View source for Charles Beecham Land

{{CommRN}} '''Charles Beecham Land''', R.N., Retired (1 June, 1884 &ndash; 28 March, 1947) was an officer in the [[Royal Navy]].

==Life & Career==
Born in London, Land joined the [[:Category:H.M.S. Britannia (Training Ship) Entrants of January, 1899|January, 1899]] intake term at {{UK-1Britannia|f=p}}.  Upon emerging in May 1900, he served briefly in the {{UK-1Andromeda|f=t}} and then in the {{UK-1Ramillies|f=t}} in the Mediterranean.  He was invalided from ''Ramillies'' with Mediterranean Fever in October 1901.<ref>Land Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/65.|}} f. ?.</ref>

On 1 February 1902 he was appointed to the {{UK-Hyacinth|f=t}} of the {{UK-CS}}.  On 15 May, he was appointed to the {{UK-Sutlej|f=t}} of the [[Channel Squadron]], though he would spend some of this time in {{UK-1Revenge|f=p}} awaiting ''Sutlej''{{'}}s return from the Mediterranean.<ref>Land Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/65.|}} f. ?.</ref>

Land was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} on 15 July, 1904 and lent to command the {{UK-TB53}} for the [[Annual Manoeuvres of 1904]], in which his boat operated out of [[Portsmouth]].<ref>Land Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/65.|}} f. ?.</ref>

In April 1905, he was sent to {{UK-Thames}} for instruction in submarines.  In mid-July 1906, he was appointed to {{UK-Mercury}} for command of a submarine, though whether this was for a specific boat or a blanket availability for command of her tenders is not noted.<ref>Land Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/65.|}} f. ?.</ref>

Land was promoted to the rank of {{LCommRN}} on 15 July, 1912.<ref>Land Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/65.|}} f. ?.</ref>

Land was appointed in command of the {{UK-E5|f=t}} on 31 August, 1912.{{NLJul13|p. 301}}

Land was injured in an explosion aboard a submarine in late June, 1913 and went to Haslar Hospital to be treated for shock.  He was found fit on 8 September and left ''E 5'' when he was appointed to the {{UK-Canopus|f=t}} as first officer on 16 September, 1913.  He was still in this appointment when he was admitted to Plymouth Hospital on 24 July, 1914 for an ingrown toenail, of all things.  He was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 25 July, 1914.<ref>Land Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/65.|}} f. ?.</ref>

Almost immediately, the war demanded his return to service, and Land was appointed to {{UK-1Maidstone}} for submarines, on the books of {{UK-1Adamant}} dated 5 August.  On 31 October 1914 he was appointed to {{UK-Forth}} as first officer.

Land was granted the acting rank of {{CommRN}} on 26 October, 1916.

On 28 April, 1917, Land was appointed to [[H.M.S. Peveril (1904)|''Peveril'']], A.K.A. ''Q36'', to assume command upon her commissioning as H.M.S. ''Puma''.  She was damaged in an attack by {{DE-UC65}} off Southwest England on 30 March 1917, killing nine of her crew.  He was superseded in command on 21 July, 1917 in light that he was unable to cope with the psychological strain of Q-ship work.

The Navy tried a somewhat lighter role for him by placing him in command of a "P" boat on 13 August.  This, too, proved too much, and he was sent to Haslar on 1 September, suffering from neurasthenia.  He was superseded in his command one week later and eventually found fit for shore service by late October.  He was sent to {{UK-Vernon}} to work with her [[Paravane]] section.  Though he was declared fit for active service at the end of January, 1918, it was on the proviso that it be in ships larger than a destroyer.  Nonetheless, Land remained at ''Vernon'' until he reverted to the Retired List on 15 February, 1919.<ref>Land Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/65.|}} f. ?.</ref>

Land was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} (retired) in recognition of his wartime service, dated 11 November, 1918.<ref>Land Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/65.|}} f. ?.</ref>

==World War II==
Initially employed as Officer in Charge, Seaforth and later in censorship duties, he applied for a seagoing command in 1941 while appointed to work with the Flag Officer in Charge, [[Liverpool]].<ref>Land Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/65.|}} f. ?.</ref>

He reverted to the Retired List on 22 April, 1944.<ref>Land Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/65.|}} f. ?.</ref>

Land died on 28 March 1947.<ref>Land Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/65.|}} f. ?.</ref>

==See Also==
{{refbegin}}
* [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_rv=simple&_q=ADM+Charles+Beecham+Land Service Records]
{{WP|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Beecham_Land}}
{{refend}}

<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
{{TabNaval}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Arthur Rice|Arthur Rice]]'''|'''[[H.M. T.B. 53 (1885)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 53]]'''<br>14 Jul, 1904{{ToL|Appointments for the Naval Manoeuvres|Saturday, Jul 09, 1904; pg. 12; Issue 37442}}<ref>Land Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/65.|}} f. ?.</ref> &ndash; 1904|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Aubrey Thomas Tillard|Aubrey T. Tillard]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[H.M.S. C 14 (1907)|Captain of H.M.S. ''C 14'']]'''<br>1 Apr, 1908{{NLJan10|p. 286}} &ndash; 4 Jan, 1910<ref>Land Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/65.|}} f. ?.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Gilbert Esdaile Venning|Gilbert E. Venning]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''New Command'''|'''[[H.M.S. E 5 (1912)|Captain of H.M.S. ''E 5'']]'''<br>15 May, 1913 &ndash; 16 Sep, 1913<ref>Land Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/65.|}} f. ?.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Charles Stuart Benning|Charles S. Benning]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Reginald Wilfred Lawrence|Reginald W. Lawrence]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. P45 (1917)|Captain of H.M.S. ''P45'']]'''<br>13 Aug, 1917<ref>Land Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/65.|}} f. ?.</ref> &ndash; 7 Sep, 1917<ref>Land Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/65.|}} f. ?.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Herbert Julian Carn-Duff|Herbert J. Carn-Duff]]'''}}
{{TabEnd}}
</div name=fredbot:appts>

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Land, Charles}}

{{CatPerson|UK|1884|1947}}
{{CatComm|UK}}
{{CatSubmariner|UK}}
{{CatBritannia|January, 1899}}
{{CatRN}}