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{{CaptRN}} (retired) '''George Piercy Leith''', C.B.E. (3 August, 1877 &ndash; 31 August, 1945) served in the [[Royal Navy]]. ==Life & Career== George Leith gained nine months' time on passing out of {{UK-1Britannia}} in December, 1892. His first appointment was to {{UK-EmpressOfIndia}}, dated 13 January, 1894.<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref> Following appointments in {{UK-Camperdown}} and {{UK-Volage}}, Leith received his first experience in torpedo craft when he was appointed to {{UK-Vivid}}, additional, for the {{UK-Decoy|f=t}}, operating out of Devonport, on 15 September, 1898. He left her for an appointment in {{UK-Victorious}}, in China, on 10 January, 1899.<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref> Leith was returned to Western service when appointed to {{UK-Cambrian}} of the [[Training Squadron]] on 10 August, 1900 and then to {{UK-Hyacinth}} some time later in the year. He was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} on 31 December, 1900 and ended his appointment in ''Hyacinth''. On 7 February, 1901 he was given an appointment in {{UK-Terpsichore}} on the [[Cape of Good Hope Station]]. This would last over three years, ending on 25 April, 1904.<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref> Leith returned to work in destroyers when he was appointed in command of {{UK-Opossum}} on 14 July for the annual manoeuvres of 1904. These stints usually lasted just a few weeks or months, and Leith was cautioned after he committed an error in judgment which resulted in a collision between {{UK-Opossum}} and {{UK-Teazer}}. He was then appointed to {{UK-Boscawen}} for ''Boscawen III'' later in the year.<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref> Leith left ''Boscawen'' on 1 January, 1906 for an appointment in command of the {{UK-Dasher|f=t}}. Leith grounded ''Dasher'' on Maplin Sands due to what was determined to be his own "want of care." In April, he was placed in command of {{UK-Ness}}. At the end of May, he moved to command {{UK-Conflict}}. On 4 October 1906, he was given command of {{UK-Peterel}} of the [[Home Fleet]].<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref> On 29 October, 1907, Leith was appointed in command of the {{UK-Ribble|f=c}} of the Channel Fleet. On 25 May, 1908, Leith aroused Their Lordships' "severe displeasure" over his failure to forward a report of a collision between {{UK-Ribble}} and S.S. ''Presto''. Leith was appointed from ''Ribble'' to command of the {{UK-Moorhen|f=t}} on the [[China Station]] on 19 April, 1909 and took over command of the ship on 17 June. He received a favourable inspection report on her in April of 1910 and distinguished himself in 1912 by fitting her with an ad-hoc wireless installation. Leith was appointed in command of the {{UK-Topaze|f=t}} in mid-April, 1913 and promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} on 30 June, 1913. On 4 August, he was appointed to ''President'', additional, where he was to provide "special service" prior to joining the Naval Mission to Greece in company with Admiral [[Mark Edward Frederic Kerr|Mark Kerr]]. Leith left England on 17 September, 1913.<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref> ==Great War== Leith served in Greece, on the books of ''Egmont'' until 5 May 1916 when he embarked to return to England. On 19 August, 1916, Leith towed the torpedoed {{UK-Falmouth|f=t}}. On the night of 12 September, 1916, Leith exhibited a "skilful manner" when he attempted to ram an enemy submarine with the {{UK-Spitfire|f=t}}. On 31 January, 1917, Leith was reportedly sick. On 2 October 1917, he grounded {{UK-Porpoise}} and was cautioned to exercise greater care in future. ==Interbellum== On 24 March, 1919, Leith was appointed to ''Egmont'' for special service on the Danube. On 15 February, 1920, Leith took over command of the Danube Flotilla. He returned to England when he was relieved by Captain [[John Fenwick Warton|Warton]]. On 29 November, 1920, he received his last meaningful naval appointment as Officer Instructor, Tyneside Division [[Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve]], vice Kerr.<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref> Leith was invested with the C.B.E. (M) at Buckingham Palace on 2 December, 1920. With the prospects for long-term continued employment in the Royal Navy becoming dimmer, he inquired about serving in the [[Royal Australian Navy]] in early 1922, but was informed that all vacancies were filled. After being superseded at Tyneside on 27 June, 1923, Leith was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of {{CaptRN}} on 19 January, 1924.<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref> There are entries in his service record hinting that Leith went bankrupt in the mid-1920s, but there are no indications that he was contacted for service in World War II. He died on 31 August, 1945.