Barry Victor Sturdee
Commander (retired) Barry Victor Sturdee, R.N. (16 July, 1887 – 21 February, 1951) served in the Royal Navy.
Life & Career
The son of Reverend E. J. Sturdee was born in Blackawton, Devon.[1]
Sturdee was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 March, 1908. In November, 1909, he was described by Captain Eyre of Canopus as being "rather slow", despite having some facility in French. He served next in Inflexible from early 1910 to late October, 1911 in which span he demonstrated improvement, and after which he was appointed to the destroyer Larne as first officer. Upon being sent away to Superb in May 1913, Lt. Cdr. Tillard noted that Sturdee was by now a "capable ex[ecutive]. offr of a T.B.D.."[2]
At the outbreak of war, Sturdee was in the battleship Superb, and had to that point only served in large ships. Superseded on 15 June, 1915, he was treated for varicose veins at Haslar Hospital before being appointed in his first command, the monitor M.21, after her first commander was invalided.[3]
Sturdee was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 March, 1916.[4]
In 1917, Sturdee was sent to a hospital ship for "mental observation", which prompted a diagnosis of "mental disturbance," prompting his return to England in July to be admitted to Haslar. He was found fit on 24 August 1917. Vice-Admiral Thursby wrote of Sturdee the next day, "eccentric and unstable character. In constant trouble with his officers." He was appointed in command of the sweeping sloop Carnation.[5]
On 25 November 1917, a Court of Enquiry was convened to probe a collision between Carnation and the sweeping sloop Pansy. Sturdee was cautioned to be more careful in future as a result.[6]
In 1919, Sturdee was one of many men tasked with post-war mine clearance. He was censured that year when his sweeping sloop H.M.S. Lupin collided with the S.S. Annie Johnson.[7]
Sturdee was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 26 April, 1920 and promoted to the rank of Commander (retired) on 16 July, 1927.[8]
In mid-1935, he was granted a commission as a Colonel in the Regular Army Reserve of Officers, and his name thereby being removed from the retired List at his own request.[9]
See Also
Naval Appointments | ||
Preceded by Bolton M. Eyres Monsell |
Captain of H.M.S. M.21 5 Jul, 1915 – 15 Dec, 1915 |
Succeeded by Eric G. Robinson |
Preceded by Herbert M. Denny |
Captain of H.M.S. M.16 16 May, 1916[10] – 16 Jun, 1917 |
Succeeded by Gerald L. Hodson |
Preceded by Stafford H. Dillon |
Captain of H.M.S. Carnation 25 Aug, 1917 – Sep, 1918 |
Succeeded by Barry V. Sturdee |
Preceded by William C. O'G. Cochrane |
Captain of H.M.S. Myosotis Sep, 1918 – 17 Sep, 1918 |
Succeeded by Frederick C. Corbyn |
Preceded by Barry V. Sturdee |
Captain of H.M.S. Carnation 1 Oct, 1918[11] – 6 Dec, 1918 |
Succeeded by Colin R. St. G. Tucker |
Preceded by Richard J. R. Scott |
Captain of H.M.S. Lupin 6 Dec, 1918[12] – 30 Apr, 1919 |
Succeeded by Barry V. Sturdee |
Preceded by ? |
Second-in-Command, First Fleet Sweeping Flotilla 6 Dec, 1918 – 30 Apr, 1919 |
Succeeded by ? |
Preceded by Richard H. L. Bevan |
Captain of H.M.S. Godetia 30 Apr, 1919 – 24 May, 1919 |
Succeeded by Hugh Seymour |
Preceded by Richard H. L. Bevan |
Senior Officer, First Fleet Sweeping Flotilla 30 Apr, 1919 – Nov, 1919 |
Succeeded by ? |
Preceded by Barry V. Sturdee |
Captain of H.M.S. Lupin 24 May, 1919 – Nov, 1919 |
Succeeded by George C. H. Lawson |
Footnotes
- ↑ Sturdee Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/31. f. 36.
- ↑ Sturdee Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/31. f. 36.
- ↑ Sturdee Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/31. f. 36.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1919). p. 359.
- ↑ Sturdee Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/31. f. 36.
- ↑ Sturdee Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/31. f. 36.
- ↑ Sturdee Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/31. f. 36.
- ↑ Sturdee Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/31. f. 36.
- ↑ Sturdee Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/31. f. 36.
- ↑ The Navy List. (August, 1917). p. 395i.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 753.
- ↑ The Navy List. (May, 1919). p. 836.