Rosslyn Erskine-Wemyss, 1st Baron Wester Wemyss
Encyclopedia
Admiral of the Fleet
Rosslyn Erskine Wemyss, 1st Baron Wester Wemyss GCB
, CMG
, MVO
(12 April 1864 – 24 May 1933), known as Sir Rosslyn Wemyss between 1916 and 1919, was a British naval commander. He served in active naval command positions during the First World War, with postings to the Mediterranean and Egypt, and was appointed First Sea Lord
in December 1917.
and the former Millicent Erskine. He was the great grandson of William IV of the United Kingdom
, through his mother, who was herself a descendant of the 1st Marquess of Ailsa
. His father, born James Wemyss, was the great x2 grandson of the 5th Earl of Wemyss
. After their time together as naval cadets, Wemyss was also a close friend of King George V
.
on 31 March 1887 and to Commander
on 31 August 1898. On 17 January 1911, by now a Captain
, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
, and on 20 April that year was promoted to Rear-Admiral.
His war activity began with command of a cruiser squadron, followed in February 1915 he was despatched to Lemnos
with a brief to prepare the harbour of Mudros for operations against the Dardanelles
. Following command of a battle squadron working along the Gallipoli Front
and its later evacuation, Wemyss was given command in January 1916, as head of the East Indies & Egyptian Squadron
where he aided operations on the Palestine Front
. Wemyss was a supporter of the Arab Revolt
under T. E. Lawrence
, and is mentioned prominently in Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom
. On 1 January 1916, he was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
.
Returning to the Admiralty in 1917, Admiral Wemyss was appointed Second Sea Lord
and then, from October 1917, Deputy First Sea Lord. In light of Sir Eric Geddes
's decision to dismiss the First Sea Lord
, Admiral Sir John Jellicoe
, due to his opposition to the adoption of naval convoys, Wemyss was appointed Jellicoe's replacement. Although Wemyss enjoyed cordial relations with Geddes, he was regarded warily by colleagues given the nature of Jellicoe's ousting from office. Wemyss was in favour of the Zeebrugge raid
that ultimately failed in April 1918 and also sponsored the North Sea Mine Barrage.
After representing Britain at the Armistice
, Wemyss attended the Paris Peace Conference, 1919
as Britain's naval representative. He resigned in November 1919 following persistent calls for Sir David Beatty
to be given his job. He was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet
on resignation, and on 18 November he was raised to the peerage
as Baron Wester Wemyss, of Wemyss in the County of Fife. In retirement he wrote his memoirs under the title "The Navy in the Dardanelles Campaign".
in Fife
.
Lord Wester Wemyss died in Cannes
, France
, (where the Avenue de l'Amiral Wester Wemyss is named after him) on 24 May 1933, aged 69. As he had no sons the barony died with him.
|-
Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)
Admiral of the fleet is the highest rank of the British Royal Navy and other navies, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-10. The rank still exists in the Royal Navy but routine appointments ceased in 1996....
Rosslyn Erskine Wemyss, 1st Baron Wester Wemyss GCB
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...
, CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, MVO
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...
(12 April 1864 – 24 May 1933), known as Sir Rosslyn Wemyss between 1916 and 1919, was a British naval commander. He served in active naval command positions during the First World War, with postings to the Mediterranean and Egypt, and was appointed First Sea Lord
First Sea Lord
The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service; it was formerly known as First Naval Lord. He also holds the title of Chief of Naval Staff, and is known by the abbreviations 1SL/CNS...
in December 1917.
Early life
Wemyss was the third and youngest son of James Erskine WemyssJames Hay Erskine Wemyss
James Hay Erskine Wemyss was a Scottish Member of Parliament, representing Fife from 1859 until his death....
and the former Millicent Erskine. He was the great grandson of William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
, through his mother, who was herself a descendant of the 1st Marquess of Ailsa
Archibald Kennedy, 1st Marquess of Ailsa
Archibald Kennedy, 1st Marquess of Ailsa KT, FRS , styled Lord Kennedy between 1792 and 1794 and known as The Earl of Cassilis between 1794 and 1831, was a Scottish peer.-Background:...
