Arthur Gordon Smith

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Vice-Admiral Arthur G. Smith, c. 1919.
Portrait: © National Portrait Gallery, London.

Vice-Admiral SIR Arthur Gordon Smith, C.M.G. (30 March, 1873 – 10 October, 1953) was an officer of the Royal Navy during the First World War. He changed his name to Arthur Gordon-Smith by Deed Poll in 1936.

Life & Career

Smith placed last in order of merit of the forty candidates for naval cadetship that were accepted for acceptance to Britannia from a round of examinations in late November, 1885.[1]

Smith was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 14 May, 1893.[2]

Smith was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1903.[3]

Smith was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1909.[4]

He assumed command of the first class protected cruiser Endymion in October 1910, remaining in that position until mid 1912.

On 8 January, 1913, he was lent to the Royal Australian Navy to serve as captain of the second class protected cruiser Encounter.[5]

He was placed in command of Dominion in December, 1917 and remained in this post until April of 1918. Oddly, he also appears to be shown in command of Commonwealth during this period, spanning her refit over the winter of 1917-18.

In the Birthday Honours of 4 June, 1917, Smith was appointed a Companion in the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (C.M.G.) for his war services.[6]

Smith was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 10 October, 1920.[7]

Smith was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on the Retired List on 1 March, 1926.[8]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Henry L. Mawbey
Captain of H.M.S. Endymion
4 Oct, 1910[9][10] – 26 Jun, 1912[11]
Succeeded by
George B. W. Young
Preceded by
John Nicholas
Captain of H.M.S. Jupiter
26 Jun, 1912[12][13] – 4 Oct, 1912[14]
Succeeded by
Herbert A. Adam
Preceded by
Bertram M. Chambers
Captain of H.M.S. Encounter
8 Jan, 1913[15] – 28 Jan, 1914[16]
Succeeded by
Charles La P. Lewin
Preceded by
Constantine H. Hughes-Onslow
Second Naval Member of the Australian Naval Board
28 Jan, 1914
Succeeded by
George P. Thomson
Preceded by
Herbert W. Richmond
Captain of H.M.S. Commonwealth
26 Apr, 1917[17] – 17 Aug, 1917[18]
Succeeded by
Arthur G. Smith
Preceded by
Adolphus H. Williamson
Captain of H.M.S. Dominion
4 Dec, 1917[19] – Apr, 1918[20]
Succeeded by
Lionel E. H. Royle
Preceded by
Arthur G. Smith
Captain of H.M.S. Commonwealth
Apr, 1918[21] – 15 Nov, 1918[22]
Succeeded by
George R. B. Blount
Preceded by
Henry B. Pelly
Commodore-in-Command, Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth
15 Nov, 1918[23][24] – 30 Oct, 1920[25]
Succeeded by
John W. L. McClintock

Footnotes

  1. "Cadetships In The Navy." The Times (London, England), Saturday, Dec 05, 1885; pg. 8; Issue 31622.
  2. Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 305.
  3. Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 305.
  4. The London Gazette: no. 28325. p. 29. 4 January, 1910.
  5. Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 305.
  6. London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30111. p. 5458. 4 June, 1917.
  7. Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 305.
  8. The London Gazette: no. 33139. p. 1650. 5 March, 1926.
  9. Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 305.
  10. The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 308.
  11. Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 305.
  12. Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 305.
  13. The Navy List. (August, 1912). p. 335.
  14. Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 305.
  15. Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 305.
  16. Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 305.
  17. Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 305.
  18. Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 305.
  19. Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 305.
  20. Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 305.
  21. Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 305.
  22. Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 305.
  23. The Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 929.
  24. Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 305.
  25. Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 305.