View source for Richard Douglas Sandford

{{LieutRN}} '''Richard Douglas Sandford''', {{VC}}, (11 May, 1891 &ndash; 24 November, 1918) was an officer in the [[Royal Navy]].

==Life & Career==
The son of E. G. Sandford, Archdeacon of Exeter passed out of the Training Establishment in September 1908 and was appointed to {{UK-Hibernia}} of the [[Channel Fleet]], in which he would spend fifteen months.

Sandford was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} on 30 October, 1913.{{NLJan15|p. 68''b''}}

Sandford was noted as a "most reliable range-taker" by Captain [[Cecil Irby Prowse]] of {{UK-DukeOfEdinburgh}} in December, 1913.<ref>Sandford Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/53/78.|D7605489}} f. 77.</ref>

In early 1914, he received training in submarines, and in May was appointed to {{UK-Forth|f=p}} for service with them.  In July, he transferred to {{UK-Onyx}} and on 13 November, to {{UK-Dolphin}}.

Sandford was appointed to {{UK-Dolphin}} for service in the {{UK-W1|f=t}} on 13 November, 1914.{{NLJan15|p. 304}}  He served in {{UK-G6}} from mid-February 1916 until being given his first command, {{UK-C34}} on 29 August, 1916.

At the end of 1916, he was appointed to {{UK-K7}} very briefly before being put in {{UK-K6}}.  He served in her until 5 January 1918 when he was sent to the Periscope School at {{UK-Dolphin|f=p}}.  

In late March 1918, he was appointed to command the {{UK-C3|f=t}}, which would soon undertake an unusual mission.  Sandford would receive the [[Victoria Cross]] for his role in commanding the explosives-laden {{UK-C3}} as a mobile demolition charge to destroy a viaduct allowing the Mole at Zeebrugge to communicate to the port.

Sandford died of typhoid at Eston Hospital, South Bank on 23 November, 1918, the day after his most recent command, the submarine {{UK-G11}} was run aground and was lost under the command of [[George Fagan Bradshaw]], who had replaced him.<ref>Sandford Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/53/78.|D7605489}} f. 77.</ref>

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

<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
{{TabNaval}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[John Fenwick Hutchings|John F. Hutchings]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. C 34 (1910)|Captain of H.M.S. ''C 34'']]'''<br>29 Aug, 1916<ref>Sandford Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/53/78.|D7605489}} f. 77.</ref> &ndash; Dec, 1916<ref>Sandford Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/53/78.|D7605489}} f. 77.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Sydney Thornhill Winn|Sydney T. Winn]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Guy D'Oyly-Hughes|Guy D'Oyly-Hughes]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. C 3 (1906)|Captain of H.M.S. ''C 3'']]'''<br>23 Mar, 1918<ref>Sandford Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/53/78.|D7605489}} f. 77.</ref> &ndash; 23 Apr, 1918{{HepperLosses|pp. 128, 129}}|Succeeded by<br>'''Vessel Lost'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Walter Alan Chambre Dickson|Walter A. C. Dickson]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. C 30 (1909)|Captain of H.M.S. ''C 30'']]'''<br>25 Aug, 1918<ref>Sandford Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/53/78.|D7605489}} f. 77.</ref> &ndash; Sep, 1918<ref>Sandford Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/53/78.|D7605489}} f. 77.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Theodore Frederick Annesley Voysey|Theodore F. A. Voysey]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Charles Gordon Norrie Graham|Charles G. N. Graham]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. G 11 (1916)|Captain of H.M.S. ''G 11'']]'''<br>12 Oct, 1918<ref>Sandford Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/53/78.|D7605489}} f. 77.</ref> &ndash; 22 Nov, 1918<ref>Sandford Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/53/78.|D7605489}} f. 77.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[George Fagan Bradshaw|George F. Bradshaw]]'''}}
{{TabEnd}}
</div name=fredbot:appts>

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sandford, Richard Douglas}}

{{CatPerson|UK|1891|1918}}
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{{CatLieut|UK}}
{{CatTrainEst|January, 1904}}
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