Difference between revisions of "Edwyn Sinclair Alexander-Sinclair, Twelfth Laird of Freswick"

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==Great War==
 
==Great War==
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On 8 February, 1915, Alexander-Sinclair was appointed {{Com2RN}} Commanding the [[First Light Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)|First Light Cruiser Squadron]], and he hoisted his broad pendant in the ''Galatea'' on 16 February.<ref>''Supplement to the Monthly Navy List'' (March, 1915).  p. 6.</ref> On 31 May, 1916 the Galatea was part of the screen of the battle cruiser fleet under Sir [[David Richard Beatty, First Earl Beatty|David (later Earl) Beatty]] when she altered course to examine a neutral merchant vessel. As Alexander-Sinclair closed this ship he sighted two enemy destroyers approaching from the opposite direction. His "enemy in sight" signal brought the battle cruiser fleet, and subsequently the whole Grand Fleet, into the action known as the battle of Jutland.
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On 8 February, 1915, Alexander-Sinclair was appointed {{Com2RN}} Commanding the [[First Light Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)|First Light Cruiser Squadron]], and he hoisted his broad pendant in the ''Galatea'' on 16 February.<ref>''Supplement to the Monthly Navy List'' (March, 1915).  p. 6.</ref>
  
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In the King's Birthday Honours of 3 June, 1916, Alexander-Sinclair was appointed a Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.).<ref>''London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29608/supplements/5553 (Supplement) no. 29608.  p. 5553.]  2 June, 1916.</ref>. On 26 April, 1917, he was promoted to the rank of {{RearRN}},<ref>''London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/30037/pages/3955 no. 30037.  p. 3955.]  27 April, 1917.</ref> and he was appointed Rear-Admiral Commanding, [[Sixth Light Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)|Sixth Light Cruiser Squadron]] with his flag in the ''Cardiff'' and in November, 1917 played a prominent part in the action with the German second scouting group in the Heligoland Bight.  Twelve months later he had the great honour of leading the surrendered German High Sea Fleet into Rosyth with the British Grand Fleet in columns on either beam.  For his war services he was appointed K.C.B. In the spring of 1919 the  Sixth Light Cruiser Squadron was transferred to the Mediterranean under his command and renamed Third Light Cruiser Squadron.
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In the King's Birthday Honours of 3 June, 1916, Alexander-Sinclair was appointed a Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.).<ref>''London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29608/supplements/5553 (Supplement) no. 29608.  p. 5553.]  2 June, 1916.</ref>. On 26 April, 1917, he was promoted to the rank of {{RearRN}},<ref>''London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/30037/pages/3955 no. 30037.  p. 3955.]  27 April, 1917.</ref> and on 11 July he was appointed Rear-Admiral Commanding, [[Sixth Light Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)|Sixth Light Cruiser Squadron]] with his flag in the ''Cardiff''.<ref>''Supplement to the Monthly Navy List'' (November, 1918).  p. 5.</ref>
  
 
==Post-War Commands==
 
==Post-War Commands==

Revision as of 14:52, 31 December 2010

Admiral Sir Edwyn S. Alexander-Sinclair, as a Rear-Admiral during the First World War.
Portrait: Francis Dodd.

Admiral THE MUCH HONOURED SIR Edwyn Sinclair Alexander-Sinclair, G.C.B., M.V.O, Royal Navy (12 December, 1865 – 13 November, 1945) was an officer of the Royal Navy during the First World War.

