davidrn
04-02-2012, 16:27
At long last thanks to a recent member, I can present the service record with a picture of the man himself.
Captain Henry George Homer Adams (1879-1960),
lived in Hereford, Herefordshire, England. He gained the rank of Captain in the service of the Royal Navy. He was invested as a Commander, Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.).
Born; 10th April 1879 in Lancaster. Died; 28th February 1960. Son of the Rev. C.E. Adams. Married 22nd August 1907 Emma Florence Craig.
Joined the Navy 15th July 1893 as a Naval Cadet HMS Britannia (Portsmouth Naval Officer Cadets Training Ship which later became the Royal Naval college at Dartmouth). He gained an extra nine months time on passing out of Britannia.
20th August 1895 joined Empress of India
Promoted Midshipman: 15th September 1895
12th November 1895 joined HMS Cordelia (a Steam Corvette of 1881). Served on the North American Station. Here he is shown to be of Temperate Habits with a Very Good Conduct and Ability. Blue jackets helped subdue riots on St. Kitts and Nevis that broke out during the 1896 harvest season of the sugar cane.
On March 26th 1898 the New York Times carried the headline “British Tar Buried in Florida, United States Troops join the Crew of H.M.S. Cordelia” this referred to the funeral of Seaman J. McCormack on March 25th, who had died aboard the ship. When the death of McCormack was made known to Col. Rawles in command of St. Francis Barracks at St. Augustine, he immediately sent word to Capt. Bourke of the Cordelia that a grave would be set aside for the internment in the National Cemetery and that he would be pleased to detail the First United States Artillery Band and a squad of Company B, Fifth Infantry, to attend the funeral as a mark of respect. The offer was graciously accepted by Capt. Bourke.
15th January 1899 joined HMS Resolution
24th March 1899 joined HMS Terrible. Here he is recorded again as very good and as a steady officer who needs to be watched but the date of the report was not recoded until March 1903.
Promoted Sub Lieutenant: 15th April 1899
11th July 1899 joined HMS Collingwood
15th March 1900 joined HMS Jackel (Ex-Woodcock a Fishery Protection Vessel of 1885) commanded by Lieut.-Commander James C. Tancred, preventing illegal trawling off the northern coasts of Scotland.
The London Gazette of 30th of June 1901 Lists among the Sub-Lieutenants to be Lieutenants Henry George Homer Adams and states that the promotion to Lieutenant is subject to his obtaining the Certificate of Efficiency to take charge of a watch at sea as a Lieutenant.
Promoted Lieutenant: 30th June 1901
18th November 1901 joined HMS Cruizer the Ex- HMS Kingfisher a Screw Sloop of 1879 for service in the Mediterranean.
26th May 1903 joined HMS Hazard a Dryad-class torpedo gunboat of 1894 (Converted into the world's first Submarine Depot Ship in 1901). Commanded by Captain Reginald Bacon she formed part of the Royal Navies First Submarine Flotilla.
Sent to HMS Mercury for navigational Course 9th January 1905 to 8th February 1905 and Passed in Pilotage for 1st Class Ship(2nd class certificate).
28th February 1905 joined HMS Dido an Eclipse Second Class Cruiser of 1896 serving in the Channel Squadron.
5th March 1907 joined HMS Natal of the 5th Cruiser Squadron, then transferring to the 2nd cruiser Squadron in 1909
29th March to 8th April 1910 admitted to Chatham Hospital due to a Fractured Rib Caused by the breaking of a coaling derrick. A court of inquiry found that this was due to an error of judgment on Lieut Adams part.
24th September 1910 Joined HMS Dryad the Royal Naval Navigation and Direction School at Portsmouth. Served as an Instructor on the Staff of the Navigation School
19th December 1911 joined HMS Good Hope 5th Cruiser Squadron
27th February 1912 joined HMS Bacchaute of the reserve fleet.
5th March 1912 joined HMS Shannon in March 1912 into the 3rd cruiser Squadron and in 1913 joining 2nd cruiser squadron. After an inspection Lieut. Adams was given full credit for the satisfactory condition of the ship.
19th December 1913 joined HMS Russell a Duncan class Battleship of 1903, in December 1913 serving as Flagship, 6th Battle Squadron, and Flagship, Rear Admiral, Home Fleet, at the Nore.