<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref> ==See Also== {{refbegin}} * [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_rv=simple&_q=ADM+George+Piercy+Leith Service Records] {{WP|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Piercy_Leith}} {{refend}} <div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}} {{TabNaval}} {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Frederick George Brine|Frederick G. Brine]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Opossum (1895)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Opossum'']]'''<br>14 Jul, 1904<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref> &ndash; 1904<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Claude Hillersden Woodward|Claude H. Woodward]]'''}} {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[John Gilbert de Odingsells Coke|John G. de O. Coke]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Dasher (1894)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Dasher'']]'''<br>1 Jan, 1906<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref> &ndash; 1 Apr, 1906<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Leonard Stanley Holbrook|L. Stanley Holbrook]]'''}} {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[H.M.S. Ness (1905)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Ness'']]'''<br>1 Apr, 1906<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref> &ndash; 28 May, 1906<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Stanley Venn Ellis|Stanley V. Ellis]]'''}} {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Charles William Chipp|Charles W. Chipp]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Conflict (1894)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Conflict'']]'''<br>28 May, 1906<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref> &ndash; 4 Oct, 1906<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[William Charles Castle|William C. Castle]]'''}} {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Osmond James Prentis|Osmond J. Prentis]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Peterel (1899)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Peterel'']]'''<br>4 Oct, 1906<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref>{{NLMar07|p. 356}} &ndash; 29 Oct, 1907<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Mark Goodwin Newton|Mark G. Newton]]'''}} {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Percy Lockhart Harnam Noble|Percy L. H. Noble]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Ribble (1904)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Ribble'']]'''<br>29 Oct, 1907<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref>{{NLOct08|p. 366}} &ndash; 19 Apr, 1909<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Sandford Grant Radcliffe Nevile|Sandford G. R. Nevile]]'''}} {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Robert Ernest Vaughan|Robert E. Vaughan]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Moorhen (1875)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Moorhen'']]'''<br>19 Apr, 1909<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref>{{NLJan10|p. 347}} &ndash; 10 Oct, 1912<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Victor Percy Alleyne|Victor P. Alleyne]]'''}} {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Charles John Wintour|Charles J. Wintour]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Topaze (1903)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Topaze'']]'''<br>14 Apr, 1913<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref>{{NLAug13|p. 387}} &ndash; 4 Aug, 1913<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[William Johns Beckett Law|William J. B. Law]]'''}} {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Hugh Davenport Colville|Hugh D. Colville]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Porpoise (1913)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Porpoise'']]'''<br>May, 1916{{NLNov17|p. 396''m''}} &ndash; 23 Oct, 1917<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Frederick Wilfrid Fogarty Fegen|Frederick W. F. Fegen]]'''}} {{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[John Foster Grant-Dalton|John F. Grant-Dalton]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Armadale Castle (1903)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Armadale Castle'']]'''<br>13 Dec, 1917<ref>Leith Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/437.|D7576629}} f. 439.</ref>{{NLDec18|p. 988}} &ndash; 14 Jan, 1919|Succeeded by<br>'''?'''}} {{TabEnd}} </div name=fredbot:appts> ==Footnotes== {{reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Leith, George Piercy}} {{CatPerson|UK|1877|1945}} {{CatCaptain|UK}} {{CatBritannia|January, 1892}}

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