Difference between revisions of "Michael Henley Wilding"

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==Life & Career==
 
==Life & Career==
Michael Henley Wilding was born on 20 November, 1875, the son of Mr. C. F. Wilding, of St. Mary's Lodge, Kidlington, Oxford.  He entered the training ship [[H.M.S. Britannia (Training Ship)|''Britannia'']] in 1890, and was promoted {{LieutRN}} in September, 1898.  He served under {{CaptRN}} [[Archibald Berkeley Milne, Second Baronet|Berkeley Milne]] in the battleship {{UK-Jupiter}}.  In 1903 he was given his first command, the destroyer {{UK-Charger}}.  He served as Executive Officer of the gunboat ''Sphinx'' in the [[East Indies Squadron (Royal Navy)|East Indies]], before being given command of the {{UK-Hebe}} in 1907.
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Michael Henley Wilding was born on 20 November, 1875, the son of Mr. C. F. Wilding, of St. Mary's Lodge, Kidlington, Oxford.  He entered the training ship [[H.M.S. Britannia (Training Ship)|''Britannia'']] in 1890, and was promoted {{LieutRN}} in September, 1898.  He served under {{CaptRN}} [[Archibald Berkeley Milne, Second Baronet|Berkeley Milne]] in the battleship {{UK-Jupiter}}.  In 1903 he was given his first command, the destroyer {{UK-Charger}}.   
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In February, 1904 {{UK-Leven}} collided with a lighter through what was determined to be an error in judgement on Wilding's part as Lieutenant-in-Command .  A second collision, with the Torpoint Ferry Bridge in May 1905[?] was also deemed Wilding's fault, this time through what Lord Walter Kerr called a "gross error" in judgement.  This second one is curious, as Wilding should no longer have been in command at that date.<ref>Wilding Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/44/208.|}} f. 237.</ref>
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Wilding served as Executive Officer of the gunboat ''Sphinx'' in the [[East Indies Squadron (Royal Navy)|East Indies]], before being given command of the {{UK-Hebe}} in 1907.
  
 
In 1909 he took command of the river gunboat {{UK-Woodcock}} on the [[China Station]].  In the Coronation Honours of 1911 he was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}}.  He served in the cruisers {{UK-Terrible}} and {{UK-Aboukir}} in reserve, and in March, 1914 joined {{UK-Lancaster}} in the {{UK-CS|4}}.
 
In 1909 he took command of the river gunboat {{UK-Woodcock}} on the [[China Station]].  In the Coronation Honours of 1911 he was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}}.  He served in the cruisers {{UK-Terrible}} and {{UK-Aboukir}} in reserve, and in March, 1914 joined {{UK-Lancaster}} in the {{UK-CS|4}}.
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For a period of the [[First World War]] he remained with the {{UK-Lancaster}} on service in the Atlantic.  In 1916 he was on administrative duties with the [[Royal Naval Air Service]] before being appointed in June to command the {{UK-Virginian|f=t}} in the {{UK-CS|10}}.  He was appointed to command the {{UK-Europa|f=t}} in March, 1919.  In July, 1919 he was appointed as Captain of the base of the [[Aegean Squadron (Royal Navy)|Aegean Squadron]] at Mudros.
 
For a period of the [[First World War]] he remained with the {{UK-Lancaster}} on service in the Atlantic.  In 1916 he was on administrative duties with the [[Royal Naval Air Service]] before being appointed in June to command the {{UK-Virginian|f=t}} in the {{UK-CS|10}}.  He was appointed to command the {{UK-Europa|f=t}} in March, 1919.  In July, 1919 he was appointed as Captain of the base of the [[Aegean Squadron (Royal Navy)|Aegean Squadron]] at Mudros.
  
In recognition of his services in command of {{UK-Virginian}}, Wilding was appointed C.B.E. on 12 July, 1919.  He was placed on the Retired List in 1922.
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In recognition of his services in command of {{UK-Virginian}}, Wilding was appointed C.B.E. on 12 July, 1919.  He was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 19 May, 1922.
  
