Andrew Lancelot Besant: Difference between revisions

From The Dreadnought Project
Jump to navigationJump to search
No edit summary
(Update appts)
 
(31 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{CommRN}} '''Andrew Lancelot Besant''', R.N., Retired (10 August, 1895 – ) was an officer in the [[Royal Navy]].
{{CommRN}} '''Andrew Lancelot Besant''', C.B.E., R.N., Retired (10 August, 1895 – 1970) was an submarine officer in the [[Royal Navy]].


==Life & Career==
==Life & Career==
<!--Besant was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} on
Born the son of Reverend J. C. E. Besant, vicar of Sydney.


Besant was promoted to the rank of {{LCommRN}} on  
Besant gained no time on passing out of the Training Establishment on 15 May, 1913.  He served first in {{UK-Centurion|f=t}} from that date to 27 March, 1916.  On 29 March, he was appointed to the {{UK-MaryRose|f=c}} of the {{UK-DF|12}}.  He would fight in that ship at the [[Battle of Jutland]].  On 25 August, 1916 he was appointed to her sister ship, {{UK-Marvel|f=p}}.  He served in her until being appointed to {{UK-Dolphin}} for instruction in submarines on 9 December, 1916.<ref>Besant Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/118/44.|D7616013}} f. 44.</ref>


Besant was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} on  
He completed his training on 5 February, 1917 and was appointed to {{UK-Bonaventure}} for service in submarines of the {{UK-SF|2}}.  He was soon placed in {{UK-C9}}, in which he was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} on 15 April, 1917.  He remained with ''C 9'' until being appointed to {{UK-Lucia}} for further submarine work in the {{UK-SF|10}} in mid-September.  By mid-November, he was assigned to {{UK-E27}}.  He served the remainder of the war in her.  In November 1919 he was sent to oversee submarines that were under Care and Maintenance Parties at Devonport.<ref>Besant Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/118/44.|D7616013}} f. 44.</ref>


Besant was promoted to the rank of {{CaptRN}} on
On 5 August, 1920, Besant was placed in command of four "H" class boats in reserve submarine group "F" at Portland: {{UK-H21}}, {{UK-H25}}, {{UK-H26}} and {{UK-H29}}.{{NLJan21|p. 782''a''}}
-->
 
On 5 August, 1920, Besant was placed in command of four "H" class boats in reserve submarine group "F" at Portland: {{UK-H21}}, {{UK-H25}}, {{UK-H26}} and {{UK-H29}}.{{NLJan21|p. 782a}}
Besant was promoted to the rank of {{LCommRN}} on 15 April, 1925.<ref>Besant Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/118/44.|D7616013}} f. 44.</ref>
 
Besant was appointed in command of the "P" class submarine [[H.M.S. Pandora (1929)|''Pandora'']] on 30 January, 1930.  Some time later that year, a leading cook named Dewey was lost when because he'd not gotten below before the submarine dived.  The Admiralty found Besant to blame for having failed to ensure that men he'd permitted on deck had gotten below before submerging.  A Court Martial, for this or another incident, proved charges against Besant of having by negligence or default hazarded ''Pandora''.  He was severely reprimanded.  In February, 1931 he was superseded in ''Pandora''.  In April, he was placed in command of {{UK-X1}}.<ref>Besant Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/118/44.|D7616013}} f. 44.</ref>
 
Shortly after being superseded in command of ''X 1'', Besant reverted to General (as opposed to Submarine) Service on 21 January, 1932 and was appointed to Portsmouth to being a year on training duties.<ref>Besant Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/118/44.|D7616013}} f. 44.</ref>
 
In 1933, Besant was appointed to Hong Kong.  This was followed by various staff appointments and a temporary appointment in {{UK-Durban}}.
 
==World War II==
Besant started on the staff of the Flag Officer in Charge, Greenock.
 
