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A strange tale of a RN Commander who deserted the navy, enlisted as a OR in Army, got to Captain, MC in Russia in 1919. Back in Navy in 1939, and came out as Commander. But the navy never forgave hm, and he was never put on the retired list, so could not use the RN rank in retirement nor did he get a pension
1882 Apr 24. Born Athlone, Ireland
1891 census at West Cowes, Hampshire
1897 Jan 15. Enters Naval College at Britannia
1898 Oct 10 Appointed Midshipman on passing out of Britannia
1900 Jun 27. A Midshipman on HMS Orlando, one of the ships sent to cover the Boxer Rebellion in Tientsin, China. He wrote a full report on the experience.
1902 Apr 15 Acting Sub.Lt
1902 Sep 29. Deprived of one month for failure in Navigation
1902 Oct 15 Confirmed as a Sub Lt from Acting rank. Herbert Francis Littledale.
1903 Mar 24. Court Martialed. Reprimanded and lost 6 months seniority due to drunkenness.
1905 Apr 1. The undermentioned Sub-Lieutenants have, this day, been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in His Majesty's Fleet - Herbert Francis Littledale.
1906 Mar 4 men on a picket boat from HMS Duncan were drowned "severe displeasure expressed at neglect of duty as to not rectifying mistake as to place of embarkation of liberty men"
1908 Jun 10. Married Edith Harriet Annie Simpson in Aberdeen
1908 A Lt on HMS Duncan
1901 Jan 22 Put in command of TB3
1910 Apr 7. "Blame attached for grounding of TB3 at Campbelltown - cautioned"
1911 Mar 4. Posted to HMS Ostrich then a number of other moves.
HMS Archer
1912 Mar 14 Put in command of "Archer" . H.M.S. Archer was one of 29 destroyers of the Acheron class.
1912 Oct 9 "Grounding of HMS Archer - cautioned" He should have supervised the Officer of the Watch who lacked experience.
1913 Apr 1. Promoted Lt Commander.
1914 Nov 25 Posted to Caribbean and a number of appointments
1915 May 1. Applies for a posting to a Destroyer
1915 May 13 . Posted to "Britain" and "Junior"
1915 Jul . Collision between "Junior" and examination inspection vessel "Chestnut" - cautioned to be more careful in future.
1915 July 7. His appointment to Britain stopped owing to drinking problems on shore. Senior Naval Officer at Ardrossan advises against any action that might harm the officers career, as he could still perform his duties
1915 Jul 17. Moved to Lt Commander on HMS Dominion. HMS Dominion was a King Edward VII-class battleship of the Royal Navy. When World War I broke out, the 3rd Battle Squadron was assigned to the Grand Fleet, with Dominion conducting operations as part of the Northern Patrol. In 1916, the squadron was detached to the Nore Command
1916 Jun 1. Report form Capt of HMS Dominion on which Littledale was serving "...he shows no great interest in his work, and evidently feels being 2nd Lt Commander on a Battleship after being in command of a destroyer. He has applied on several occasions for an appointment to an independent command. I have had occasion for this officer to be cautioned once or twice on his first joining as to his daily consumption of liquor. I feel he has a strong tendency to drink, but he seems to try to suppress it. " . A note on his file then says he was informed of this report, and "Any further report of this nature will result in serious consequences and that he should be reported on in 6 months"
1916 Jun 17 Deserted Navy and enlisted in Army. A note on his file written 3 days later by Capt Mawbey of the Dominion says " I do not consider this officer of any value whatever, nor can I believe that he has any capacity for improvement. Submit that under the circumstances it would be desirable that this officer should not be retained in HM Naval Service"
1916 Jun 18. He informs RN that he has enlisted and wishes his name to be removed from RN List.
1916 Jun 22. "I think that the service will be well quit of this officer and do not propose to take any steps for his apprehension" A Bradford
1916 Jul 6. Serving as a Gunner in RGA at Dover.
1916 Sep 9. Applied to be considered for an Army commission. The navy gave him a bad reference, and the application was refused.