 
==Bibliography==
 
==Bibliography==
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<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
 
<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
 
{{TabNaval}}
 
{{TabNaval}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[George Halliday Brown|George H. Brown]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Charger (1894)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Charger'']]'''<br>15 Oct, 1903<ref>"Captain Wilding, R.N." (Obituaries).  ''The Times''.  Wednesday, 14 June, 1933.  Issue '''46470''', col D, pg 16.</ref> &ndash; 1 Nov, 1903|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Christopher Powell Metcalfe|Christopher P. Metcalfe]]'''}}
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{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[George Halliday Brown|George H. Brown]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Charger (1894)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Charger'']]'''<br>15 Oct, 1903<ref>"Captain Wilding, R.N." (Obituaries).  ''The Times''.  Wednesday, 14 June, 1933.  Issue '''46470''', col D, pg 16.</ref> &ndash; 1 Nov, 1903|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Geoffrey Basil Spicer-Simson|Geoffrey B. Spicer-Simson]]'''}}
 
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[George Halliday Brown|George H. Brown]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Leven (1898)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Leven'']]'''<br>2 Nov, 1903 &ndash; 13 May, 1904|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Hubert Searle Cardale|Hubert S. Cardale]]'''}}
 
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[George Halliday Brown|George H. Brown]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Leven (1898)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Leven'']]'''<br>2 Nov, 1903 &ndash; 13 May, 1904|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Hubert Searle Cardale|Hubert S. Cardale]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[John Maxwell Dalrymple Elphinstone Warren|John M. D. E. Warren]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Hebe (1892)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Hebe'']]'''<br>5 Feb, 1907{{NLOct08|p. 325}}|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Evelyn Leonard Beridge Boothby|Evelyn L. B. Boothby]]'''}}
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{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[John Maxwell Dalrymple Elphinstone Warren|John M. D. E. Warren]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Hebe (1892)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Hebe'']]'''<br>5 Feb, 1907{{NLOct08|p. 325}} &ndash; 9 Feb, 1909|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Marcus Francis Beresford Whyte|Marcus F. B. Whyte]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Charles Archibald Wise Wrightson|Charles A. W. Wrightson]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Woodcock (1898)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Woodcock'']]'''<br>8 Jul, 1909 &ndash; 5 Aug, 1911|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Charles Gray Pitcairn Jones|Charles G. P. Jones]]'''}}
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{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Humphrey Randle Upton Cottrell-Dormer|Humphrey R. U. Cottrell-Dormer]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Woodcock (1898)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Woodcock'']]'''<br>8 Jul, 1909 &ndash; 5 Aug, 1911|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Richard Orlando Beaconsfield Bridgeman|Richard O. B. Bridgeman]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Herbert Neville Garnett|Herbert N. Garnett]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Virginian (1904)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Virginian'']]'''<br>16 Jun, 1916{{NLFeb19|p. 1009}} &ndash; after Jan, 1919{{NLFeb19|p. 1009}}|Succeeded by<br>'''?'''}}
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{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Humphrey Hugh Smith|Humphrey H. Smith]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Virginian (1904)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Virginian'']]'''<br>16 Jun, 1916{{NLFeb19|p. 1009}} &ndash; after Jan, 1919{{NLFeb19|p. 1009}}|Succeeded by<br>'''?'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Claude Alwin Rombulow-Pearse|Claude A. Rombulow-Pearse]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Europa (1897)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Europa'']]'''<br>1 Mar, 1919{{NLMar20|p. 771}} &ndash; 27 Mar, 1919<ref>Inferred that he was still in command when she paid off on this date.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''Vessel Paid Off for Sale'''}}
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{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Claude Alwin Rombulow-Pearse|Claude A. Rombulow-Pearse]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Europa (1897)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Europa'']]'''<br>1 Mar, 1919{{NLMar20|p. 771}} &ndash; ''c''. Oct, 1920|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Herbert Gerald Briggs|Herbert Gerald Briggs]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[Mudros|Captain of Base, Mudros]]'''<br>?|Succeeded by<br>'''?'''}}
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{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Bertram Sutton Evans|Bertram S. Evans]]'''|'''[[Mudros|Captain of Base, Mudros]]'''<br>1 Mar, 1919 &ndash; 4 Oct, 1920|Succeeded by<br>'''?'''}}
 
