Walter James Hunt-Grubbe

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Admiral SIR Walter James Hunt-Grubbe, G.C.B., Royal Navy (23 February, 1832 – 11 April, 1922) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Early Life & Career

Promoted to Lieutenant on 23 May 1854.

Promoted to Commander on 23 Mar, 1861.

Promoted to Captain on 5 July, 1866.

Hunt-Grubbe really distinguished himself as a naval officer in March of 1874, being gazetted an incredible four times in one month. On the 6th, it was for command of a wing of a naval brigade at the Battle of Amoaful against the Ashanti, in which he was severely wounded. On the 7th he was mentioned for the "Becquak", on the 17th for "the Borborassie" and on the 23rd for the Volta.

He was appointed an Ordinary Member of the Third Class, or Companion, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.) on 13 March, 1874.[1]

In June of 1878, a Court of Enquiry was convened in the wake of an altercation between Hunt-Grubbe and a Captain. The Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean disapproved of Hunt-Grubbe's use of strong language.

Hunt-Grubbe was appointed an Ordinary Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, in the Military Division of the Order of the Bath (K.C.B.) on 14 August, 1882.[2]

Hunt-Grubbe was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 8 July, 1884, vice Hewett.[3] He was appointed Admiral Superintendent of Devonport Dockyard on 1 August, 1888.[4]

He was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 2 August, 1890, vice Lethbridge.[5]

He was promoted to the rank of Admiral on 20 February, 1895, vice Clanwilliam.[6] In accordance with the provisions of the Order in Council of 22 February, 1870, he was placed on the Retired List on 22 February, 1897.[7]

On the occasion of the Queen's birthday he was appointed an Ordinary Member of the First Class, or Knight Grand Cross, in the Military Division of the Order of the Bath (G.C.B.) on 3 June, 1899.[8]

Bibliography

  • "A Link with the Old Navy" (Obituaries). The Times. Thursday, 13 April, 1922. Issue 43005, col F, p. 14.

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
?
Captain of H.M.S. Rupert
25 May, 1876[9]
Succeeded by
Frederick W. Egerton
Preceded by
Edward H. Howard
Captain of H.M.S. Sultan
20 Apr, 1882[10] – 6 Mar, 1885
Succeeded by
Richard D. King
Preceded by
Nowell Salmon
Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope Station and West Africa Station
6 Mar, 1885 – 15 May, 1888
Succeeded by
Richard Wells
Preceded by
Henry D. Grant
Admiral Superintendent, Devonport Dockyard
1 Aug, 1888[11] – 4 Aug, 1891
Succeeded by
Sir Robert H. More Molyneux
Preceded by
Sir R. Vesey Hamilton
President of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich
1 Oct, 1894[12] – 1 Oct, 1897
Succeeded by
Sir Richard E. Tracey

Footnotes

  1. The London Gazette: no. 24082. p. 1921. 31 March, 1874.
  2. The London Gazette: no. 25138. p. 3794. 15 August, 1882.
  3. The London Gazette: no. 25375. p. 3176. 11 July, 1884.
  4. The Navy List. (April, 1891). p. 355.
  5. The London Gazette: no. 26076. p. 4282. 5 August, 1890.
  6. The London Gazette: no. 26601. p. 1067. 22 February, 1895.
  7. The London Gazette: no. 26827. p. 1168. 26 February, 1897.
  8. The London Gazette: no. 27086. p. 3585. 3 June, 1899.
  9. The Navy List. (July, 1876). p. 171.
  10. The Navy List. (March, 1883). p. 241.
  11. The Navy List. (April, 1891). p. 355.
  12. Hunt-Grubbe Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/36. f. 664.