Russell was temporarily were transferred to the Channel Fleet on 2 November 1914 to reinforce that fleet in the face of German Navy activity in the Channel Fleet's area. She became flagship of the 6th Battle Squadron on 14 November 1914.This squadron was given a mission of bombarding German submarine bases on the coast of Belgium and was based at Portland, although it transferred to Dover immediately on 14 November 1914. However, due to a lack of antisubmarine defences at Dover, the squadron returned to Portland on November 19th. Russell participated in the bombardment of German submarine facilities at Zeebrugge on 23 November 1914.
The Squadron then returned to Dover in December and transferred to Sheerness on 30th to relieve the 5th Battle Squadron in guarding against a German invasion of the United Kingdom.
Between January and May 1915, the 6th Battle Squadron was dispersed. Russell left the squadron in April 1915 and rejoined the 3rd Battle Squadron in the Grand Fleet a Rosyth
The Captain of HMS Russell William Bowden-Smith entered the following comments on Adams service record. “A very good navigator has Shown great zeal and attitude in making himself acquainted with the pilotage of the Belgian coast. Showed marked ability when navigation was difficult during the bombardment of Zeebrugge. Also showed coolness and promptitude when in charge of the bridge when Russell was attacked by submarines. He is a thoroughly trustworthy Pilot”
Promoted Commander: 31st December 1913
1st July 1915 joined HMS Barham a Queen Elizabeth Class Battleship of 1915.
19/8/1915 commissioned at Clydebank and after docking at Liverpool joined 5th battle Squadron as Flagship arriving at Scapa 2/10/1915
3/12/1915 collided with Warspite and holed. Repaired at Cromarty and Invergordon
31/5/1916 At Jutland she was the flagship of Rear-Admiral H. Evans-Thomas and came under heavy German fire, which wrecked her radio gear. She was hit by six large shells, suffering 26 dead and 37 wounded during the battle she fired 337 rounds and received 6 hits.
Of Barham’s the dead, 22 are recorded on the memorial On ORKNEY at Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery Hoy, between Mill Bay and Ore Bay.
25/2/1917 refit at Cromarty
8/2/1918 refit at Rosyth
Neck Badge of the Russian Order of “St. Stanislas 2nd. Class with Swords Edinburgh Gazette 8th. June 1917.
Promoted Captain: 30th June 1918
24th September 1918 Capitan H. T. Buller Sec. to 2nd Sea Lord states “Extremely able and reliable. Will do well in command of a light Cruiser. Again on 1st October he adds, “Exceptional Navigator a most skilful pilot and a very good executive officer”.
5th October 1918 joined HMS Latona (In command) a Light Cruiser of 1890 on service in the Mediterranean. His papers also state ““He is not to leave England before 14th October 1918”
Senior Naval Officer Corfu between October 1918 to January 1919
24th July 1919 joined HMS President, London Headquarters for duty as the Duty Captain Temporary Employed
10th October 1919 HMS President Temporary Employed as Duty Captain to the Director of Navigation. (Noted as Hydro. Dept.)
Invested as a Commander of the British Empire 4th December 1919 at Buckingham Palace
9th August 1920 HMS President Seconded for special duties outside the Admiralty
11th August 1920 on loan to the Royal Canadian Navy which had been approved by the 1st Sea Lord on 4th August, for the command of a Light Cruiser.
1st November 1920 joined HMCS Aurora an Arethusa class light cruiser of 1913 as Commanding officer. Soon after her arrival in Canada Aurora was sent on a training cruise to the Caribbean then Esquimalt and British Columbia before returning to Halifax. The arrival of the Aurora in Costa Rica in 1921 was seized upon by diplomats to achieve closure on a dispute involving the Royal Bank of Canada, British oil interests and the government of Costa Rica. She also took part in Ship to Air communications trials with the Canadian Air Force using a Curtiss HS2L Flying Boat between Aug. 22nd and 24th 1921.
23rd December 1920, Appointed Senior Officer Commanding Canadian Squadron Re. letter from the Department of Naval Services, Ottawa.
2nd July 1922, Placed on the retired list at own request.
5th July 1922 Left Canada on the Empress of India
12th September 1922 Reverts to Royal Navy. His RCN Service is noted as ending 10th September 1922.
Specialized in Navigation March 1900 and served on the Staff of the Navigation School at (HMS Dryad)September 1910 to December 1911. All his ships service from Jackal 1900 up to and including Barham are Prefixed with an (N) for Navigation
The last entry on his papers reads “President and Naval Representative on joint recruiting Board of War of Sheffield 31st August 1939 to 4th November 1939”
Captain Henry George Homer Adams (1879-1960),
lived in Hereford, Herefordshire, England. He gained the rank of Captain in the service of the Royal Navy. He was invested as a Commander, Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.).