Though Besant was placed on the Retired List on account of age with the rank of {{CommRN}} on 10 August, 1940, he continued to work at a wide variety of appointments through the end of the war.  On 6 April, 1943, he was gazetted for a mention in despatches for his "bravery and skill in the hazardous operations in which the Allied Forces were landed in North Africa."  He was awarded a C.B.E. for distinguished service in the war in Europe, gazetted 11 December, 1945.<ref>Besant Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/118/44.|D7616013}} f. 44.</ref>


==See Also==
==See Also==
{{refbegin}}
{{refbegin}}
* [[Twelfth D.F. (Royal Navy) at the Battle of Jutland]]
* [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_rv=simple&_q=ADM+Andrew+Lancelot+Besant Service Records]
* [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_rv=simple&_q=ADM+Andrew+Lancelot+Besant Service Records]
{{WP|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Lancelot_Besant}}
{{WP|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Lancelot_Besant}}
{{refend}}
{{refend}}


<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
{{TabNaval}}
{{TabNaval}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Alexander McGowan McCulloch|Alexander McG. McCulloch]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. H 21 (1917)|Captain of H.M.S. ''H 21'']]'''<br>5 Aug, 1920{{NLJan21|p. 782''a''}}|Succeeded by<br>'''?'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Aubrey Cecil Newbold|Aubrey C. Newbold]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. H 26 (1917)|Captain of H.M.S. ''H 26'']]'''<br>5 Aug, 1920{{NLJan21|p. 782''a''}} &ndash; 3 Jan, 1921<ref>Besant Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/118/44.|D7616013}} f. 44.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[John Duncan de Mussenden Leathes|John D. de M. Leathes]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[H.M.S. H 29 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''H 29'']]'''<br>5 Aug, 1920{{NLJan21|p. 782''a''}}|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Walter Seymour Carson|The Hon. Walter S. Carson]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Clive Askew Robinson|Clive A. Robinson]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. H 25 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''H 25'']]'''<br>5 Aug, 1920{{NLJan21|p. 782''a''}} &ndash; 3 Jan, 1921<ref>Besant Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/118/44.|D7616013}} f. 44.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[John Duncan de Mussenden Leathes|John D. de M. Leathes]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[H.M.S. H 25 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''H 25'']]'''<br>5 Aug, 1920{{NLJan21|p. 782a}}|Succeeded by<br>'''?'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Alexander McGowan McCulloch|Alexander McG. McCulloch]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. H 21 (1917)|Captain of H.M.S. ''H 21'']]'''<br>5 Aug, 1920{{NLJan21|p. 782''a''}} &ndash; 3 Jan, 1921<ref>Besant Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/118/44.|D7616013}} f. 44.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[John Duncan de Mussenden Leathes|John D. de M. Leathes]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[H.M.S. H 26 (1917)|Captain of H.M.S. ''H 26'']]'''<br>5 Aug, 1920{{NLJan21|p. 782a}}|Succeeded by<br>'''?'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Oliver North|Oliver North]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. H 29 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''H 29'']]'''<br>5 Aug, 1920{{NLJan21|p. 782''a''}} &ndash; 3 Jan, 1921<ref>Besant Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/118/44.|D7616013}} f. 44.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Walter Seymour Carson|The Hon. Walter S. Carson]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Arthur Edgar Hodgson|Arthur E. Hodgson]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. H 33 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''H 33'']]'''<br>3 Jan, 1921<ref>Besant Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/118/44.|D7616013}} f. 44.</ref> &ndash; Jan, 1922<ref>Besant Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/118/44.|D7616013}} f. 44.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[John Hamilton Macnair|John H. Macnair]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Leslie Haliburton Ashmore|Leslie H. Ashmore]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. L 52 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''L 52'']]'''<br>7 Feb, 1922<ref>Besant Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/118/44.|D7616013}} f. 44.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Alastair Shand Cumming|Alastair S. Cumming]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Walter Seymour Carson|The Hon. Walter S. Carson]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. L 15 (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''L 15'']]'''<br>10 Apr, 1923{{NLJul24|p. 250. This command is indicated vaguely in his Service Record}} &ndash; 15 Oct, 1924<ref>Besant Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/118/44.|}} f. 44.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[William Leslie Berridge|William L. Berridge]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[James Lawrence Boyd|James L. Boyd]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. L 25 (1919)|Captain of H.M.S. ''L 25'']]'''<br>15 Dec, 1926{{NLJul27|p. 251}}<ref>Besant Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/118/44.|D7616013}} f. 44.</ref> &ndash; 1 Sep, 1927<ref>Besant Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/118/44.|D7616013}} f. 44.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Edward Masterman Loly|Edward M. Loly]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''New Command'''|'''[[H.M.S. Pandora (1929)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Pandora'']]'''<br>30 Jan, 1930{{ToL|New Submarine Command|Thursday, Jan 16, 1930; pg. 5; Issue 45412}} &ndash; Feb, 1931|Succeeded by<br>'''[[William Derek Stephens|William D. Stephens]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Lancelot Milman Shadwell|Lancelot M. Shadwell]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. X1 (1923)|Captain of H.M.S. ''X1'']]'''<br>9 Apr, 1931{{NLJul31|p. 291}}<ref>Besant Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/118/44.|D7616013}} f. 44.</ref> &ndash; 30 Dec, 1931<ref>Besant Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/118/44.|D7616013}} f. 44.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[John Hamilton Macnair|John H. Macnair]]'''}}
{{TabEnd}}
{{TabEnd}}
</div name=fredbot:appts>
</div name=fredbot:appts>
Line 32: Line 50:
{{DEFAULTSORT:Besant, Andrew}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Besant, Andrew}}