1917 July. J F Hope MP takes up his case to be placed on retired list of Royal Navy. The 2nd Sea Lord refuses to put him on the retired list as there was no justification for special consideration.
1918 Oct 16. The undermentioned Lts. to be actg. Capts. whilst 2nd in Comd. of Batts: : — H. F. Littledale, Spec. Res.
1919 Jul 8. Wins MC and RHS medal during the sinking of the Jolly Roger in Russia. General Maynard writes that the Jolly Roger, only re-launched on Jun 4th and sank Jul 8 was the best of their ships. But although it had a theoretical speed of 30 knots, it could only manage 18 knots most of the time due to engine problems.
1919 Oct 30. The undermentioned Lts relinquish, the actg. rank of Capt. : H. F. Littledale, Spec: Res
1920 Jan 30 MC Gazetted
1920 Apr 1. ROYAL GARRISON ARTILLERY. Lt. H. F. Littledale relinquishes his commn., and is granted the rank of Capt
1920 Jul 17. Colonial Office informed in reply to request for a reference that "This gentleman is no longer a Naval Officer and that his service in the RN was not satisfactory"
1920 Oct 25. Joined ADRIC with service no 883. Posted to H Coy
Believed to be Littledale (centre) with RHS medal and MC. However it seems to be R Dentith with glasses beside him, and Dentith was in F Coy not H
1920 Nov 5, Promoted Section Leader
1921 May 10 to 13 May on Leave
1921 May 21 Posted to Depot Coy (with a note "Phoenix Park")
1921 Jun 24. To a Permanent Cadet in RIC
1921 Jul 1. Posted to Newport, Mayo
1921 Aug 3. Unfavourable Record for Neglect of Duty at Galway Races
1922 Apr 18 Discharged on disbanding of RIC
1923 Jan 17. Regular Army Reserve of Officers. R.G.A.—Capt. Herbert Francis Littledale, late R.G.A., Spec. Res., to be Capt. 28th May 1923, with seniority 17th Jan. 1922.
1923 Memorandum of H. F. Littledale, Area Commander, to E. D. Kerr, relating to an inspection of "B" Specials of RUC.
1924 Leaves UK for Mombassa. His address is The Brook, Enniskillen, Ireland
1928 His daughter married. Maise Littledale married Robert Alexander (Rajah) Tamplin Miller in Nairobi Catherdral Kenya
1932 May 20. Application to be placed on retired list RN refused
1933 Application to be placed on the Emergency List RN refused
1936 Dec 3. Request to use the title "Lt Commander" refused by the RN
1936 Dec 4. Leaves UK for Durban with his wife Edith. He is retired and living in Kenya.
1938 C in C East Indies informed that this officer should not be employed in the RN as an emergency. This instruction was cancelled a year later
1938 Aug 1. Arrives in UK from Mombassa with his wife Edith. They live in Kenya
1939 Sep 3. . Placed on the Emergency List as a Lt Commander with seniority 1 Apr 1913.
1939 Daughter gets married in Kenya. He is now able to use RN in this announcement as he has just been put on emergency list.
1941 Promotion to Commander (emergency) not approved.
1941 Sep 28. Invalided, found unfit for E Indies Station. To return to UK at first opportunity.Amoebia Dysentery, unfit for further service in E India Station.
1942 Appointed Flag Officer East Africa and Zanzibar with acting rank of Commander
1943 Mar 23. Medical board in Mombassa recommends he return to South Africa. Fit for service in temperate climate only. He then has a series of medical problems and is off duty sick.
1944 Jan 19. Re-employed for light duties only in Nairobi
1944 Jul 26. Found by medical board unfit for further service - coronary thrombosis.
1944 Aug 24. His acting rank of Commander was terminated. Reverted to Emergency List and granted the war service rank of Commander, but was not allowed to go on Retired List.
1947 A further application to go on Retired List was rejected.
1951 Living in Kenya
1953 Feb 19 Appointed member of Mount Kenya Liquor Licensing Committee
1960 Jan 19 Died in Timau, Kenya
1962 His wife died at Timau