Arthur Waistell
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir Arthur Kipling Waistell KCB
(30 March 1873 – 26 October 1953) was a Royal Navy
officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
.
in 1892. He went on to command the destroyer
HMS Stag
in the Mediterranean Fleet
in 1906.
He served in World War I
as Commander of the 9th Submarine Flotilla.
After the War he was Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff from 1923 and went on to be Commander of the 1st Cruiser Squadron from 1924. He was appointed Commander in Chief, China Station
in 1928 and Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
in 1931; he retired in 1934.
In retirement Waistell lived in Winchester
where he was especially involved with the affairs of the Royal Hampshire County Hospital
, for some time being a member of its Court of Governors. His wife died in 1948 and so, being an invalid, he moved to the Isle of Wight
where a sister was able to look after him.
He died on 26 October 1953; during the morning of Friday 30 October his funeral service took place at Yarmouth
Parish Church, Isle of Wight. Immediately following this service his coffin was borne to the motor torpedo boat Pathfinder and then, in Yarmouth Roads, transferred to the destroyer Finisterre
. His remains were taken to Southampton and later that day he was buried beside his wife in Magdalen Hill Cemetery, Winchester
.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(30 March 1873 – 26 October 1953) was a Royal Navy
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...
officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Portsmouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the post.-History:...
.
Naval career
Waistell joined the Royal NavyRoyal 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...
in 1892. He went on to command the destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
HMS Stag
HMS Stag (1899)
HMS Stag was a Royal Navy destroyer built by John I. Thornycroft & Company at Church Wharf, Chiswick on the River Thames and launched in 1899. She was constructed, like other Thornycroft destroyers of the period, of a new high tensile steel to save weight and was an improvement on the Ardent-class...
in the Mediterranean Fleet
Mediterranean Fleet
Several countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...
in 1906.
He served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as Commander of the 9th Submarine Flotilla.
After the War he was Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff from 1923 and went on to be Commander of the 1st Cruiser Squadron from 1924. He was appointed Commander in Chief, China Station
China Station
The China Station was a historical formation of the British Royal Navy. It was formally the units and establishments responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, China....
in 1928 and Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Portsmouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the post.-History:...
in 1931; he retired in 1934.
In retirement Waistell lived in Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
where he was especially involved with the affairs of the Royal Hampshire County Hospital
Royal Hampshire County Hospital
The Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester is a District General Hospital serving much of central Hampshire. It is owned and run by the Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust...
, for some time being a member of its Court of Governors. His wife died in 1948 and so, being an invalid, he moved to the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
where a sister was able to look after him.
He died on 26 October 1953; during the morning of Friday 30 October his funeral service took place at Yarmouth
Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
Yarmouth is a port and civil parish in the western part of the Isle of Wight, off the southern coast of mainland England. The town is named for its location at the mouth of the small Western Yar river...
Parish Church, Isle of Wight. Immediately following this service his coffin was borne to the motor torpedo boat Pathfinder and then, in Yarmouth Roads, transferred to the destroyer Finisterre
HMS Finisterre (D55)
HMS Finisterre was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy . She was named after one of the battles of Cape Finisterre.Finisterre was built by Fairfields of Govan on the Clyde. She was launched on the 22 June 1944 and commissioned on 11 September 1945.She first joined the Home Fleet upon her...
. His remains were taken to Southampton and later that day he was buried beside his wife in Magdalen Hill Cemetery, Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
.