{{CatPerson|UK|1895|}}
{{CatPerson|UK|1895|1970}}
{{CatSubmariner|UK}}
{{CatSubmariner|UK}}
{{CatCommander|UK}}
{{CatComm|UK}}
{{CatTrainEst|May, 1908}}
{{CatRN}}

Latest revision as of 23:07, 3 December 2024

Commander Andrew Lancelot Besant, C.B.E., R.N., Retired (10 August, 1895 – 1970) was an submarine officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Born the son of Reverend J. C. E. Besant, vicar of Sydney.

Besant gained no time on passing out of the Training Establishment on 15 May, 1913. He served first in battleship Centurion from that date to 27 March, 1916. On 29 March, he was appointed to the "M" Class destroyer Mary Rose of the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla. He would fight in that ship at the Battle of Jutland. On 25 August, 1916 he was appointed to her sister ship, H.M.S. Marvel. He served in her until being appointed to Dolphin for instruction in submarines on 9 December, 1916.[1]

He completed his training on 5 February, 1917 and was appointed to Bonaventure for service in submarines of the Second Submarine Flotilla. He was soon placed in C 9, in which he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 April, 1917. He remained with C 9 until being appointed to Lucia for further submarine work in the Tenth Submarine Flotilla in mid-September. By mid-November, he was assigned to E 27. He served the remainder of the war in her. In November 1919 he was sent to oversee submarines that were under Care and Maintenance Parties at Devonport.[2]

On 5 August, 1920, Besant was placed in command of four "H" class boats in reserve submarine group "F" at Portland: H 21, H 25, H 26 and H 29.[3]

Besant was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 April, 1925.[4]

Besant was appointed in command of the "P" class submarine Pandora on 30 January, 1930. Some time later that year, a leading cook named Dewey was lost when because he'd not gotten below before the submarine dived. The Admiralty found Besant to blame for having failed to ensure that men he'd permitted on deck had gotten below before submerging. A Court Martial, for this or another incident, proved charges against Besant of having by negligence or default hazarded Pandora. He was severely reprimanded. In February, 1931 he was superseded in Pandora. In April, he was placed in command of X1.[5]

Shortly after being superseded in command of X 1, Besant reverted to General (as opposed to Submarine) Service on 21 January, 1932 and was appointed to Portsmouth to being a year on training duties.[6]

In 1933, Besant was appointed to Hong Kong. This was followed by various staff appointments and a temporary appointment in Durban.