Early Life & Career

Great War

On 8 February, 1915, Alexander-Sinclair was appointed Commodore, Second Class Commanding the First Light Cruiser Squadron, and he hoisted his broad pendant in the Galatea on 16 February.[1]

In the King's Birthday Honours of 3 June, 1916, Alexander-Sinclair was appointed a Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.).[2]. On 26 April, 1917, he was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral,[3] and on 11 July he was appointed Rear-Admiral Commanding, Sixth Light Cruiser Squadron with his flag in the Cardiff.[4]

Post-War Commands

In 1920 Alexander-Sinclair was appointed Admiral-Superintendent of Portsmouth Dockyard. In 1922 he became Vice-Admiral Commanding, First Battle Squadron with his flag in the Barham and for a while, during the illness of the Commander-in-Chief, Sir John De Robeck, was senior admiral in the Atlantic Fleet. Then, in June 1925, he became Commander-in-Chief on the China Station, with his flag in the Hawkins, and showed great tact, forbearance, and judgement in handling difficult situations during the advance of the Chinese nationalist armies. On 4 October, 1926, he was promoted to the rank of Admiral, vice Browning,[5] and returned to the United Kingdom in 1927 to become Commander-in-Chief at the Nore. He relinquished his command in May, 1930 and became first and principal aide-de-camp to King George V. At the end of the year he was placed on the retired list on attaining the age of sixty-five. On his retirement he was promoted G.C.B.

During his naval career of more than fifty years he had received several foreign decorations, including the American D.S.M., the French croix de guerre, and had been appointed a commander in the Legion of Honour.

Alexander-Sinclair married twice: first, in 1892 Julia Margaret (died 1930), daughter of Colonel Charles Vereker Hamilton-Campbell, of Netherplace, Ayrshire. By this marriage he had two sons and one daughter. Secondly, in 1933 he married Maud Kathleen, widow of Major William Robinson Campbell, of the 14th Hussars, and younger daughter of Captain Samuel Yates Holt Davenport, the Royal Sussex Regiment, Territorial Army.

He died at his home, Dunbeath Castle, after a short illness on 13 November, 1945.

A portrait of Alexander-Sinclair is included in Sir A. S. Cope's group, Some Sea Officers of the War of 1914–18, in the National Portrait Gallery; a drawing by Francis Dodd is in the Imperial War Museum.

Who was Who

ALEXANDER-SINCLAIR, Admiral Sir Edwyn Sinclair GCB, 1930; KCB, 1919; CB 1916; MVO 1908

Born 1865; 2nd s of Capt. John Hobhouse Inglis Alexander, Royal Navy, CB (d 1875), and Isabella Barbara (d 1884), o d of late T. C. Hume; m 1st, 1892, Julia Margaret (d 1930), 3rd d of late Colonel Charles Vereker Hamilton Campbell of Netherplace, Ayrshire; two s one d; 2nd, 1933, Maud Kathleen, yr d of late Capt. S. Y. H. Davenport, and widow of Major W. R. Campbell, DSO, 14th Hussars. [Assumed additional surname of Sinclair, 1894]; died 13 Nov. 1945

JP, DL

CAREER Entered Navy, 1879; in command of Osborne Naval College, 1905–08; of Third Light Cruiser Squadron, 1917–20; Adm.-Superintendent Portsmouth Dockyard, 1920–22; commanded First Battle Squadron Atlantic Fleet, 1922–24; Com.-in-Chief, China Station, 1925–26; The Nore, 1927–30; served European War, battle of Jutland Bank, 1916 (despatches twice KCB, CB, Croix de Guerre, 3rd Class Order of St Vladimir, with swords, Russia); Vice-Adm., 1922; Adm., 1926; First and Principal Naval ADC to the King, 1930; retd list 1930

ADDRESS Dunbeath Castle, Caithness

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List (March, 1915). p. 6.
  2. ↑ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29608. p. 5553. 2 June, 1916.
  3. ↑ London Gazette: no. 30037. p. 3955. 27 April, 1917.
  4. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List (November, 1918). p. 5.
  5. ↑ London Gazette: no. 33209. p. 6440. 8 October, 1926.

Bibliography

  • "Admiral Sir Edwyn S. Alexander-Sinclair" (Obituaries). The Times. Wednesday, 14 November, 1945. Issue 50299, col E, pg. 7.

Service Record


Command of H.M.S. Temeraire
Preceded by
Captain C. J. Eyres 		Captain Edwyn S. Alexander-Sinclair
1 September, 1913 – 3 March, 1916 		Succeeded by
Captain E. V. Underhill
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