Frederick Tower Hamilton

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Admiral Sir Frederick T. Hamilton seen as a Flag Officer afloat.

Admiral SIR Frederick Tower Hamilton, G.C.V.O., K.C.B., Royal Navy (8 March, 1856 – 4 October, 1917) was an officer of the Royal Navy during the First World War.

Life & Career

Hamilton was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant with seniority of 6 November, 1879.[1]

In 1881 Hamilton was one of five officers selected to qualify in torpedo duties (another was Lieutenant Henry B. Jackson).[2]

Hamilton was appointed in command of the torpedo school ship Defiance at Devonport on 1 November, 1897.[3] He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 1 January, 1898,[4] and was re-appointed in command of Defiance.[5]

On 18 March, 1902 he was appointed to the battleship Bulwark as Flag Captain to Admiral Sir Compton E. Domvile, new Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean.[6]

On the occasion of the King's visit to Malta Hamilton was appointed a Member of the Fourth Class of the Royal Victorian Order (M.V.O.) on 21 April, 1903.[7]

Hamilton was appointed Captain of H.M.S. Excellent on 24 February, 1905, with the rank of Commodore, Second Class from 29 June, 1906.[8] He was appointed a Naval Aide-de-Camp to the King dated 18 September, vice Denison.[9]

Hamilton's appointment as Inspector of Target Practice in succession to Rear-Admiral Sir Percy M. Scott was announced in May, 1907.[10] He was appointed, as Commodore, Second Class, on 15 July.[11]

Flag Rank

Hamilton was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 1 October, 1907.[12]

Hamilton succeeded Vice-Admiral Scott in command of the Fifth Cruiser Squadron on 16 February, 1909,[13] passing command to Cecil Burney exactly two years later.

On 5 December, 1911, Hamilton was appointed in command of the Third and Fourth Divisions of the Home Fleet, which in 1912 became the Second and Third Fleets of the Home Fleets.[14] He was confirmed in the rank of Vice-Admiral on 31 July, 1912.[15]

Hamilton was appointed an Ordinary Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (K.C.B.) on 1 January, 1913.[16] He was succeeded by Vice-Admiral Sir Cecil Burney at Sheerness on 5 December.[17]

In May, Fisher inquired of Jellicoe as to whether Hamilton would be a suitable successor to him as Second Sea Lord:

However, what I am really writing to you about is to ask you whether you are sure that Hamilton will LOYALLY and WHOLEHEARTEDLY carry out the Osborne scheme and all its tributaries, such as Keyham etc., because (this is sacredly private) the King and his pimps are starting another crusade to revert to the old lines, and Hamilton is a bosom friend of the King, who calls him by his Christian name and who lends him a cottage at Sandringham, and his wife is Colin Keppel's sister! Will he be able to resist the courtly influences? If you would sooner not answer, then don't write. He is a better man as an administrator than Warrender. Don't you think so?[18]

Great War

In his diary on 7 June 1916, Hamilton wrote:

On Saturday [3 June] I visited Rosyth … I found Beatty very well and cheerful but very angry with the Admiralty for their very stupid communiqué sent out on Friday evening which was really an apology for winning a victory. I subsequently on my return found that Masterton-Smith was the author of it, Jackson and Oliver having been too busy to attend to it properly and having told them to say anything they liked, as long as it was true.[19]

Hamilton was promoted to the rank of Admiral on 9 June, 1916.[20] On 1 July he assumed the appointment of Commander-in-Chief on the Coast of Scotland.[21]

He died at Rosyth on 4 October, 1917, from heart failure, aged sixty-one.[22]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ London Gazette: no. 24787. p. 6940. 28 November, 1879.
  2. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Monday, 14 March, 1881. Issue 30141, col B, pg. 6.
  3. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Tuesday, 19 October, 1897. Issue 35338, col D, pg. 8.
  4. ↑ London Gazette: no. 26924. p. 7854. 31 December, 1897.
  5. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Saturday, 8 January, 1898. Issue 35408, col C, pg. 10.
  6. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 5 March, 1902. Issue 36707, col E, pg. 5.
  7. ↑ London Gazette: no. 27560. p. 3525. 2 June, 1903.
  8. ↑ ADM 196/38. f. 581.
  9. ↑ London Gazette: no. 27952. p. 6492. 25 September, 1906.
  10. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 30 May, 1907. Issue 38346, col F, pg. 5.
  11. ↑ ADM 196/38. f. 581.
  12. ↑ London Gazette: no. 28066. p. 6667. 4 October, 1907.
  13. ↑ Hazell's Annual, 1910. p. 199.
  14. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Tuesday, 14 October, 1913. Issue 40342, col F, pg. 6.
  15. ↑ London Gazette: no. 28632. p. 5723. 2 August, 1912.
  16. ↑ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 28677. p. 1. 1 January, 1913.
  17. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Friday, 5 December, 1913. Issue 40387, col A, pg. 6.
  18. ↑ Fear God and Dread Nought. II. pp. 505-506.
  19. ↑ Diary entry of 7 June, 1916. National Maritime Museum. Hamilton Papers. HTN/106.
  20. ↑ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29621. p. 5828. 13 June, 1916.
  21. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List (September, 1917). p. 4.
  22. ↑ ADM 196/38. f. 581.

Bibliography

  • "Death of Admiral Sir F. T. Hamilton" (Obituaries). The Times. Friday, 5 October, 1917. Issue 41601, col D, pg. 11.

Papers

Service Records


Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Percy M. Scott 		Captain of H.M.S. Excellent
1905 – 1907 		Succeeded by
Reginald G. O. Tupper
Preceded by
Sir Percy M. Scott 		Inspector of Target Practice
1907 – 1909 		Succeeded by
Richard H. Peirse
Preceded by
Sir Percy M. Scott 		Rear-Admiral Commanding,
Fifth Cruiser Squadron
1909 – 1911 		Succeeded by
Cecil Burney
Preceded by
Prince Louis of Battenberg 		Vice-Admiral Commanding, Second and Third Fleets
1911 – 1913 		Succeeded by
Sir Cecil Burney
Preceded by
Sir John R. Jellicoe 		Second Sea Lord
1914 – 1916 		Succeeded by
The Hon. Sir Somerset A. Gough-Calthorpe
Preceded by
Sir Robert S. Lowry 		Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Scotland
1916 – 1917 		Succeeded by
Sir Cecil Burney
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