Born; 10th April 1879 in Lancaster. Died; 28th February 1960. Son of the Rev. C.E. Adams. Married 22nd August 1907 Emma Florence Craig.
Joined the Navy 15th July 1893 as a Naval Cadet HMS Britannia (Portsmouth Naval Officer Cadets Training Ship which later became the Royal Naval college at Dartmouth). He gained an extra nine months time on passing out of Britannia.
20th August 1895 joined Empress of India
Promoted Midshipman: 15th September 1895
12th November 1895 joined HMS Cordelia (a Steam Corvette of 1881). Served on the North American Station. Here he is shown to be of Temperate Habits with a Very Good Conduct and Ability. Blue jackets helped subdue riots on St. Kitts and Nevis that broke out during the 1896 harvest season of the sugar cane.
On March 26th 1898 the New York Times carried the headline “British Tar Buried in Florida, United States Troops join the Crew of H.M.S. Cordelia” this referred to the funeral of Seaman J. McCormack on March 25th, who had died aboard the ship. When the death of McCormack was made known to Col. Rawles in command of St. Francis Barracks at St. Augustine, he immediately sent word to Capt. Bourke of the Cordelia that a grave would be set aside for the internment in the National Cemetery and that he would be pleased to detail the First United States Artillery Band and a squad of Company B, Fifth Infantry, to attend the funeral as a mark of respect. The offer was graciously accepted by Capt. Bourke.
15th January 1899 joined HMS Resolution
24th March 1899 joined HMS Terrible. Here he is recorded again as very good and as a steady officer who needs to be watched but the date of the report was not recoded until March 1903.
Promoted Sub Lieutenant: 15th April 1899
11th July 1899 joined HMS Collingwood
15th March 1900 joined HMS Jackel (Ex-Woodcock a Fishery Protection Vessel of 1885) commanded by Lieut.-Commander James C. Tancred, preventing illegal trawling off the northern coasts of Scotland.
The London Gazette of 30th of June 1901 Lists among the Sub-Lieutenants to be Lieutenants Henry George Homer Adams and states that the promotion to Lieutenant is subject to his obtaining the Certificate of Efficiency to take charge of a watch at sea as a Lieutenant.
Promoted Lieutenant: 30th June 1901
18th November 1901 joined HMS Cruizer the Ex- HMS Kingfisher a Screw Sloop of 1879 for service in the Mediterranean.
26th May 1903 joined HMS Hazard a Dryad-class torpedo gunboat of 1894 (Converted into the world's first Submarine Depot Ship in 1901). Commanded by Captain Reginald Bacon she formed part of the Royal Navies First Submarine Flotilla.
Sent to HMS Mercury for navigational Course 9th January 1905 to 8th February 1905 and Passed in Pilotage for 1st Class Ship(2nd class certificate).
28th February 1905 joined HMS Dido an Eclipse Second Class Cruiser of 1896 serving in the Channel Squadron.
5th March 1907 joined HMS Natal of the 5th Cruiser Squadron, then transferring to the 2nd cruiser Squadron in 1909
29th March to 8th April 1910 admitted to Chatham Hospital due to a Fractured Rib Caused by the breaking of a coaling derrick. A court of inquiry found that this was due to an error of judgment on Lieut Adams part.
24th September 1910 Joined HMS Dryad the Royal Naval Navigation and Direction School at Portsmouth. Served as an Instructor on the Staff of the Navigation School
19th December 1911 joined HMS Good Hope 5th Cruiser Squadron
27th February 1912 joined HMS Bacchaute of the reserve fleet.
5th March 1912 joined HMS Shannon in March 1912 into the 3rd cruiser Squadron and in 1913 joining 2nd cruiser squadron. After an inspection Lieut. Adams was given full credit for the satisfactory condition of the ship.
19th December 1913 joined HMS Russell a Duncan class Battleship of 1903, in December 1913 serving as Flagship, 6th Battle Squadron, and Flagship, Rear Admiral, Home Fleet, at the Nore.