World War II

Besant started on the staff of the Flag Officer in Charge, Greenock.

Though Besant was placed on the Retired List on account of age with the rank of Commander on 10 August, 1940, he continued to work at a wide variety of appointments through the end of the war. On 6 April, 1943, he was gazetted for a mention in despatches for his "bravery and skill in the hazardous operations in which the Allied Forces were landed in North Africa." He was awarded a C.B.E. for distinguished service in the war in Europe, gazetted 11 December, 1945.[7]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Aubrey C. Newbold 		Captain of H.M.S. H 26
5 Aug, 1920[8] – 3 Jan, 1921[9] 		Succeeded by
John D. de M. Leathes
Preceded by
Clive A. Robinson 		Captain of H.M.S. H 25
5 Aug, 1920[10] – 3 Jan, 1921[11] 		Succeeded by
John D. de M. Leathes
Preceded by
Alexander McG. McCulloch 		Captain of H.M.S. H 21
5 Aug, 1920[12] – 3 Jan, 1921[13] 		Succeeded by
John D. de M. Leathes
Preceded by
Oliver North 		Captain of H.M.S. H 29
5 Aug, 1920[14] – 3 Jan, 1921[15] 		Succeeded by
The Hon. Walter S. Carson
Preceded by
Arthur E. Hodgson 		Captain of H.M.S. H 33
3 Jan, 1921[16] – Jan, 1922[17] 		Succeeded by
John H. Macnair
Preceded by
Leslie H. Ashmore 		Captain of H.M.S. L 52
7 Feb, 1922[18] 		Succeeded by
Alastair S. Cumming
Preceded by
The Hon. Walter S. Carson 		Captain of H.M.S. L 15
10 Apr, 1923[19] – 15 Oct, 1924[20] 		Succeeded by
William L. Berridge
Preceded by
James L. Boyd 		Captain of H.M.S. L 25
15 Dec, 1926[21][22] – 1 Sep, 1927[23] 		Succeeded by
Edward M. Loly
Preceded by
New Command 		Captain of H.M.S. Pandora
30 Jan, 1930[24] – Feb, 1931 		Succeeded by
William D. Stephens
Preceded by
Lancelot M. Shadwell 		Captain of H.M.S. X1
9 Apr, 1931[25][26] – 30 Dec, 1931[27] 		Succeeded by
John H. Macnair

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Besant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/118/44. f. 44.
  2. ↑ Besant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/118/44. f. 44.
  3. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 782a.
  4. ↑ Besant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/118/44. f. 44.
  5. ↑ Besant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/118/44. f. 44.
  6. ↑ Besant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/118/44. f. 44.
  7. ↑ Besant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/118/44. f. 44.
  8. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 782a.
  9. ↑ Besant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/118/44. f. 44.
  10. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 782a.
  11. ↑ Besant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/118/44. f. 44.
  12. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 782a.
  13. ↑ Besant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/118/44. f. 44.
  14. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 782a.
  15. ↑ Besant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/118/44. f. 44.
  16. ↑ Besant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/118/44. f. 44.
  17. ↑ Besant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/118/44. f. 44.
  18. ↑ Besant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/118/44. f. 44.
  19. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1924). p. 250. This command is indicated vaguely in his Service Record.
  20. ↑ Besant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/118/44. f. 44.
  21. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1927). p. 251.
  22. ↑ Besant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/118/44. f. 44.
  23. ↑ Besant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/118/44. f. 44.
  24. ↑ "New Submarine Command." The Times (London, England), Thursday, Jan 16, 1930; pg. 5; Issue 45412.
  25. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1931). p. 291.
  26. ↑ Besant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/118/44. f. 44.
  27. ↑ Besant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/118/44. f. 44.

Retrieved from "http://dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php?title=Andrew_Lancelot_Besant&oldid=335569"