Wilmot Fawkes
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir Wilmot Hawksworth Fawkes GCB
KCVO
(22 December 1846 – 29 May 1926) was a Royal Navy
officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
.
in 1860 and by 1867 had become a Lieutenant. He served mainly in the Mediterranean on HMS Prince Consort
and Research
. In 1880 he was promoted to Commander and served on HMS Northampton
on the North America and West Indies station. After a few years he returned to England to command of the Royal Yacht Osborne, a post he held for two years.
Promoted Captain in 1886, he was given command of HMS Raleigh before going on to be Naval Advisor to the Inspector General of Fortifications in 1891. He then took command of HMS Mercury
on the China station returning to England in 1897 to be Private Naval Secretary
to the First Lord of the Admiralty in 1897. In 1899 he was appointed an Aide-de-Camp to Queen Victoria. He went on to be Rear Admiral commanding the Cruiser Squadron in 1902 and Commander-in-Chief, Australia Station
in 1905. He became Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
in 1908 and retired in 1911.
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...
KCVO
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...
(22 December 1846 – 29 May 1926) 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, Plymouth
Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Plymouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the admiral's command. In the nineteenth century the holder of the office was known as Commander-in-Chief,...
.
Naval career
Fawkes 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 1860 and by 1867 had become a Lieutenant. He served mainly in the Mediterranean on HMS Prince Consort
HMS Prince Consort (1862)
HMS Prince Consort was laid down at Pembroke as the 91-gun second rate battleship HMS Triumph, but her name was changed in February 1862 in memory of the recently deceased Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha....
and Research
HMS Research (1863)
HMS Research was a small ironclad warship, converted from a wooden-hulled sloop and intended as an experimental platform in which to try out new concepts in armament and in armour...
. In 1880 he was promoted to Commander and served on HMS Northampton
HMS Northampton (1876)
HMS Northampton was a armoured cruiser of the Royal Navy, built by Robert Napier & Sons, Govan, Scotland and launched in 1876. The Nelson class were "essentially second-class ironclads". She was launched in 1876 but not commissioned until 1881....
on the North America and West Indies station. After a few years he returned to England to command of the Royal Yacht Osborne, a post he held for two years.
Promoted Captain in 1886, he was given command of HMS Raleigh before going on to be Naval Advisor to the Inspector General of Fortifications in 1891. He then took command of HMS Mercury
HMS Mercury (1878)
HMS Mercury was an Iris class second class cruiser of the Royal Navy. The two ships of the class were the first all steel ships in the Royal Navy. She was distinguished from the Iris by her straight bow, which gave her a slightly shorter length of 315 feet...
on the China station returning to England in 1897 to be Private Naval Secretary
Naval Secretary
The Naval Secretary is the Royal Navy appointment of which the incumbent is responsible for policy direction on personnel management for members of the RN. It is a senior RN appointment, held by an officer holding the rank of Rear-Admiral. The Naval Secretary's counterpart in the British Army is...
to the First Lord of the Admiralty in 1897. In 1899 he was appointed an Aide-de-Camp to Queen Victoria. He went on to be Rear Admiral commanding the Cruiser Squadron in 1902 and Commander-in-Chief, Australia Station
Australia Station
The Australia Station was the British—and later Australian—naval command responsible for the waters around the Australian continent.-History:In the early years following the establishment of the colony of New South Wales, ships based in Australian waters came under the control of the East Indies...
in 1905. He became Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Plymouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the admiral's command. In the nineteenth century the holder of the office was known as Commander-in-Chief,...
in 1908 and retired in 1911.