Harry Percy Kendall Oram

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Captain Harry Percy Kendall Oram (23 October, 1894 – November, 1988) was an officer in the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

The son of a military officer, Oram entered the Royal Navy after first serving in the R.N.R.. He was granted the probationary rank of Midshipman, R.N.R. on 18 August, 1911. He served in H.M.S. Orion from October, 1913 through 7 December, 1915. He was then appointed to the "B" Class destroyer Earnest, in which he remained until 6 April, 1916.

Oram served in the destroyer Obdurate from 4 May 1916 to 22 November, 1916. He was in her when she fought at the Battle of Jutland as part of the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla. At the end of 1916, he received instruction in submarines, and on 19 March 1917 he was appointed to the submarine V 4.

Oram was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in August, 1917, and remained in V 4 until being appointed to the large fleet submarine K 6 on 5 January, 1918.

Oram was appointed in command of the submarine H 31 on 20 November, 1920.[1]

Oram was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 1 August, 1925.

On 24 January, 1926 Oram was appointed in command of Group "M" submarines in reserve at Portland. Initially, there were three boats in this group: L 14, L 17 and L 18.[2]

Oram was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1930.

Oram was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1936.

Oram was extremely fortunate to be one of just four (of over 100) men aboard the submarine Thetis to escape when she flooded and sank during diving trials outside of Liverpool. He escaped using a Davis escape apparatus.

World War II

Oram commanded the light cruiser Cairo and the heavy cruiser Hawkins during the war. He grounded Cairo on 24 January, 1940 and was informed that he was considered "very seriously to blame" for the mishap, and he incurred the Admiralty's "severe displeasure".

He retired on 5 July, 1945.

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
John B. Glencross
Captain of H.M.S. K 14
Apr, 1920[3]
Succeeded by
William Ibbett
Preceded by
Samuel M. G. Gravener
Captain of H.M.S. K 16
Apr, 1920[4]
Succeeded by
William Ibbett
Preceded by
John D. A. Musters
Captain of H.M.S. H 31
20 Nov, 1920 – 28 Sep, 1921
Succeeded by
Charles C. Flemming
Preceded by
Colin C. L. Mackenzie
Captain of H.M.S. H 48
25 Aug, 1922 – 15 Sep, 1922
Succeeded by
Charles O'Callaghan
Preceded by
Patrick S. J. Ponsonby
Captain of H.M.S. H 27
15 Sep, 1922[5] – 15 Sep, 1923
Succeeded by
Henry B. Crane
Preceded by
Henry N. Lake
Captain of H.M.S. L 18
24 Jan, 1926[6]
Succeeded by
Ralph A. Nicholson
Preceded by
Henry N. Lake
Captain of H.M.S. L 14
24 Jan, 1926[7]
Succeeded by
Tom B. Okell
Preceded by
Henry N. Lake
Captain of H.M.S. L 17
24 Jan, 1926[8] – 5 May, 1930
Succeeded by
Tom B. Okell
Preceded by
Gerald E. Colpoys
Captain of H.M.S. L 16
1 Jan, 1927[9] – 15 Jun, 1928
Succeeded by
Thomas Yeoman
Preceded by
Bernard W. Galpin
Captain of H.M.S. L 11
30 Jul, 1928 – 5 May, 1930
Succeeded by
John R. S. Brown
Preceded by
Arthur S. Lindsell
Captain of H.M.S. L 12
30 Jul, 1928
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Regulus
1 Nov, 1930 – 13 Apr, 1931
Succeeded by
Lancelot M. Shadwell
Preceded by
Gerald E. Colpoys
Captain of H.M.S. Bruce
8 Feb, 1934[10] – 1936
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Ian A. P. Macintyre
Captain of H.M.S. Lucia
31 Aug, 1936[11]
Succeeded by
Philip M. Stephens
Preceded by
Geoffrey R. S. Watkins
Captain (S), Second Submarine Flotilla
31 Aug, 1936[12] – 14 Feb, 1938
Succeeded by
William Derek Stephens
Preceded by
Ronald W. Blacklock
Commander (S), Fifth Submarine Flotilla
15 Feb, 1938 – 28 Aug, 1939
Succeeded by
Cyril G. B. Coltart
as Captain (S), Fifth Submarine Flotilla
Preceded by
Frank D. Morris
Captain of H.M.S. Cairo
23 Aug, 1939 – 1 Feb, 1940
Succeeded by
Patrick V. McLaughlin
Preceded by
Eustace Rotherham
Captain of H.M.S. Hawkins
6 May, 1940 – 2 Feb, 1942
Succeeded by
Peter K. Wallace

Footnotes

  1. The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 782a and December's edition.
  2. The Navy List. (February, 1926). p. 251.
  3. The Navy List. (June, 1920). p. 797.
  4. The Navy List. (June, 1920). p. 797.
  5. The Navy List. (January, 1923). p. 764.
  6. The Navy List. (February, 1926). p. 251.
  7. The Navy List. (February, 1926). p. 251.
  8. The Navy List. (February, 1926). p. 251.
  9. The Navy List. (July, 1927). p. 250.
  10. The Navy List. (October, 1935). p. 219.
  11. The Navy List. (July, 1937). p. 253.
  12. The Navy List. (July, 1937). p. 253.