. His father, born James Wemyss, was the great x2 grandson of the 5th Earl of Wemyss
James Wemyss, 5th Earl of Wemyss
James Wemyss, 5th Earl of Wemyss was the son of David Wemyss, 4th Earl of Wemyss.He was key to securing his father-in-law's release from Newgate after he was sentenced to hang for the capital felony of rape....
. After their time together as naval cadets, Wemyss was also a close friend of King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
.
Naval career
Wemyss joined the training ship Britannia in 1877 and went to sea as a midshipman in 1879. He was promoted to LieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
on 31 March 1887 and to Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
on 31 August 1898. On 17 January 1911, by now a Captain
Captain (Royal Navy)
Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, and on 20 April that year was promoted to Rear-Admiral.
His war activity began with command of a cruiser squadron, followed in February 1915 he was despatched to Lemnos
Lemnos
Lemnos is an island of Greece in the northern part of the Aegean Sea. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within the Lemnos peripheral unit, which is part of the North Aegean Periphery. The principal town of the island and seat of the municipality is Myrina...
with a brief to prepare the harbour of Mudros for operations against the Dardanelles
Dardanelles
The Dardanelles , formerly known as the Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with its counterpart the Bosphorus. It is located at approximately...
. Following command of a battle squadron working along the Gallipoli Front
Battle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
and its later evacuation, Wemyss was given command in January 1916, as head of the East Indies & Egyptian Squadron
East Indies Station
The East Indies Station was a formation of the British Royal Navy from 1865 to 1941.From 1831 to 1865 the East Indies and the China Station were a single command known as the East Indies and China Station...
where he aided operations on the Palestine Front
Sinai and Palestine Campaign
The Sinai and Palestine Campaigns took place in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I. A series of battles were fought between British Empire, German Empire and Ottoman Empire forces from 26 January 1915 to 31 October 1918, when the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and...
. Wemyss was a supporter of the Arab Revolt
Arab Revolt
The Arab Revolt was initiated by the Sherif Hussein bin Ali with the aim of securing independence from the ruling Ottoman Turks and creating a single unified Arab state spanning from Aleppo in Syria to Aden in Yemen.- Background :...
under T. E. Lawrence
T. E. Lawrence
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence, CB, DSO , known professionally as T. E. Lawrence, was a British Army officer renowned especially for his liaison role during the Arab Revolt against Ottoman Turkish rule of 1916–18...
, and is mentioned prominently in Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom
Seven Pillars of Wisdom
Seven Pillars of Wisdom is the autobiographical account of the experiences of British soldier T. E. Lawrence , while serving as a liaison officer with rebel forces during the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Turks of 1916 to 1918....
. On 1 January 1916, he was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
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...
.
Second Sea Lord
The Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command , commonly just known as the Second Sea Lord , is one of the most senior admirals of the British Royal Navy , and is responsible for personnel and naval shore establishments.-History:In 1805, for the first time, specific functions were...
and then, from October 1917, Deputy First Sea Lord. In light of Sir Eric Geddes
Eric Campbell Geddes
Sir Eric Campbell-Geddes GCB, GBE, PC was a British businessman and Conservative politician. He served as First Lord of the Admiralty between 1917 and 1919 and as the first Minister of Transport between 1919 and 1921....
's decision to dismiss the First Sea Lord
First Sea Lord
The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service; it was formerly known as First Naval Lord. He also holds the title of Chief of Naval Staff, and is known by the abbreviations 1SL/CNS...
, Admiral Sir John Jellicoe
John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe
Admiral of the Fleet John Rushworth Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe, GCB, OM, GCVO was a British Royal Navy admiral who commanded the Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland in World War I...
, due to his opposition to the adoption of naval convoys, Wemyss was appointed Jellicoe's replacement. Although Wemyss enjoyed cordial relations with Geddes, he was regarded warily by colleagues given the nature of Jellicoe's ousting from office. Wemyss was in favour of the Zeebrugge raid
Zeebrugge Raid
The Zeebrugge Raid, which took place on 23 April 1918, was an attempt by the British Royal Navy to neutralize the key Belgian port of Bruges-Zeebrugge...
that ultimately failed in April 1918 and also sponsored the North Sea Mine Barrage.
