, 1920 – c. 20 Nov, 1920	Succeeded by Douglas Faviell