James Somerville facts for kids
Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Fownes Somerville, GCB, GBE, DSO, DL (17 July – 19 March ) was a Royal Navy officer. He served in the First World War as fleet wireless officer for the Mediterranean Fleet where he was involved in providing naval support for the Gallipoli Campaign. He also served in the Second World War as commander of the newly formed Force H: after the French armistice with Germany, Winston Churchill gave Somerville and Force H the task of neutralizing the main element of the French battle fleet, then at Mers El Kébir in Algeria. After he had destroyed the French Battle fleet, Somerville played an important role in the pursuit and sinking of the German battleship Bismarck.
Somerville later became Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Fleet. In April Admiral Chūichi Nagumo's powerful Indian Ocean raid inflicted heavy losses on his fleet. However, in spring , with reinforcements, Somerville was able to go on the offensive in a series of aggressive air strikes in the Japanese-occupied Dutch East Indies. He spent the remainder of the war in charge of the British naval delegation in Washington, D.C.
Early life and family
Somerville was bo
James Fownes Somerville
Admiral of the Fleet SIRJames Fownes Somerville, G.C.B., G.B.E., D.S.O., Royal Navy (17 July, &#; 19 March, ) was an officer of the Royal Navy who played an extensive role in helping the service adopt and exploit wireless signalling.
Early Life & Career
Somerville was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 March, [1]
Somerville was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 March, [2]
Somerville was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, [3]
Somerville was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, [4]
Somerville was appointed in command of Benbow on 20 August, , but Kenelm Everard Lane Creighton was superseded him as a temporary captain in November,
He was appointed in command of the heavy cruiser Norfolk on 28 December, He would be superseded in her when she was recommissioned.[5]
Somerville was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 12 October, [6]
Somerville was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 11 September, [7]
Somerville was retired as medically unfit on 31 July, [8]
World War II
Somerville was promoted to th
Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Fownes Somerville, RN (–)
20 Apr — Admiral Sir James Somerville, of the British Admiralty, led the attack on Japanese-held Sumatra on April 19th, when allied warships and planes pounded the Sabang and Lhonga airfields and a key harbor in Northern Sumatra. It was announced that this attack may well be the first blow in the battle to regain Singapore and Malaya. — Image by © Bettmann/Corbis
Like Admiral Ramsay, Somerville was on the retired list but was not recalled until September He helped Ramsay organize the Dunkirk evacuation in May , before being given command of Force H, based on Gibraltar.
Although he was born in Weybridge, Surrey, on 17 July , James Somerville could easily have been born in New Zealand as his father had spent some time there farming. He joined the Royal Navy as a Dartmouth cadet on 15 January , and by 15 March was already a lieutenant. During the First World War, Somerville became the Navy’s leading radio specialist and served at Gallipoli, where he was awarded the DSO.
As a career officer, Somerville stayed in the service after the war, and on 31 December was promoted to captain and commanded HMS Benbow. With his radi
James Somerville
Royal Navy admiral of the fleet
Died when: 66 years days ( months)Star Sign: Cancer
Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Fownes Somerville, GCB, GBE, DSO, DL (17 July – 19 March ) was a Royal Navy served in the First World War as fleet wireless officer for the Mediterranean Fleet where he was involved in providing naval support for the Gallipoli Campaign.
He also served in the Second World War as commander of the newly formed Force H: after the French armistice with Germany, Winston Churchill gave Somerville and Force H the task of neutralizing the main element of the French battle fleet, then at Mers El Kébir in Algeria.
After he had destroyed the French Battle fleet, Somerville played an important role in the pursuit and sinking of the German battleship Bismarck.
Somerville later became Commander-in-Chief, Eastern April Admiral Chuichi Nagumo's powerful Indian Ocean raid inflicted heavy losses on his fleet.
However, in spring , with reinforcements, Somerville was able to go on the offensive in a series of aggressive air strikes in the Japanese-occupied Dutch East Indies.
He spent the remainder of the war in charge of the British naval delegation in
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