Lawrence D'Oyly Bignell

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Captain (retired) Lawrence D'Oyly Bignell, R.N. (29 October, 1883 – 19 July, 1947) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Bignell was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 September, 1905.[1]

In November, 1910 he failed to qualify as a signals Lieutenant.

Bignell was appointed in command of the destroyer Flying Fish on 14 August, 1913.[2]

Bignell was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 September, 1913.[3]

He was appointed in command of the destroyer Greyhound on 17 January, 1914.[4]

He was appointed in command of the destroyer Zulu on 6 September, 1914.[5]

He commissioned the new destroyer Talisman in January, 1916 but was invalided on the 19th to Chatham Hospital for anemia. This condition proved somewhat protracted, as he was not declared fit until 7 April, on which date he was appointed in command of the decoy ship Q1. He was fit only briefly when on 20 June he was admitted to Haulbowline hospital for one week due to an abscess on his right foot. He was sent to H.M.S. Vivid on 4 December, 1916, one day after his Q ship was torpedoed and sunk by U 63 in the Mediterranean. On 15 February, 1917, he was appointed in command of the Medea Class destroyer Melampus. Medical complaints would render him unfit for sea service and he spent the first half of 1918 ashore.[6]

On 27 August, 1918, he was appointed in command of the destroyer Orford.[7]

Post-war

Bignell was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1920.[8]

On 1 December, 1920, he was appointed in command of the destroyer Warwick.[9]

Bignell was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Captain on 1 May, 1930.[10]

World War II

Bignell was mobilised on 26 September, 1938, and appointed to Drake, additional for duty with Naval Officer in Charge, Cardiff but this lasted all but one week. In 1939 he was informed that his services could not be used at present.

He was reverted to the Retired List as medically unfit on 2 April, 1942. He would die in 1947 of heart ailments.

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Michael K. H. Kennedy
Captain of H.M.S. Flying Fish
14 Aug, 1913[11]
Succeeded by
Philip W. S. King
Preceded by
Cyril P. Franklin
Captain of H.M.S. Greyhound
17 Jan, 1914[12] – 1914
Succeeded by
William C. Castle
Preceded by
M. Brock Birkett
Captain of H.M.S. Zulu
6 Sep, 1914[13]
Succeeded by
John Brooke
Preceded by
James F. Dewar
Captain of H.M.S. Nereide
Oct, 1915[14]
Succeeded by
William D. Irvin
Preceded by
George O. Hewett
Captain of H.M.S. Melampus
15 Feb, 1917[15] – 1917
Succeeded by
Charles E. H. White
Preceded by
John P. Landon
Captain of H.M.S. Orford
27 Aug, 1918[16]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Richard L. Hamer
Captain of H.M.S. Rowena
12 Mar, 1919[17]
Succeeded by
Reginald V. Holt
Preceded by
Arthur M. Lecky
Captain of H.M.S. Warwick
1 Dec, 1920[18]
Succeeded by
Arthur M. Lecky
Preceded by
Victor L. A. Campbell
Captain of H.M.S. Versatile
14 Sep, 1922[19]
Succeeded by
John Fawcett

Footnotes

  1. The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 7.
  2. The Navy List. (December, 1913). p. 315.
  3. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  4. The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 322.
  5. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 398.
  6. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  7. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 855.
  8. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  9. The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 898.
  10. Bignell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/117. f. 521.
  11. The Navy List. (December, 1913). p. 315.
  12. The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 322.
  13. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 398.
  14. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 396e.
  15. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 395p.
  16. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 855.
  17. The Navy List. (October, 1919). p. 898.
  18. The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 898.
  19. The Navy List. (January, 1923). p. 831.

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