After representing Britain at the Armistice
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
, Wemyss attended the Paris Peace Conference, 1919
Paris Peace Conference, 1919
The Paris Peace Conference was the meeting of the Allied victors following the end of World War I to set the peace terms for the defeated Central Powers following the armistices of 1918. It took place in Paris in 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities...
as Britain's naval representative. He resigned in November 1919 following persistent calls for Sir David Beatty
David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty
Admiral of the Fleet David Richard Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty, GCB, OM, GCVO, DSO was an admiral in the Royal Navy...
to be given his job. He was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet
Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)
Admiral of the fleet is the highest rank of the British Royal Navy and other navies, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-10. The rank still exists in the Royal Navy but routine appointments ceased in 1996....
on resignation, and on 18 November he was raised to the peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
as Baron Wester Wemyss, of Wemyss in the County of Fife. In retirement he wrote his memoirs under the title "The Navy in the Dardanelles Campaign".
Family
Lord Wester Wemyss married Victoria Morier (died 22 April 1945), daughter of Sir Robert Morier, on 21 December 1903. The couple had one daughter, Alice Elizabeth Millicent (born 1906, died 31 December 1994; married 11 February 1953 to Francis Henry Cunnack, died 5 January 1974). The family lived in WemyssWemyss
Wemyss can refer to:Places*Wemyss Bay, a large village in Inverclyde, Scotland**Wemyss Bay railway station**Castle Wemyss, a demolished mansion in Wemyss Bay, Scotland*East Wemyss, Fife, Scotland*West Wemyss, Fife, Scotland...
in Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
.
Lord Wester Wemyss died in Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, (where the Avenue de l'Amiral Wester Wemyss is named after him) on 24 May 1933, aged 69. As he had no sons the barony died with him.
Titles and styles
- 12 April 1864 1901: Rosslyn Wemyss, EsqEsquireEsquire is a term of West European origin . Depending on the country, the term has different meanings...
- 1901 1911: Rosslyn Wemyss, M.V.O.
- 1911 1916: Sir Rosslyn Wemyss, C.M.G., M.V.O.
- 1916 1918: Sir Rosslyn Wemyss, K.C.B., C.M.G., M.V.O.
- 1918 18 November 1919: Sir Rosslyn Wemyss, G.C.B., C.M.G., M.V.O.
- 18 November 1919 24 May 1933: The Rt. Hon. The Baron Wester Wemyss, G.C.B., C.M.G., M.V.O.
Honours
- 1901: Member of the Royal Victorian OrderRoyal Victorian OrderThe 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...
- 1911: Companion of the Order of St Michael and St GeorgeOrder of St Michael and St GeorgeThe Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
- 1916: Knight Commander of the Order of the BathOrder of the BathThe 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...
- 1918: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Further reading
- James GoldrickJames GoldrickRear Admiral James Vincent Purcell Goldrick AM, CSC is a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy, author, and a naval historian. He currently holds the position of Commander Joint Education, Training and Warfare-Early life and education:...
, Admiral Sir Rossyln Wemyss in Malcolm H. Murfett, The First Sea Lords (1995) ISBN 0-275-94231-7 - Andrew GordonAndrew Gordon (naval historian)Andrew Gordon is a British naval historian.Dr. Gordon has a BSc in Economics from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth and a PhD in War Studies from King's College London, University of London. Gordon is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and worked as consultant during the drafting of...
, The rules of the game - Jutland and British Naval Command ISBN 0-7195-5542-6 - Heathcote, T. A. (2002). The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 - 1995. Pen & Sword Ltd. ISBN 0 85052 835 6
- Wemyss, Rosslyn Erskine, Baron Wester Wemyss, The Navy in the Dardanelles Campaign, London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1924
External links
- Entry at Janus
- Who's Who in the First World War
- Entry at The Peerage
- Coat of Arms
- Entry at the National Portrait Gallery
- Notes on the Armistice meeting
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