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Vice-Admiral
Sir Humphrey Thomas Walwyn
CommissionGovernor ofNewfoundland
In office
1936–1946
Preceded byDavid Murray Anderson
Succeeded byGordon Macdonald
Personal details
Born(1879-01-25)25 January 1879
Gresford,Denbighshire,Wales,UK
Died29 December 1957(1957-12-29)(aged 78)
Maiden Newton,Dorset,England, UK
SpouseEileen Mary van Straubenzee (later Dame Eileen Walwyn)
Children1 child (Rear AdmiralJames Humphrey Walwyn,CB)
ProfessionNaval officer
Governor
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
British India
Branch/serviceRoyal Navy
Royal Indian Navy
Years of service1893–1934
RankVice-Admiral
CommandsRoyal Indian Marine
HMSValiant
HMSQueen Elizabeth
7th Destroyer Flotilla
2nd Destroyer Flotilla
HMSSpenser
HMSGibraltar
Battles/warsSecond Boer War
First World War
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Star of India
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Order of St. Stanislas, 2nd Class with Swords(Russia)

Vice-AdmiralSir Humphrey Thomas Walwyn,KCSI,KCMG,CB,DSO(25 January 1879 – 29 December 1957) was an officer of theRoyal Navy,who served during theSecond Boer WarandFirst World War,and was theCommander-in-Chiefof theRoyal Indian Navyfrom 1928 until his retirement in 1934. He then served as Governor ofNewfoundlandfrom 1936, throughout theSecond World War,until 1946.

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Walwyn joined the Royal Navy in 1893, spending two years training in thetraining shipBritanniabefore joining the battleshipCamperdown.He served as actingsub-lieutenantfrom December 1898, and was confirmed in this rank on 7 February 1900,[1]when he was posted to thepre-dreadnought battleshipHMSIllustrious,serving in theMediterranean Fleet.[2]Later that year he was promoted tolieutenanton 15 December 1900,[3]seeing action in theSecond Boer War.

In 1902 Walwyn was posted toExcellent,the Naval Gunnery School atWhale Island, Hampshire,to train as a Gunnery Lieutenant. Upon qualifying he was appointed to the school's staff for six months. From 1905 he served as Gunnery Lieutenant in the cruiserDrakeand the battleshipsSuperbandNeptune.He also spent 18 months on the staff of the Inspector of Target Practice at theAdmiralty.He was promoted to the rank ofcommanderon 1 July 1912.[4]

Walwyn was then appointed an Assistant to theDirector of Naval Ordnanceat the Admiralty, remaining in that post into the first year of theFirst World War,finally returning to sea duty in 1915 asCommander(Second-in-Command) of the new battleshipWarspite.There he saw action in theBattle of Jutlandon 31 May – 1 June 1916, and was subsequently awarded theDistinguished Service Orderon 15 September.[5]He was promoted tocaptainon 31 December 1916,[6]and in June 1917, was awarded theOrder of St. Stanislas, 2nd Class (with Swords)by Russia.[7]

Walwyn was appointed commander of the first classprotected cruiserGibraltaron 17 January 1919,[8]and, from 29 April 1920, he commanded thedestroyer leaderSpenser,also serving asCaptain (D),2nd Destroyer Flotilla.[9]From 1922 he served as Captain (D),7th Destroyer Flotilla,and as Senior Officer, Mediterranean Destroyers, before returning to the Admiralty in 1924 to serve as Director of the Gunnery Division. He took command of the battleshipQueen Elizabethin March 1926, until she started a refit later that year. Soon after, he took command ofValiant,remaining with her until March 1927.[10]

On 29 February 1928 he was promoted torear admiral.[11]He was appointed aCompanion of the Order of the Bath(CB) on 4 June 1928.[12]

The same year Walwyn was appointed Flag Officer Commanding and Director of theRoyal Indian Marine,receiving promotion tovice admiralon 1 November 1932,[13]and on 2 January 1933 was made aKnight Commander of the Order of the Star of India(KCSI).[14]He oversaw the change of the Royal Indian Marine to theRoyal Indian Navyin October 1934, of which he was the first Flag Officer Commanding, but retired in November 1934 after only a month. He was placed on the Retired List on 15 December 1934.[citation needed]

Governor of Newfoundland

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From 1936 Walwyn served asGovernorofNewfoundlandand chairman of theCommission of Government.On 6 June 1939 he was appointed aKnight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George(KCMG).[15]During theSecond World Warhe was active in encouraging Newfoundlanders to join the war effort. In 1946, he retired toMaiden Newton,Dorset,where he died in 1957.[citation needed]

Family

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In recognition of her public and philanthropic work for the community in Newfoundland, his wife, Lady Eileen Mary Walwyn (1883–1973), the daughter of Major General Turner van Straubenzee, CB and Florinda Harriette van Straubenzee, was created aDame Commander of the Order of the British Empireon 1 January 1947.[16]Their son was Rear-AdmiralJames Humphrey Walwyn,R.N., C.B. (1964) O.B.E. (1944).[17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"No. 27163".The London Gazette(Supplement). 9 February 1900. pp. 908–909.
  2. ^"Naval & Military intelligence".The Times.No. 36055. London. 2 February 1900. p. 10.
  3. ^"No. 27267".The London Gazette.18 January 1901. p. 394.
  4. ^"No. 28623".The London Gazette.2 July 1912. p. 4748.
  5. ^"No. 29751".The London Gazette(Supplement). 15 September 1916. p. 9071.
  6. ^"No. 29886".The London Gazette(Supplement). 29 December 1916. p. 12.
  7. ^"No. 30116".The London Gazette(Supplement). 5 June 1917. p. 5592.
  8. ^The Navy List.February 1919. p. 800.Retrieved7 February2014.
  9. ^The Monthly Navy List.December 1920. p. 866.Retrieved7 February2014.
  10. ^Mackie, Colin (2011)."Captains Commanding Royal Navy Warships"(PDF).gulabin.com.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 14 July 2015.Retrieved7 February2014.
  11. ^"No. 33362".The London Gazette.2 March 1928. p. 1493.
  12. ^"No. 33390".The London Gazette(Supplement). 1 June 1928. p. 3847.
  13. ^"No. 33880".The London Gazette.4 November 1932. pp. 6992–6992.
  14. ^"No. 33898".The London Gazette(Supplement). 30 December 1932. p. 5.
  15. ^"No. 34633".The London Gazette(Supplement). 6 June 1939. p. 3855.
  16. ^"No. 37835".The London Gazette(Supplement). 31 December 1946. p. 19.
  17. ^van Straubenzee of Spennithorne pedigree, www.burkespeerage.com
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