Maurice Crause Bomford
Commander Maurice Crause Bomford (18 February, 1884 – 25 February, 1936) served in the Royal Navy and provided able wartime command service in torpedo craft until having a nervous breakdown in mid 1918.
Life & Career
Born in Surrey, Bomford was raised by his mother.
On 3 January, 1905, Sub-Lieutenant Bomford was appointed in command of the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 54.[1] On 31 December, 1905, he was promoted to Lieutenant.[2]
On 27 February, 1913, Bomford began an appointment as Commander Instructor at the Tyneside Division of the R.N.V.R..[3]
Bomford was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 31 December, 1913.[4]
Bomford was appointed in command of the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 9 on 13 September, 1914. He would incur Their Lordships' displeasure for losing the boat's Emergency Vocabulary Signal Book in November 1914.[5]
On 17 February, 1917 Oberon collided with Lightfoot and Onslow. The Admiralty considered that Bomford had made a serious error in altering back to his original course after making an eight-point turn to starboard, but satisfaction at how he kept the vessel afloat in the immediate aftermath.[6]
On 17/18 May 1917, Bomford took S.S. Blackfoot (?) under tow in what the Admiralty later judged to be a "skilful manner" and prevented her from being driven ashore.[7]
Bomford was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1918. Also in June, he vacated command of Peregrine due to what Captain (D), Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla Godfrey termed "a nervous breakdown". On 6 September, he was deemed fit for shore service only after a two-month series of medical evaluations.[8]
Post-War
Bomford was placed on the Retired List as unfit on 31 July, 1919.[9]
See Also
Naval Appointments | ||
Preceded by Basil R. H. Taylour |
Captain of H.M. T.B. 54 3 Jan, 1905[10] |
Succeeded by Edward C. Watson |
Preceded by Mark G. Newton |
Captain of H.M.S. Peterel 23 Oct, 1909[11] |
Succeeded by Salisbury H. Simpson |
Preceded by Edward O. Broadley |
Captain of H.M. T.B. 9 13 Sep, 1914[12] – 27 Jul, 1915[13][14] |
Succeeded by Frederick E. K. Strong |
Preceded by Richard A. A. Plowden |
Captain of H.M.S. Sheldrake Jul, 1915[15] – 19 Dec, 1916[16] |
Succeeded by Frederick P. Champion de Crespigny |
Preceded by Horace Walker |
Captain of H.M.S. Peregrine 13 Apr, 1917[17] |
Succeeded by Somerville P. B. Russell |
Footnotes
- ↑ The Monthly Navy List. (December, 1905). p. 399.
- ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 8.
- ↑ Bomford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/47. f. ?.
- ↑ Bomford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/47. f. ?.
- ↑ Bomford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/47. f. ?.
- ↑ Bomford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/47. f. ?.
- ↑ Bomford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/47. f. ?.
- ↑ Bomford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/47. f. ?.
- ↑ Bomford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/47. f. ?.
- ↑ The Monthly Navy List. (December, 1905). p. 399.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 356.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 400.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 400.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 400.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 398a.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 398a.
- ↑ The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 396l.