Henry Ralph Crooke

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Admiral SIR Henry Ralph Crooke, K.B.E., C.B., Royal Navy, Retired (7 December, 1875 – 11 February, 1952) was an officer of the Royal Navy. In 1940, he would request that his name be presented as H. Ralph Crooke, the last name being Ralph Crooke.

Early Life & Career

Crooke was born in Calcutta, the son of F. J. Crooke, Esq..

Crooke was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 14 September, 1895.[1]

Crooke was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1905. In 1907, Crooke was singled out for improving the gunnery efficiency of the fleet in the 1906 Battle Practice through his exertions in re-sighting the guns and fitting fire control appliances.[2]

Crooke was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1912.[3]

In 1912, Crooke was appointed to succeed Captain Arthur Loxley on the Argo Range Clock Committee and he played a vital role in drafting its final report dated 25 November, 1912. On 16 January, 1913, Their Lordships thanked him for the ability he demonstrated in carrying out trials of the Argo Clock.[4]

He commanded the light cruiser Caroline at the Battle of Jutland, supporting the Grand Fleet as part of the Fourth Light Cruiser Squadron.[5]

Post-War

On 11 June, 1919, Crooke was appointed a Companion of the Civil Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.), "For valuable services as Director of Naval Ordnance."[6]

He was appointed in command of Emperor of India on 1 April, 1921. In August, 1921, he had the misfortune to strike Chrysanthemum with a projectile, and was chastised for failing to cease fire at the proper time.[7]

He was appointed in command of the battleship Marlborough on 1 March 1922, remaining with her until 16 September, having been promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 25 July.[8]

He was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 14 January, 1928, vice Grant, and placed on the Retired List on 15 January.[9]

World War II

Crooke was called up on 3 September 1939 to serve as Commodore of Convoys, as a Commodore, Second Class in the Royal Naval Reserve. On 10 October, he went to help with the London Convoy Pool and then, on 5 July, 1940, transferred to the Liverpool Convoy Pool.

Ralph Crooke reverted to the Retired List on 1 February, 1942 but on 2 June was called back to be Naval Officer in Charge, Barry vice Gilbertson where he served in the rank of Captain. He was superseded on 30 December, 1944 and finally reverted to the Retired List on 23 February, 1945.[10]

See Also

Bibliography

  • "Admiral Sir Ralph Crooke" (Obituaries). The Times. Thursday, 14 February, 1952. Issue 52235, col F, pg. 8.

Papers

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Hubert Lynes
Captain of H.M.S. Kite
2 Jul, 1903[11][12] – 1 Mar, 1905[13]
Succeeded by
Herbert W. W. Hope
Preceded by
?
Assistant Director of Naval Equipment
18 Feb, 1913[14] – 1914[15]
Succeeded by
Ernest K. Loring
Preceded by
?
Captain of H.M.S. Undaunted
1914[16] – 6 Oct, 1914[17]
Succeeded by
Cecil H. Fox
Preceded by
?
Captain of H.M.S. Caroline
6 Oct, 1914[18] – Jan, 1915[19]
Succeeded by
Charles J. Wintour
Preceded by
Anselan J. B. Stirling
Captain of H.M.S. Swift
Jan, 1915[20] – Feb, 1915[21]
Succeeded by
Charles J. Wintour
Preceded by
Charles J. Wintour
Captain of H.M.S. Caroline
Feb, 1915[22] – 23 Mar, 1917[23]
Succeeded by
Oliver E. Leggett
Preceded by
Cole C. Fowler
Captain of H.M.S. Excellent
23 Mar, 1917[24][25] – 13 Jun, 1918[26]
Succeeded by
Robert N. Bax
Preceded by
Frederic C. Dreyer
Director of Naval Ordnance
20 Jun, 1918[27] – 20 Sep, 1920[28]
Succeeded by
Roger R. C. Backhouse
Preceded by
Frederic C. Dreyer
President of the Shell Committee
1 Oct, 1918[29]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Charles D. Carpendale
Captain of H.M.S. Benbow
21 Feb, 1921[30] – 1 Apr, 1921[31]
Succeeded by
Arthur E. F. Bedford
Preceded by
Arthur E. F. Bedford
Captain of H.M.S. Emperor of India
1 Apr, 1921[32] – Sep, 1921[33]
Succeeded by
W. A. Howard Kelly
Preceded by
Vernon H. S. Haggard
Captain of H.M.S. Ajax
Sep, 1921[34] – 1 Mar, 1922[35]
Succeeded by
George Trewby
Preceded by
George Trewby
Captain of H.M.S. Marlborough
1 Mar, 1922[36] – 16 Sep, 1922[37]
Succeeded by
Hugh J. Tweedie
Preceded by
Ronald A. Hopwood
Vice-President of the Ordnance Committee
2 Jan, 1924[38] – 10 Oct, 1927[39]
Succeeded by
Bernard W. F. Fairbairn
Preceded by
Edward M. Phillpotts
President of the Ordnance Committee
10 Oct, 1927[40] – 2 Jan, 1928[41]
Succeeded by
Herbert Willes Webley Hope
Preceded by
George N. Gilbertson
Naval Officer in Charge, Barry
7 Jun, 1942[42] – 1 Jan, 1945[43]
Succeeded by
?

Footnotes

  1. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  2. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  3. The London Gazette: no. 28623. p. 4748. 2 July, 1912.
  4. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 218.
  5. Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. pp. 34, 44.
  6. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 31398. p. 7507. 11 June, 1919.
  7. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/89/136. f. 36.
  8. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/89/136. f. 36.
  9. The London Gazette: no. 33349. p. 440. 20 January, 1928.
  10. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 218.
  11. The Navy List. (January, 1904). p. 337.
  12. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  13. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  14. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  15. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  16. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  17. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  18. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  19. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  20. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  21. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  22. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  23. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  24. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 393r.
  25. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  26. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  27. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  28. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  29. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/89/136. f. 36.
  30. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  31. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  32. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/89/136.
  33. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  34. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/89/136.
  35. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
  36. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 218.
  37. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 218.
  38. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 218.
  39. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 218.
  40. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 218.
  41. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 218.
  42. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 218.
  43. Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 218.