{{TabEnd}}
 
{{TabEnd}}
 
</div name=fredbot:appts>
 
</div name=fredbot:appts>
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{{CatPerson|UK|1875|1933}}
 
{{CatPerson|UK|1875|1933}}
{{CatCaptain|UK}}
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{{CatCapt|UK}}
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{{CatBritannia|January, 1890}}
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{{CatRN}}

Latest revision as of 16:48, 7 April 2022

Captain Michael Henley Wilding, C.B.E., Royal Navy (20 November, 1875 – 10 June, 1933) served in the Royal Navy from 1890 to 1922.

Life & Career

Michael Henley Wilding was born on 20 November, 1875, the son of Mr. C. F. Wilding, of St. Mary's Lodge, Kidlington, Oxford. He entered the training ship Britannia in 1890, and was promoted Lieutenant in September, 1898. He served under Captain Berkeley Milne in the battleship Jupiter. In 1903 he was given his first command, the destroyer Charger.

In February, 1904 Leven collided with a lighter through what was determined to be an error in judgement on Wilding's part as Lieutenant-in-Command . A second collision, with the Torpoint Ferry Bridge in May 1905[?] was also deemed Wilding's fault, this time through what Lord Walter Kerr called a "gross error" in judgement. This second one is curious, as Wilding should no longer have been in command at that date.[1]

Wilding served as Executive Officer of the gunboat Sphinx in the East Indies, before being given command of the Hebe in 1907.

In 1909 he took command of the river gunboat Woodcock on the China Station. In the Coronation Honours of 1911 he was promoted to the rank of Commander. He served in the cruisers Terrible and Aboukir in reserve, and in March, 1914 joined Lancaster in the Fourth Cruiser Squadron.

For a period of the First World War he remained with the Lancaster on service in the Atlantic. In 1916 he was on administrative duties with the Royal Naval Air Service before being appointed in June to command the armed merchant cruiser Virginian in the Tenth Cruiser Squadron. He was appointed to command the first class protected cruiser Europa in March, 1919. In July, 1919 he was appointed as Captain of the base of the Aegean Squadron at Mudros.

In recognition of his services in command of Virginian, Wilding was appointed C.B.E. on 12 July, 1919. He was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 19 May, 1922.

Bibliography

  • "Captain Wilding, R.N." (Obituaries). The Times. Wednesday, 14 June, 1933. Issue 46470, col D, pg 16.

Service Record

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
George H. Brown
Captain of H.M.S. Charger
15 Oct, 1903[2] – 1 Nov, 1903
Succeeded by
Geoffrey B. Spicer-Simson
Preceded by
George H. Brown
Captain of H.M.S. Leven
2 Nov, 1903 – 13 May, 1904
Succeeded by
Hubert S. Cardale
Preceded by
John M. D. E. Warren
Captain of H.M.S. Hebe
5 Feb, 1907[3] – 9 Feb, 1909
Succeeded by
Marcus F. B. Whyte
Preceded by
Humphrey R. U. Cottrell-Dormer
Captain of H.M.S. Woodcock
8 Jul, 1909 – 5 Aug, 1911
Succeeded by
Richard O. B. Bridgeman
Preceded by
Humphrey H. Smith
Captain of H.M.S. Virginian
16 Jun, 1916[4] – after Jan, 1919[5]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Claude A. Rombulow-Pearse
Captain of H.M.S. Europa
1 Mar, 1919[6]c. Oct, 1920
Succeeded by
Herbert Gerald Briggs
Preceded by
Bertram S. Evans
Captain of Base, Mudros
1 Mar, 1919 – 4 Oct, 1920
Succeeded by
?

Footnotes

  1. Wilding Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/208. f. 237.
  2. "Captain Wilding, R.N." (Obituaries). The Times. Wednesday, 14 June, 1933. Issue 46470, col D, pg 16.
  3. The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 325.
  4. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 1009.
  5. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 1009.
  6. The Navy List. (March, 1920). p. 771.