Difference between revisions of "Reginald Aylmer Ranfurly Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax"

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On 4 November, 1901, he was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}}, dated 15 January.<ref>''London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/27372/pages/7146 no. 27372.  p. 7146.]  5 November, 1901.</ref>
 
On 4 November, 1901, he was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}}, dated 15 January.<ref>''London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/27372/pages/7146 no. 27372.  p. 7146.]  5 November, 1901.</ref>
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Around the same time he met [[John Arbuthnot Fisher, First Baron Fisher|Sir John Fisher]] and recalled the incident in correspondence with [[Arthur Marder (Naval Historian)|Arthur Marder]]:
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<blockquote>I met Fisher only once when, as a very junior Lieutenant, I was bidden to dine with the C. in C. at Admiralty House, Portsmouth because some friends of mine were staying there. After dinner we sat down to play bridge and I somehow found myself as the partner of the great man. I one hand that I had to play I succeeded, mostly by luck, in winning a grand slam, on which Jackie said "good lad: your promotion is assured", to which I replied "Thank you sir, it's a bargain".<ref>Notes on Marder's draft of chapter 12 of ''From the Dreadnought to Scapa Flow'', 11 November 1959, DRAX 6/18, Drax MSS., Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College.</ref></blockquote>
  
 
With superb conceit, Plunkett wrote in his diary in 1912:
 
With superb conceit, Plunkett wrote in his diary in 1912:

Revision as of 00:12, 8 March 2012

Admiral THE HONOURABLE SIR Reginald Aylmer Ranfurly Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax, K.C.B., D.S.O., Royal Navy (22 August, 1880 – 16 October, 1967) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Early Life & Career

Drax was born Reginald Aylmer Ranfurly Plunkett in London on 28 August, 1880, the second son of John William Plunkett, later Seventeenth Baron of Dunsany, and his wife, Ernle Elizabeth Louisa Maria Grosvenor Burton. He was the younger brother of the future Eighteenth Baron of Dunsany and in 1916 on inheriting estates from his mother he assumed by Royal Licence the additional names of Ernle-Erle-Drax. Thenceforth he was usually known by the surname of Drax.

From Cheam School he joined the Britannia.

On 4 November, 1901, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, dated 15 January.[1]

Around the same time he met Sir John Fisher and recalled the incident in correspondence with Arthur Marder:

I met Fisher only once when, as a very junior Lieutenant, I was bidden to dine with the C. in C. at Admiralty House, Portsmouth because some friends of mine were staying there. After dinner we sat down to play bridge and I somehow found myself as the partner of the great man. I one hand that I had to play I succeeded, mostly by luck, in winning a grand slam, on which Jackie said "good lad: your promotion is assured", to which I replied "Thank you sir, it's a bargain".[2]

With superb conceit, Plunkett wrote in his diary in 1912:

I cannot help thinking that Richmond, Dewar, I and a few others must try to undertake the regeneration of the British Navy.[3]

On 30 June, 1912, Plunkett was promoted to the rank of Commander.[4]

Drax was appointed C.B. in 1928 and K.C.B. in 1934. In 1916 he married Kathleen (died 1980), daughter of Quintin Chalmers, MD, and sister of Lieutenant (later Rear-Admiral) W. S. Chalmers. Drax died in Poole on 16 October, 1967.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ London Gazette: no. 27372. p. 7146. 5 November, 1901.
  2. ↑ Notes on Marder's draft of chapter 12 of From the Dreadnought to Scapa Flow, 11 November 1959, DRAX 6/18, Drax MSS., Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College.
  3. ↑ Dewar Papers. National Maritime Museum. DEW/27. f. 201.
  4. ↑ London Gazette: no. 28623. p. 4748. 2 July, 1912.

Bibliography

  • "Sir Reginald Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax" (Obituaries). The Times. Wednesday, 18 October, 1967. Issue 57075, col F, pg. 12.
  • Davison, Robert L. (April 2003). "Striking a Balance Between Dissent and Discipline: Admiral Sir Reginald Drax". The Northern Mariner/Le Marin du nord XIII (2): pp. 43-57.

Papers

Service Record

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