AdmiralSir Alexander Edward BethellGCMGKCB(28 August 1855 – 13 June 1932) was a British naval officer who served asCommander-in-Chief, Plymouthof theRoyal Navy.
Sir Alexander Bethell | |
|---|---|
 1917 portrait byFrancis Dodd | |
| Born | 28 August 1855 London,England |
| Died | 13 June 1932(aged 76) London, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1869–1918 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | HMSArethusa HMSNaiad HMSHindustan East Indies Station Royal Naval College, Greenwich Plymouth Command Coastguards and Reserves |
| Battles / wars | World War I |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath |
| Relations | Richard Bethell, 3rd Baron Westbury,brother |
Naval career
editBorn the second son ofRichard Augustus Bethell, 2nd Baron Westbury,[1]Bethell joined theRoyal Navyin 1869.[2]In July–August 1899 he commanded theArethusa,which was commissioned for the annual manoeuvres.[3]He was given command of thecruiserHMSNaiadserving in theMediterranean Fleetin March 1901, and landed the Somaliland Field Force in East Africa[1]before returning to the United Kingdom to become assistant director of torpedoes.[2]He was given command of thebattleshipHMSHindustanin 1908.[1]He was appointedDirector of Naval Intelligencein 1909.[2]
In that capacity he attended the famousCIDmeeting on 23 August, at which the government rejected the Royal Navy's proposal that 5 divisions guard Britain whilst one land on the Baltic coast in the event of war with Germany. Instead the Army's plan, to send an Expeditionary Force of between four and six divisions to France, was adopted.[4]He was appointedCommander-in-Chief, East Indies Stationin 1912.[2]He was appointed Officer Commanding the Royal Navy War College atPortsmouthin 1913.[2]
He served inWorld War Ias Commander, Battleships for the 3rd Fleet.[2]He was President of theRoyal Naval College, Greenwich,from 1914 to 1915 and was appointedCommander-in-Chief, Plymouth,in 1916 and Admiral commanding the Coastguards and Reserves in 1918.[2]He retired later that year.[2]
He lived at Wadeford House inCombe St NicholasinSomerset.[1]He died in a London nursing home on 13 June 1932.[5]
Family
editIn 1890 he married Hilda Huntsman; they had two sons and a daughter.[1]Both his sons were killed in World War I.[1]
References
edit- ^abcdef"The Bethell Family and Wadeford House"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 26 March 2010.Retrieved14 August2010.
- ^abcdefghLiddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
- ^Jeffery 2006, p96-7
- ^Admiral Sir Alexander Bethell "(Obituaries). The Times. Wednesday, 15 June 1932. Issue 46160, col C, p. 9.
Books
edit- Jeffery, Keith (2006).Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson: A Political Soldier.Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-19-820358-2.