AdmiralSir Stanley Cecil James Colville,GCB,GCMG,GCVO(21 February 1861 – 9 April 1939) was a seniorRoyal Navyofficer.

Sir Stanley Colville
Admiral Sir Stanley Colville as a captain in 1905 or 1906
Vice-Admiral of the United KingdomandLieutenant of the Admiralty
In office
March 1929 – 9 April 1939
Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom
In office
January 1927 – March 1929
First and Principal Naval Aide-de-CamptoHM The King
In office
July 1919 – August 1922
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
In office
February 1916 – March 1919
Admiral Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlands
In office
September 1914 – January 1916
Vice-Admiral Commanding,1st Battle Squadron
In office
June 1912 – June 1914
Rear-Admiral Commanding,1st Cruiser Squadron
In office
February 1909 – March 1911
Personal details
Born
The Hon Stanley Cecil James Colville

(1861-02-21)21 February 1861
Eaton Place,London, England
Died9 April 1939(1939-04-09)(aged 78)
Spouse
Adelaide Jane Meade
(m.1902)
Parent
RelativesRobert Carrington(maternal grandfather)
Military career
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/ branchRoyal Navy
Years of service1874–1922
RankAdmiral
CommandsPortsmouth Command(1916–19)
Orkneys and Shetlands (1914–16)
1st Battle Squadron(1912–14)
1st Cruiser Squadron(1909–11)
HMSHindustan(1905–06)
HMSCrescent(1900–02)
HMSBarfleur(1898–00)
Battles / wars
AwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
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Colville was born inEaton Place,London,the second son ofCharles Colville, 10th Lord Colville of Culross,entitling him to the style "The Honourable". His mother, Cecile, was the daughter ofRobert Carrington, 2nd Baron Carrington.Colville was educated atMarlborough Collegeand entered the training shipBritanniain July 1874. In October 1876 he was promotedmidshipmanand appointed to thebattleshipSultanin theMediterranean Fleet.In May 1878 he transferred to the battleshipBlack Princein theChannel Fleetand in January 1879 to thecorvetteBoadiceaat theCape of Good Hope Station.Later that year he served on land during theAnglo-Zulu War.In October 1880 he was commissionedsub-lieutenantand posted toPortsmouthfor further training.

In July 1882 he joined the battleshipAlexandra,flagshipof the Mediterranean Fleet. He was promotedlieutenantin November 1882 for his services at thebombardment of Alexandria.[1]In May 1883 he joined the corvetteCanadaon theNorth American Station,serving alongside Midshipman Prince George of Wales (later KingGeorge V). In September 1884 he rejoinedAlexandraand served ashore with the force attempting to relieve GeneralCharles George GordonatKhartoum.In October 1889 he joined thesloopBuzzardon the North America Station.

In August 1890 he was appointedFirst Lieutenantof theroyal yachtVictoria and Albert.He was promotedcommanderin August 1892[2]and in May 1893 joined the battleshipTrafalgar,now flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet. In 1896 he took command of thegunboatsof theNile FlotillainSudan.He was badly wounded, promotedcaptainin August 1896, and appointedCompanion of the Order of the Bath(CB) in November 1896.[3]

From 1897 to 1898 he was Naval Adviser to the Inspector-General of Fortifications at theWar Officein London. In September 1898 he took command of the battleshipBarfleurasFlag Captainto Rear-AdmiralPenrose Fitzgerald,second-in-command of theChina Station.On 1 March 1900 he was appointed Flag Captain to Vice-AdmiralSir Frederick Bedfordin thecruiserCrescenton the North America and West Indies Station.[4]In May 1902 he becameChief of Staffto AdmiralSir Compton Domvile,commander-in-chiefof the Mediterranean Fleet, in the battleshipBulwark.[5]He was appointedCommander of the Royal Victorian Order(CVO) when received in an audience by KingEdward VIIon 29 May 1902,[6][7]and later the same year married the daughter of recently retired Admiral of the FleetLord Clanwilliam.In December 1905 he took command of the battleshipHindustanin theAtlantic Fleetand was appointed anAide-de-campto the King.[8]

Colville was promotedrear-admiralin November 1906 and hoisted his flag in theBulwark,now in theHome Fleet.In February 1909 he was appointed to command the1st Cruiser Squadronof the Channel Fleet inHMSDrake.In July 1909 he transferred his flag to the newbattlecruiserIndomitable.He was promotedvice-admiralin April 1911.[9]In June 1912 he took command of the1st Battle Squadronof the Home Fleet, flying his flag inHMSCollingwoodand was appointedKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath(KCB). In September 1914 he becameVice-Admiral Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlandsand was shortly afterwards promotedadmiral.He held this command until February 1916, when he was appointedCommander-in-Chief, Portsmouth.He was appointedKnight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order(GCVO) in July 1915,[10]andKnight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George(GCMG) in 1919. In July 1919 he was appointedFirst and Principal Naval Aide-de-Campto the King,[11]a post he held until his retirement in April 1922.[12]He was appointedKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath(GCB) in July 1921.

He was appointed to the honorary offices ofRear-Admiral of the United Kingdomin 1927[13]andVice-Admiral of the United KingdomandLieutenant of the Admiraltyin 1929.[14]

Family

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Colville married atSt Peter's Church, Eaton Squareon 6 December 1902 Lady Adelaide Jane Meade (1877 – 31 March 1960), a daughter ofRichard Meade, 4th Earl of Clanwilliam.The marriage was attended by the Prince of Wales (later KingGeorge V) and a number of royal family members, and the couple received gifts from the King andQueen.[15]They had four children, includingMajor-General Edward Charles Colville(1 September 1905 – 10 January 1982).[16]

Footnotes

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  1. ^"No. 25169".The London Gazette(Supplement). 17 November 1882. p. 5173.
  2. ^"No. 26322".The London Gazette.2 September 1892. p. 5016.
  3. ^"No. 26795".The London Gazette.17 November 1896. p. 6271.
  4. ^"Naval & Military intelligence".The Times.No. 36073. London. 23 February 1900. p. 6.
  5. ^"Naval & Military intelligence".The Times.No. 36748. London. 22 April 1902. p. 12.
  6. ^"Court Circular".The Times.No. 36781. London. 30 May 1902. p. 10.
  7. ^"No. 27440".The London Gazette.6 June 1902. p. 3681.
  8. ^"No. 27863".The London Gazette.12 December 1905. p. 8899.
  9. ^"No. 28485".The London Gazette.14 April 1911. p. 2967.
  10. ^"No. 29232".The London Gazette.16 July 1915. p. 6959.
  11. ^"No. 31489".The London Gazette.5 August 1919. p. 9961.
  12. ^"No. 32668".The London Gazette.11 April 1922. p. 2934.
  13. ^"No. 33236".The London Gazette.4 January 1927. p. 39.
  14. ^"No. 33480".The London Gazette.26 March 1929. p. 2084.
  15. ^"Court Circular".The Times.No. 36945. London. 8 December 1902. p. 9.
  16. ^"Colville, Edward Charles".Unit Histories.Retrieved21 June2020.

References

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Military offices
New command Admiral Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlands
1914–1916
Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
1916–1919
Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp
1919–1922
Succeeded by
Preceded by Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom
1926–1929
Succeeded by
Preceded by Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom
1929–1939
Succeeded by
Sir Montague Browning