Studholme Brownrigg
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir Henry John Studholme Brownrigg KBE
CB
DSO
(1882–1943) was a Royal Navy
officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, The Nore.
in 1902.
He served in World War I
and took part in the Battle of Jutland
in 1916. He went on to be Chief of Staff
at the Africa Station and, from 1925, Deputy Director of the Gunnery Division. He became Director of the Gunnery Division in 1926 and Chief of Staff at Plymouth in 1927. He was made Captain of HMS Courageous
in 1929 and then joined the staff of the Director of Naval Ordnance in 1931.
He became Rear Admiral commanding 3rd Cruiser Squadron in 1933 and Vice-Admiral Mediterranean Fleet
in 1935. He was Admiral commanding the Reserves from 1936 and Commander-in-Chief, The Nore from January to December 1939. He served in World War II
as officer commanding the Home Guard at Chatham from 1940 to 1941. He came out of retirement to take charge of convoys. He sailed as Commodore of Convoy ON 16 in SS Ville de Tamatave (a ship captured from the Vichy French in 1941), departing Liverpool
on 12 January 1943 en route for New York
. The convoy ran into a violent storm in the North Atlantic towards the evening of January 23. Messages were received from the Ville de Tamatave indicating that she had lost her rudder and, an hour later, that she was sinking. The other ships were not able to render assistance, and Ville de Tamatave was lost with all hands, including Brownrigg, on 24 January 1943.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
CB
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...
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...
(1882–1943) 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, The Nore.
Naval career
Brownrigg 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 1902.
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...
and took part in 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...
in 1916. He went on to be Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
at the Africa Station and, from 1925, Deputy Director of the Gunnery Division. He became Director of the Gunnery Division in 1926 and Chief of Staff at Plymouth in 1927. He was made Captain of HMS Courageous
HMS Courageous (50)
HMS Courageous was the lead ship of the cruisers built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. Designed to support the Baltic Project championed by the First Sea Lord, John Fisher, the ship was very lightly armoured and armed with only a few heavy guns. Courageous was completed in late...
in 1929 and then joined the staff of the Director of Naval Ordnance in 1931.
He became Rear Admiral commanding 3rd Cruiser Squadron in 1933 and Vice-Admiral 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 1935. He was Admiral commanding the Reserves from 1936 and Commander-in-Chief, The Nore from January to December 1939. He served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as officer commanding the Home Guard at Chatham from 1940 to 1941. He came out of retirement to take charge of convoys. He sailed as Commodore of Convoy ON 16 in SS Ville de Tamatave (a ship captured from the Vichy French in 1941), departing Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
on 12 January 1943 en route for New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The convoy ran into a violent storm in the North Atlantic towards the evening of January 23. Messages were received from the Ville de Tamatave indicating that she had lost her rudder and, an hour later, that she was sinking. The other ships were not able to render assistance, and Ville de Tamatave was lost with all hands, including Brownrigg, on 24 January 1943.