Wilmot Hawkesworth Fawkes

Admiral SIR Wilmot Hawkesworth Fawkes, G.C.B., K.C.V.O., HON. LL.D., Royal Navy (22 December, 1846 – 29 May, 1926) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Captain

Fawkes was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1886.

He was appointed to H.M.S. Victory on 1 July, 1896, for Terrible.

On 26 April, 1897, he was appointed Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty, George J. Goschen.

He was appointed a Naval Aide-de-Camp to Queen Victoria on 1 January, 1899, vice Holland, and became a paid Aide-de-Camp on 30 June.

On 20 November, 1899, he was appointed to H.M.S. Duke of Wellington, additional, for command of the battleship Canopus, which he commissioned on 5 December.^{[Citation needed]} He had been granted fourteen days' leave from 20 November in order "to maintain relations with the Admiralty for a short time." Fawkes was superseded in Canopus on 9 November, 1900, by Captain Harry S. F. Niblett.^{[Citation needed]} He arrived in England on 14 November, and on the 15th he was again appointed Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty, this time to the Earl of Selborne.

Flag Rank

Fawkes was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 1 January, 1901, vice Oxley. On 1 July he was appointed tot he Executive Committee charged with preparations for the coronation of King Edward VII. Captain George F. King-Hall committed to his diary on 3 October, 1902, "Custance does not know who is going to succeed him [as Director of Naval Intelligence]. He did not think Battenberg ought to, but says Royalty is getting too much of a hold on the Navy and we both agreed that Fawkes was influenced too much by titles." King-Hall apparently, "Paid a round of visits at the Admiralty. Lord Walter, Sir Evan MacGregor, Fawkes. Told the latter Court influence was making itself felt too much, which Fawkes did not like, especially as he has been one of the worst offenders."

He was appointed Rear-Admiral Commanding the Cruiser Squadron on 8 November, 1902, which immediately took the Colonial Secretary, Joseph Chamberlain, on a visit to South Africa. His Flag Captain in the Good Hope was Charles Madden, the Commander was Lionel Halsey, and the Gunnery Lieutenant was A. Ernle M. Chatfield. On the occasion of the King's visit to Ireland Fawkes was appointed a Knight Commander in the Royal Victorian Order (K.C.V.O.) on 11 August, 1903.

He hauled down his flag on 3 November, 1904, and went on leave until his appointment expired on 8 November. He was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 3 March, vice Douglas. On 10 September, 1905, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief on the Australian Station, and assumed command on 2 December.

On the occasion of the King's birthday he was appointed an Ordinary Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (K.C.B.) on 28 June, 1907. He was superseded on 31 December and returned to Plymouth on the S.S. Orontes on 3 April, 1908. He was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth on 9 April, with the Acting Rank of Admiral. He was confirmed in the rank of Admiral on 12 October, vice Harris.

He was superseded at Plymouth on 11 April, 1911, and, in accordance with the provisions of the Order in Council of 8 December, 1903, was placed on the Retired List on 12 April at his own request. On the occasion of King George V's coronation he was appointed an Additional Member of the First Class, or Knight Grand Cross, in the Military Division of the Order of the Bath (G.C.B.) on 19 June.

See Also

• Wikipedia

Bibliography

• "Admiral Sir Wilmot Fawkes" (Obituaries). The Times. Monday, 31 May, 1926. Issue 44285, col B, p. 19.

Service Records

• The National Archives. ADM 196/86.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/36.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/17.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by The Hon. Hedworth Lambton	Private Secetary to the First Lord of the Admiralty 1897 – 1899	Succeeded by The Hon. Maurice A. Bourke
Preceded by The Hon. Maurice A. Bourke	Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty 1900 – 1902	Succeeded by The Hon. Hugh Tyrwhitt
Preceded by Alfred L. Winsloe	Rear-Admiral Commanding, Cruiser Squadron 1902 – 1904	Succeeded by Edmund S. Poë
Preceded by Sir Arthur D. Fanshawe	Commander-in-Chief on the Australian Station 1905 – 1908	Succeeded by Sir Richard Poore, Bart.
Preceded by Sir Lewis A. Beaumont	Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth 1908 – 1911	Succeeded by Sir William H. May

Naval Appointments
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Terrible 1 Jul, 1896 – ?	Succeeded by Charles G. Robinson
Preceded by Hedworth Meux	Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty 26 Apr, 1897 – ?	Succeeded by Maurice A. Bourke
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Canopus 20 Nov, 1899[Citation needed] – ?	Succeeded by Harry S. F. Niblett
Preceded by Maurice A. Bourke	Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty 15 Nov, 1900 – ?	Succeeded by Hugh Tyrwhitt
Preceded by Alfred L. Winsloe	Commodore Commanding, Cruiser Squadron 8 Nov, 1902 – ?	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Edmund S. Poë	Rear-Admiral Commanding, Cruiser Squadron 8 Nov, 1902 – 1904	Succeeded by Edmund S. Poë as Rear-Admiral Commanding, First Cruiser Squadron
Preceded by Arthur D. Fanshawe	Commander-in-Chief, Australian Station 10 Sep, 1905 – ?	Succeeded by Richard Poore
Preceded by Lewis A. Beaumont	Commander in Chief, Plymouth Station 9 Apr, 1908 – ?	Succeeded by William H. May

 

Footnotes

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