Arthur Forbes-Sempill
Encyclopedia
Rear-Admiral Arthur Lionel Ochoncar Forbes-Sempill (1877–1962) was an officer of the Royal Navy
active in the First World War.
He was the fourth (and youngest) son of William Forbes-Sempill, 17th Lord Sempill
; his three elder brothers, John
, Douglas and Robert, all served in the Army.
In January 1898, he was assigned to HMS Centurion
as a sub-lieutenant, promoted to Lieutenant on June 30 of the following year, and then assigned to HMS Victorious
. In 1900 he was assigned to HMS Vernon
for torpedo training, in July 1902 posted to HMS Empress of India., in December 1903 to HMS Euryalus
, in May 1906 to HMS Edgar
, in September 1908 to HMS Bacchante
, and in May 1910 to HMS King Alfred
. He was then promoted Commander, and assigned to HMS Albemarle
in 1911.
In July 1914 he was assigned to HMS Dominion, in which he served during the early part of the First World War. He was later posted as executive officer of the battleship HMS Valiant
, where he saw service at the Battle of Jutland
, and was recommended for promotion to Captain as a result. He later commanded the cruisers HMS Blonde
and HMS Cordelia
, and was present in the latter at the surrender of the German navy in 1918. By 1919, he was in command of HMS Colossus
.
He married in 1903, and was divorced in July 1914, on the grounds of adultery; the case was not defended. He remarried in 1919, to Helen Allen; she died shortly thereafter, in 1921. He remarried for a third time in 1926, to Mary Holland, an American. He had one daughter from his second marriage, Janet, and one son by his third marriage, John, who would later inherit the baronetcy held by Arthur's father, after it had passed through his elder brother William
and his nephew Ewan
.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
active in the First World War.
He was the fourth (and youngest) son of William Forbes-Sempill, 17th Lord Sempill
William Forbes-Sempill, 17th Lord Sempill
William Forbes-Sempill, 17th Lord Sempill , born William Forbes, was a Scottish peer, the 17th Lord Sempill and 8th Baronet of Craigievar....
; his three elder brothers, John
John Forbes-Sempill, 18th Lord Sempill
John Forbes-Sempill, 18th Lord Sempill was a Scottish peer, the 18th Lord Sempill and 9th Baronet of Craigievar....
, Douglas and Robert, all served in the Army.
In January 1898, he was assigned to HMS Centurion
HMS Centurion (1892)
HMS Centurion was a predreadnought second-class battleship of the Royal Navy. She was part of the three-ship Centurion class, designed for long-range patrolling of the United Kingdom's far-flung empire.-Technical characteristics:...
as a sub-lieutenant, promoted to Lieutenant on June 30 of the following year, and then assigned to HMS Victorious
HMS Victorious (1895)
HMS Victorious was one of nine Majestic-class predreadnought battleships of the British Royal Navy.-Technical characteristics:HMS Victorious was laid down at Chatham Dockyard on 28 May 1894 and launched on 19 October 1895...
. In 1900 he was assigned to HMS Vernon
HMS Vernon (shore establishment)
HMS Vernon was a shore establishment or 'stone frigate' of the Royal Navy. Vernon was established on 26 April 1876 as the Royal Navy's Torpedo Branch and operated until 1 April 1996, when the various elements comprising the establishment were split up and moved to different commands.-Foundation...
for torpedo training, in July 1902 posted to HMS Empress of India., in December 1903 to HMS Euryalus
HMS Euryalus (1901)
HMS Euryalus was a Cressy-class armoured cruiser in the Royal Navy. Though the class was already obsolete by the outbreak of the First World War, the Euryalus and her sisters Aboukir, Bacchante, Hogue and Cressy were assigned to patrol the Broad Fourteens of the North Sea, in support of a force of...
, in May 1906 to HMS Edgar
HMS Edgar (1890)
HMS Edgar was a first class cruiser of the Royal Navy, and lead ship of the Edgar class. She was built at Devonport and launched on 24 November 1890...
, in September 1908 to HMS Bacchante
HMS Bacchante (1901)
HMS Bacchante was a Cressy-class armoured cruiser launched in 1901 for the Royal Navy. Bacchante served for a while with the Mediterranean Fleet...
, and in May 1910 to HMS King Alfred
HMS King Alfred (1901)
HMS King Alfred was a 14,100-ton Drake-class armoured cruiser of the Royal Navy. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name, after Alfred the Great, historical king of Wessex...
. He was then promoted Commander, and assigned to HMS Albemarle
HMS Albemarle (1901)
HMS Albemarle was a pre-Dreadnought Duncan-class battleship of the Royal Navy, named after George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle.-Technical Description:...
in 1911.
In July 1914 he was assigned to HMS Dominion, in which he served during the early part of the First World War. He was later posted as executive officer of the battleship HMS Valiant
HMS Valiant (1914)
HMS Valiant was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the British Royal Navy. She was laid down at the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan on 31 January 1913 and launched on 4 November 1914...
, where he saw service at the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
, and was recommended for promotion to Captain as a result. He later commanded the cruisers HMS Blonde
HMS Blonde (1910)
HMS Blonde was a Blonde class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was laid down in December 1909 in Pembroke Dockyard, launched on 22 July 1910 and completed in May 1911....
and HMS Cordelia
HMS Cordelia (1914)
HMS Cordelia was a C-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was part of the Caroline group of the C-class of cruisers.She was laid down in July 1913, launched 23 February 1914 and commissioned into the navy in January 1915...
, and was present in the latter at the surrender of the German navy in 1918. By 1919, he was in command of HMS Colossus
HMS Colossus (1910)
HMS Colossus of the British Royal Navy was the nameship of her class of dreadnought battleships.She was launched on 9 April 1910 and commissioned in 1911. Although very similar to Neptune she was not part of Neptunes class as Colossus and her sister-ship, Hercules, had greater armour...
.
He married in 1903, and was divorced in July 1914, on the grounds of adultery; the case was not defended. He remarried in 1919, to Helen Allen; she died shortly thereafter, in 1921. He remarried for a third time in 1926, to Mary Holland, an American. He had one daughter from his second marriage, Janet, and one son by his third marriage, John, who would later inherit the baronetcy held by Arthur's father, after it had passed through his elder brother William
William Forbes-Sempill, 19th Lord Sempill
William Francis Forbes-Sempill, 19th Lord Sempill was a British engineer. Before succeeding his father to the titles of Lord Sempill and Baronet of Craigevar in 1934, he was known by the title Master of Sempill....
and his nephew Ewan
Sir Ewan Forbes, 11th Baronet
Sir Ewan Forbes of Craigievar was the 11th Baronet of Craigievar from 1968 to his death, as well as a general practitioner and farmer. At birth, he was christened "Elizabeth Forbes-Sempill", and officially registered as the youngest daughter of Lord Sempill...
.