Augustus Willington Shelton Agar

Captain Augustine Willington Shelton Agar, V.C., D.S.O. (4 January, 1890 – 30 December, 1968) served in the Royal Navy. His first name is given as "Augustus" in his obituary, but his Service Records appear to reliably offer it as "Augustine", only.

For a man who would deliver such personal fortitude in action, his evaluations as a young sailor during the Great War are amongst the most uniformly abysmal to be found.

Life & Career

Born in Kandy, Ceylon, the thirteenth child of J. S. Agar, a tea planter. Agar entered Britannia in May, 1905 after schooling at Framlingham College and Eastman's Naval Academy.

Agar was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1912.

In mid-1913, he was evaluated by Lieutenant-Commander Lawrie of Ruby as being "Capable when he tries but at times shows lack of interest."

Agar served in the battleship Hibernia early in the war, and then at Gallipoli.

In mid 1916, Captain Haggard evaluated Agar as "Clever but unreliable. Apt to do foolish things. Deaf one ear." At the end of the year, the same officer again recorded, "Clever but unreliable."

In early 1918, Lieutenant-Commander Parker wrote that Agar was "[h]ardworking at times spasmodic. not tactful. violent temper. conceited but good knowledge at bottom. Better when older."

On 17 June, 1919, Agar led two Coastal Motor Boats in infiltrating Kronstadt harbour to attack Bolshevik naval assets. When mechanical difficulties afflicted one of the boats, Agar continued his mission in Template:UK-CMB4 and succeeded in torpedoing and sinking the protected cruiser Oleg despite suffering a motor breakdown that obliged him to stop at a breakwater to effect repairs for fully twenty minutes while in clear view of the enemy. Agar was awarded the Victoria Cross for his audacious success.

Agar was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 June, 1920.

Agar was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1925.

Agar was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1933.

World War II

Agar was mentioned in despatches on 8 April, 1942 for good services when Dorsetshire and Cornwall were sunk by Japanese aircraft in the Indian Ocean.

Agar would die at age 78.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia
• Obituary. The Times of London Wednesday, Jan 01, 1969; pg. 10; Issue 57447.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Ralph Kerr	Captain of H.M.S. Witch 22 Apr, 1926 – 1927	Succeeded by Eric P. Vivian
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Scarborough 30 Sep, 1930	Succeeded by The Hon. Oswald W. Cornwallis
Preceded by Charles E. S. Farrant	Captain of H.M.S. Curlew 9 Jan, 1936 – 14 Oct, 1936	Succeeded by Alfred Bowman
Preceded by John G. Crace	Captain of H.M.S. Emerald 15 Jan, 1937 – 1 Jun, 1940	Succeeded by Edward S. F. Fegen
Preceded by Thomas E. Halsey	Captain of H.M.S. Malcolm 25 Jun, 1940 – 13 Jul, 1940	Succeeded by Thomas E. Halsey
Preceded by George H. Creswell	Captain (D), First Destroyer Flotilla 25 Jun, 1940 – 13 Jul, 1940	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Benjamin C. S. Martin	Captain of H.M.S. Dorsetshire Aug, 1941 – 5 Apr, 1942	Succeeded by Vessel Lost