Robert Henry Coppinger

Rear-Admiral (retired) Robert Henry Coppinger, C.B.E. (5 March, 1877 – ) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Coppinger was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 May, 1898.

After a series of appointments in the North American, Channel and Home squadrons, he was appointed to Marathon on 2 June, 1898, which was then assigned to the East Indies Station. On 11 May, 1900, he was ordered home to qualify for gunnery duties.

Coppinger commanded Avon in the Annual Manoeuvres of 1901. This was followed by a series of additional course in gunnery and some staff assignments for gunnery instruction. He had his opportunities to apply this training with two years as gunnery officer in Royal Sovereign from June, 1903 and then in Mars, New Zealand, Hermione and Liverpool.

Coppinger was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1910 and discharged from Liverpool on 12 January of the new year.

He was appointed to Formidable on 21 February, 1911 but was relieved in her on 2 January of 1912 following an unsatisfactory report. After three months in command of the destroyer Violet, he was appointed in command of Dido on 23 August. In February, 1913, she collided with the armoured cruiser Berwick, and Their Lordships expressed their "severe displeasure" with Coppinger for an error in judgment.

Coppinger was appointed in command of the destroyer Flirt on 15 April, 1913.

He was appointed in command of the destroyer Crane on 2 February, 1914.

Great War

Coppinger was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1916.

He was appointed in command of the battleship Dreadnought on 25 February, 1919.

Coppinger was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 16 July, 1922. He was thanked for offering his services in 1939 for World War II.

See Also

• Wikipedia

Service Records

• The National Archives. ADM 196/44.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/90.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/141.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/125.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by John R. Segrave	Captain of H.M.S. Avon 16 Jul, 1901	Succeeded by James W. G. Innes
Preceded by Rafe G. Rowley-Conwy	Captain of H.M.S. Violet 1 May, 1912 – 23 Aug, 1912	Succeeded by Ronald E. Chilcott
Preceded by Berwick Curtis	Captain of H.M.S. Dido 23 Aug, 1912 – 8 Apr, 1913	Succeeded by Frederic A. Whitehead
Preceded by Stuart E. Holder	Captain of H.M.S. Flirt 15 Apr, 1913 – 2 Feb, 1914	Succeeded by Hubert S. Braddyll
Preceded by Hubert S. Braddyll	Captain of H.M.S. Crane 2 Feb, 1914 – 15 Jun, 1915	Succeeded by Arthur K. Gibson
Preceded by Thomas K. Maxwell	Captain of H.M.S. Crusader 15 Jun, 1915 – Aug, 1915	Succeeded by Thomas C. H. Williams
Preceded by Gerald C. Harrison	Captain of H.M.S. Swift 5 Aug, 1915 – 3 Jul, 1916	Succeeded by Ambrose M. Peck
Preceded by Charles W. Bruton	Captain of H.M.S. Orcoma 6 Jul, 1916 – 10 Jan, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Maurice S. FitzMaurice	Captain of H.M.S. Dreadnought 25 Feb, 1919 – 31 Mar, 1920	Succeeded by ?