Herbert King-Hall
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir Herbert Goodenough King-Hall KCB
CVO
DSO
(15 March 1862 – 20 October 1936) was a Royal Navy
officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope Station
.
, Herbert King-Hall joined the Royal Navy
in 1875. He fought in the Anglo-Egyptian War in 1882. Promoted to Captain
in 1900, he took part in the Second Boer War
and was mentioned in dispatches
. He was given command of HMS Endymion
in 1903. King-Hall was appointed Assistant Director of Naval Intelligence
in 1905 and was given command of HMS Indomitable
in 1908. Promoted to Rear-Admiral in 1909, he became Second-in-Command of the 2nd Battle Squadron before being appointed Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope Station
in 1913 and serving in that role during World War I
. He led the operation to successfully destroy and then sink SMS Königsberg on the Rufiji River
in Tanzania
in July 1915. His last appointment was as Flag Officer, Orkneys and Shetland in 1918.
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...
CVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(15 March 1862 – 20 October 1936) 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, Cape of Good Hope Station
Cape of Good Hope Station
The Cape of Good Hope Station was one of the geographical divisions into which the British Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities. It was formally the units and establishments responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope....
.
Naval career
Born the son of Admiral Sir William King-HallWilliam King-Hall
Admiral Sir William King-Hall KCB was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, The Nore.-Naval career:King-Hall joined the Royal Navy in 1829 and took part in operations off the coast of Syria in 1840...
, Herbert King-Hall joined the 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...
in 1875. He fought in the Anglo-Egyptian War in 1882. Promoted to Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
in 1900, he took part in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
and was mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
. He was given command of HMS Endymion
HMS Endymion (1891)
HMS Endymion was a first class cruiser of the Edgar class. She was launched on 22 July 1891. She took part in suppressing the Boxer Rebellion in China, during which time future rear admiral and VC recipient Eric Gascoigne Robinson served aboard her...
in 1903. King-Hall was appointed Assistant Director of Naval Intelligence
Naval Intelligence Division
The Naval Intelligence Division was the intelligence arm of the British Admiralty before the establishment of a unified Defence Staff in 1965. It dealt with matters concerning British naval plans, with the collection of naval intelligence...
in 1905 and was given command of HMS Indomitable
HMS Indomitable (1907)
HMS Indomitable was an of the British Royal Navy. She was built before World War I and had an active career during the war. She tried to hunt down the German ships Goeben and Breslau in the Mediterranean when war broke out and bombarded Turkish fortifications protecting the Dardanelles even...
in 1908. Promoted to Rear-Admiral in 1909, he became Second-in-Command of the 2nd Battle Squadron before being appointed Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope Station
Cape of Good Hope Station
The Cape of Good Hope Station was one of the geographical divisions into which the British Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities. It was formally the units and establishments responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope....
in 1913 and serving in that role during 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...
. He led the operation to successfully destroy and then sink SMS Königsberg on the Rufiji River
Rufiji River
The Rufiji River lies entirely within the African nation of Tanzania. The river is formed by the convergence of the Kilombero and Luwegu rivers. It is approximately 600 km long, with its source in southwestern Tanzania and its mouth on the Indian Ocean at a point between Mafia Island called Mafia...
in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
in July 1915. His last appointment was as Flag Officer, Orkneys and Shetland in 1918.