Russell was temporarily were transferred to the Channel Fleet on 2 November 1914 to reinforce that fleet in the face of German Navy activity in the Channel Fleet's area. She became flagship of the 6th Battle Squadron on 14 November 1914.This squadron was given a mission of bombarding German submarine bases on the coast of Belgium and was based at Portland, although it transferred to Dover immediately on 14 November 1914. However, due to a lack of antisubmarine defences at Dover, the squadron returned to Portland on November 19th. Russell participated in the bombardment of German submarine facilities at Zeebrugge on 23 November 1914.
The Squadron then returned to Dover in December and transferred to Sheerness on 30th to relieve the 5th Battle Squadron in guarding against a German invasion of the United Kingdom.
Between January and May 1915, the 6th Battle Squadron was dispersed. Russell left the squadron in April 1915 and rejoined the 3rd Battle Squadron in the Grand Fleet a Rosyth
The Captain of HMS Russell William Bowden-Smith entered the following comments on Adams service record. “A very good navigator has Shown great zeal and attitude in making himself acquainted with the pilotage of the Belgian coast. Showed marked ability when navigation was difficult during the bombardment of Zeebrugge. Also showed coolness and promptitude when in charge of the bridge when Russell was attacked by submarines. He is a thoroughly trustworthy Pilot”
Promoted Commander: 31st December 1913
1st July 1915 joined HMS Barham a Queen Elizabeth Class Battleship of 1915.
19/8/1915 commissioned at Clydebank and after docking at Liverpool joined 5th battle Squadron as Flagship arriving at Scapa 2/10/1915
3/12/1915 collided with Warspite and holed. Repaired at Cromarty and Invergordon
31/5/1916 At Jutland she was the flagship of Rear-Admiral H. Evans-Thomas and came under heavy German fire, which wrecked her radio gear. She was hit by six large shells, suffering 26 dead and 37 wounded during the battle she fired 337 rounds and received 6 hits.
Of Barham’s the dead, 22 are recorded on the memorial On ORKNEY at Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery Hoy, between Mill Bay and Ore Bay.
25/2/1917 refit at Cromarty
8/2/1918 refit at Rosyth
Neck Badge of the Russian Order of “St. Stanislas 2nd. Class with Swords Edinburgh Gazette 8th. June 1917.
Promoted Captain: 30th June 1918
24th September 1918 Capitan H. T. Buller Sec. to 2nd Sea Lord states “Extremely able and reliable. Will do well in command of a light Cruiser. Again on 1st October he adds, “Exceptional Navigator a most skilful pilot and a very good executive officer”.
5th October 1918 joined HMS Latona (In command) a Light Cruiser of 1890 on service in the Mediterranean. His papers also state ““He is not to leave England before 14th October 1918”
Senior Naval Officer Corfu between October 1918 to January 1919
24th July 1919 joined HMS President, London Headquarters for duty as the Duty Captain Temporary Employed
10th October 1919 HMS President Temporary Employed as Duty Captain to the Director of Navigation. (Noted as Hydro. Dept.)
Invested as a Commander of the British Empire 4th December 1919 at Buckingham Palace
9th August 1920 HMS President Seconded for special duties outside the Admiralty
11th August 1920 on loan to the Royal Canadian Navy which had been approved by the 1st Sea Lord on 4th August, for the command of a Light Cruiser.
1st November 1920 joined HMCS Aurora an Arethusa class light cruiser of 1913 as Commanding officer. Soon after her arrival in Canada Aurora was sent on a training cruise to the Caribbean then Esquimalt and British Columbia before returning to Halifax. The arrival of the Aurora in Costa Rica in 1921 was seized upon by diplomats to achieve closure on a dispute involving the Royal Bank of Canada, British oil interests and the government of Costa Rica. She also took part in Ship to Air communications trials with the Canadian Air Force using a Curtiss HS2L Flying Boat between Aug. 22nd and 24th 1921.
23rd December 1920, Appointed Senior Officer Commanding Canadian Squadron Re. letter from the Department of Naval Services, Ottawa.
2nd July 1922, Placed on the retired list at own request.
5th July 1922 Left Canada on the Empress of India
12th September 1922 Reverts to Royal Navy. His RCN Service is noted as ending 10th September 1922.
Specialized in Navigation March 1900 and served on the Staff of the Navigation School at (HMS Dryad)September 1910 to December 1911. All his ships service from Jackal 1900 up to and including Barham are Prefixed with an (N) for Navigation
The last entry on his papers reads “President and Naval Representative on joint recruiting Board of War of Sheffield 31st August 1939 to 4th November 1939”