View source for Robert Bertram Ramsay

{{RearRN}} '''Robert Bertram Ramsay''' (12 October, 1884 &ndash; 10 February, 1942) served in the [[Royal Navy]].

==Life & Career==
Born in Madras, Ramsay gained three and a half months' time on passing out of {{UK-1Britannia}} in September, 1900.  He was appointed to join {{UK-Majestic}} in the [[Channel Squadron]] but received an immediate six month leave "for the benefit of his health."  This was extended a further three months and Ramsay was appointed to {{UK-Barfleur}} on the China Station on 11 June, 1901.  Later that year, he moved to the {{UK-Albion|f=t}}, remaining there for a two year appointment ending on 30 November, 1903.  At the end of his time in ''Albion'', Ramsay impressed the Admiralty with his ingenuity in designing a submersible target.<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>

Ramsay joined the Naval College on 9 February, 1904.  He received some extra leave in advance of Christmas, 1904 to attend to his father who was ill.  Ramsay was appointed to {{UK-1Thames}} for a submarine course and soon thereafter promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} on 30 November, 1905.  He was appointed from there to {{UK-Mercury}} on 1 October, 1906 for command of unspecified submarines.<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>

In September 1910, Ramsay damaged the propeller of {{UK-C22}} when shoving off from {{UK-Vulcan}} in what the Admiralty deemed an error in judgment on his part.

Ramsay was promoted to the rank of {{LCommRN}} on 30 November, 1913.  On 7 December, he underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from his left eye.  He was found fit on 6 February, 1914.<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>

Despite his submarine experience, Ramsay moved on to appointments in larger surface ships, being made first and gunnery officer in {{UK-Philomel}} on 30 May 1912 and then to {{UK-Jupiter}} and finally {{UK-Natal}} in 1914.

==Great War==
Ramsay served in {{UK-Natal}} until being sent back to submarines when appointed to {{UK-E25}} on 1 July 1915, to assume command upon her commissioning.  He commanded her until 28 September, 1916 when he left Malta for England on fourteen days' leave.  His next appointment was in command of {{UK-J1}}, commencing 12 November, 1916.

Ramsay was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} on 30 June, 1917 and was re-appointed in command of ''J 1''.  He was mentioned in despatches "for long and continuous service in [illeg] submarine", gazetted 2 November, 1917.<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>

Ramsay was promoted to the rank of {{CaptRN}} on 30 June, 1924.<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>

Ramsay was promoted to the rank of {{RearRN}} on 1 January, 1936 and placed on the Retired List at his own request the following day.<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>

==World War II==
Ramsay served in the Liverpool Convoy Pool with the rank of {{Com2RNR}} from 1939 until mid 1941.  In August, 1941 he was reverted briefly to the retired list before being appointed as Naval Officer in Charge, Faroe Islands, vice Crowther.  This appointment lasted only until 23 December, 1941, when he was reverted once more to the Retired List.<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>

==See Also==
{{refbegin}}
* [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_rv=simple&_q=ADM+Robert+Bertram+Ramsay Service Records]
{{refend}}

<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
{{TabNaval}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Clyfford Harris Warren|Clyfford H. Warren]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. B 11 (1906)|Captain of H.M.S. ''B 11'']]'''<br>7 Aug, 1908<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref> &ndash; 1 Feb, 1909<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Charles de Burgh|Charles de Burgh]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[H.M.S. C 22 (1908)|Captain of H.M.S. ''C 22'']]'''<br>1 Feb, 1909<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>{{NLApr10|p. 395''a''}} &ndash; 8 May, 1911<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Geoffrey Nepean Biggs|Geoffrey N. Biggs]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Frederick Avenel Sommerville|Frederick A. Sommerville]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. D 1 (1908)|Captain of H.M.S. ''D 1'']]'''<br>15 May, 1911{{NavAppts|Saturday, May 06, 1911; pg. 8; Issue 39578}}<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref> &ndash; 1 Dec, 1911<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[William Reginald Denys Crowther|William R. D. Crowther]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''New Command'''|'''[[H.M.S. E 25 (1915)|Captain of H.M.S. ''E 25'']]'''<br>1 Jul, 1915<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref> &ndash; 9 Oct, 1916<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Hugh Edward Heaton|Hugh E. Heaton]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Noel Frank Laurence|Noel F. Laurence]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. J 1 (1915)|Captain of H.M.S. ''J 1'']]'''<br>12 Nov, 1916<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref> &ndash; Aug, 1918<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Ronald Adair Trevor|Ronald A. Trevor]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''?'''|'''[[H.M.S. M 1 (1917)|Captain of H.M.S. ''M 1'']]'''<br>10 Oct, 1918<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref> &ndash; Jan, 1920<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Hubert Vaughan-Jones|Hubert Vaughan-Jones]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Noel Frank Laurence|Noel F. Laurence]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Adamant (1911)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Adamant'']]'''<br>Jan, 1920<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref> &ndash; Jul, 1920<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Charles de Burgh|Charles de Burgh]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Charles de Burgh|Charles de Burgh]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Adamant (1911)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Adamant'']]'''<br>4 Nov, 1920<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>{{NLJan21|p. 723}} &ndash; 7 Jul, 1921<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Archibald Douglas Cochrane|Archibald D. Cochrane]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Geoffrey Layton|Geoffrey Layton]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Maidstone (1912)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Maidstone'']]'''<br>7 Jul, 1921<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>{{NLJan23|p. 780}} &ndash; 8 Jan, 1924<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Reginald Burnard Darke|Reginald B. Darke]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Geoffrey Layton|Geoffrey Layton]]'''|'''[[Third Submarine Flotilla (Royal Navy)|Commander (S), Third Submarine Flotilla]]'''<br>Jul, 1921{{NLJan23|p. 780}}|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Reginald Burnard Darke|Reginald B. Darke]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Geoffrey Layton|Geoffrey Layton]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Lucia (1907)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Lucia'']]'''<br>14 Apr, 1924<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>{{NLJul24|p. 252}} &ndash; Jun, 1926<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Reginald Burnard Darke|Reginald B. Darke]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Cecil Ponsonby Talbot|Cecil P. Talbot]]'''|'''[[Second Submarine Flotilla (Royal Navy)|Captain (S), Second Submarine Flotilla]]'''<br>14 Apr, 1924<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref> &ndash; Jun, 1926<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Reginald Burnard Darke|Reginald B. Darke]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Douglas Balfour Le Mottée|Douglas B. Le Mottée]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Despatch (1919)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Despatch'']]'''<br>24 Feb, 1927<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref> &ndash; Jan, 1928<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Andrew Browne Cunningham, First Viscount Cunningham|Andrew B. Cunningham]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Raymond Fitzmaurice|Raymond Fitzmaurice]]'''|'''[[Chemical Warfare Committee|Vice-President of the Chemical Warfare Committee]]'''<br>1 Apr, 1929<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref> &ndash; 17 Mar, 1931<ref>Ramsay Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/137.|D7604236}} ff. 75, 78.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Robert Stedman MacFarlan|Robert S. MacFarlan]]'''}}
{{TabEnd}}
</div name=fredbot:appts>

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ramsay, Robert}}

{{CatPerson|UK|1884|1942}}
{{CatRear|UK}}
{{CatSubmariner|UK}}
{{CatBritannia|May, 1899}}
{{CatRN}}