View source for Norman Litchfield Stanley

{{CaptRN}} '''Norman Litchfield Stanley''' (14 May, 1872 &ndash; 22 September, 1944) was an officer in the [[Royal Navy]].  The service recorded his middle name, incorrectly, as '''Lichfield''' until 1944 when his widow wrote to correct the spelling.

==Life & Career==
Born in Dunedin, New Zealand, the son of Reverend T. L. Stanley, Norman Stanley gained seven months' time on passing out of {{UK-1Britannia}} in December 1887.

He was recommended to the Royal Humane Society on 22 March 1890 for saving the life of T. Porthouse at Hobart, Tasmania who had fallen at 10pm on the dark night of 1 March.  Porthouse weighed 15 stone and proved dangerous to get hold of in his panicked state.  Stanley was eventually to receive the [[Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal]] and certificate for life-saving.<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref>

Stanley was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} on 30 June, 1894.<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref>

Stanley was serving in the {{UK-1Revenge|f=t}} when he was invalided to England on 30 September, 1897 with Mediterranean Fever.  It would not be before 26 October, 1898 that he would be deemed fit for service on a foreign station.

Stanley was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} on 31 December, 1905.<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref>

On 20 October, 1906, Stanley was appointed as executive officer in the {{UK-Hannibal|f=pt}}.  In 1907, a Court of Enquiry probed unsatisfactory Battle Practice Results obtained by {{UK-Hannibal}} and found that Commander Stanley had not taken "an intelligent interest in Battle Practice stations & system of control."  He apparently took the necessary measures to address the deficiency, as 1908's results satisfied the Admiralty.  On 5 October, 1908, Stanley left ''Hannibal'' to attend a War Course in Portsmouth.<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref>

After attending Technical and Gunnery courses in early 1909, Stanley spent sixteen months in command of the {{UK-Glory|f=t}}, followed by three weeks in command of {{UK-Trafalgar}} and several months in {{UK-1Intrepid}}.  On 17 January, 1911, Stanley was appointed to {{UK-Philomel}} on the East Indies Station.  On 2 September, he was invalided at Colombo with eczema caused by the climate, though he was not superseded until on 19 September.  He completed passage home in S.S. ''Mongolia''.  He recuperated, slowly in Portsmouth, being re-surveyed periodically at Haslar Hospital, but he did not regain his fitness until 30 December, 1911.<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref>

Stanley was appointed in command of the {{UK-Hermione|f=t}} on 5 February, 1912.{{NLJul13|p. 324}}

In 1913, Stanley was awarded the [[Royal Humane Society's Bronze Medal]] for saving life at sea.{{NLJul14|p. 961}}

Stanley was appointed in command of the {{UK-Oropesa|f=t}} on 23 November, 1914.  He was promoted to the rank of Acting {{CaptRN}} on 3 July, 1915 and left command of ''Oropesa'' on 2 December, 1915.  On the 23rd, he was appointed to {{UK-President}}, additional, for special service.<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref>

Stanley was appointed to ''Pembroke'' for the {{UK-Gloucestershire|f=t}}, to assume command upon her commissioning.  He would remain in command until July, 1917, after which he would a half-year in hospital with a varicose ulcer &ndash; most likely a consequence of his earlier bout with eczema.  He was not again ready to serve until January, 1918.<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref>

Vice-Admiral [[Reginald Godfrey Otway Tupper|Tupper]] evaluated Stanley in December 1917 as "a most zealous, hardworking, capable officer who did excellent work on Patrol in [[Tenth Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)|10th C.S.]]  Ship always in very good order, & ready to date given", but characterized his ability as being simply "average".  Following a brief stint in command of {{UK-1Vindictive|f=p}}, in February, 1918 Stanley was appointed in command of {{UK-Ophir}}.<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref>

==Post-War==
In July 1919 Stanley left {{UK-Ophir}} and proceeded to Devonport to assist the Captain of Dockyard, initially [[William John Standly Alderson]].  On 27 July, 1921, Stanley was transferred to the books of {{UK-Victory}} for unpaid time not to exceed six months.

Stanley was placed on the Retired List with rank of Captain at his own request on 21 January, 1922.<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 319.</ref>

Stanley's eczema would return in 1935 and again in the late 1930s, resulting in time spent at Haslar.  As World War II loomed, Stanley offered his services but was informed that he was unlikely to be required in early stages of war.  A lack of further notes on the matter suggest he never was summoned.

Stanley died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1944.<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 319.</ref>

==See Also==
{{refbegin}}
* [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_rv=simple&_q=ADM+196+Norman+Stanley Service Records]
{{WP|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Litchfield_Stanley}}
{{refend}}

<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
{{TabNaval}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Edmund Radcliffe Pears|Edmund R. Pears]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Glory (1899)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Glory'']]'''<br>11 May, 1909<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref>{{NLJan10|p. 321}} &ndash; 6 Sep, 1910<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Marcus Rowley Hill|Marcus R. Hill]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Richard Bowles Farquhar|Richard B. Farquhar]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Intrepid (1891)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Intrepid'']]'''<br>27 Sep, 1910<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref> &ndash; 17 Jan, 1911<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Tristan Dannreuther|Tristan Dannreuther]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Victor Gallafent Gurner|Victor G. Gurner]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Philomel (1890)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Philomel'']]'''<br>17 Jan, 1911{{NLApr11|p. 356}} &ndash; 1911|Succeeded by<br>'''[[George Norman Ballard|George N. Ballard]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Murray Fraser Sueter|Murray F. Sueter]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Hermione (1893)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Hermione'']]'''<br>5 Feb, 1912<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref>{{NLJul13|p. 324}} &ndash; mid Jul, 1913<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Henry Montagu Doughty|Henry M. Doughty]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''New Command'''|'''[[H.M.S. Oropesa (1895)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Oropesa'']]'''<br>23 Nov, 1914<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref>{{NLApr15|p. 401''r''}} &ndash; 2 Dec, 1915<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Percy George Brown|Percy G. Brown]]'''<br><small>as '''Captain of H.M.S. ''Champagne'''''</small>}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[H.M.S. Gloucestershire (1910)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Gloucestershire'']]'''<br>5 Jan, 1916<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref>{{NLAug17|p. 401''d''}} &ndash; 11 Jul, 1917<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Thomas Acland Williams|Thomas A. Williams]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Otto Herman Hawke-Genn|Otto H. Hawke-Genn]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Vindictive (1897)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Vindictive'']]'''<br>26 Jan, 1918<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref> &ndash; 7 Feb, 1918<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 321.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Alfred Francis Blakeney Carpenter|Alfred F. B. Carpenter]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[John Maxwell Dalrymple Elphinstone Warren|John M. D. E. Warren]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Ophir (1891)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Ophir'']]'''<br>7 Feb, 1918<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 319.</ref>{{NLDec18|p. 855}} &ndash; 18 Jul, 1919<ref>Stanley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/292.|D8112215}} f. 319.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''?'''}}
{{TabEnd}}
</div name=fredbot:appts>

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stanley, Norman}}

{{CatPerson|UK|1872|1944}}
{{CatCapt|UK}}
{{CatBritannia|January, 1886}}
{{CatRN}}