George Atkinson-Willes

Admiral

Sir George Atkinson-Willes

KCB
Born13 July 1847
Died25 December 1921(1921-12-25) (aged 74)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Service / branch Royal Navy
Years of service1861–1912
RankAdmiral
CommandsHMS Comus
HMS Indefatigable
HMS Agamemnon
HMS Hero
HMS Howe
Home Fleet
East Indies Station
Battles / warsSomaliland Campaign
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath

Admiral Sir George Lambart Atkinson-Willes, KCB (13 July 1847 – 25 December 1921) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station.

Educated at Leamington College and at Burney's Royal Naval Academy in Gosport,[1] he joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1861[2] and took part in the Abyssinian Expedition in 1868 where he was second in command of the naval rocket brigade.[3]

Promoted to Captain in 1886,[2] he commanded HMS Comus, HMS Indefatigable, HMS Agamemnon, HMS Hero and then HMS Howe.[3] He was appointed commodore commanding the Training Squadron in 1895 and then commanded the Dockyard Reserve at Chatham from 1898.[1]

In 1901 he assumed the additional surname of Willes in compliance with the will of his uncle Admiral Sir George Ommanney Willes.[1] The same year he was promoted to rear admiral on 19 February 1901,[4] and in May 1902 he became Second-in-Command of the Home Fleet.[5] He hoisted his flag on board the pre-dreadnought battleship HMS Resolution on 7 May 1902, as his flagship during the Coronation Fleet Review for King Edward VII.[6] After the end of the manoeuvres, he transferred on 16 September to HMS Empress of India, which became flagship to the Home Squadron, the permanent sea-going nucleus of the Home Fleet.[7]

In 1903 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station.[1] He led a squadron of three ships during the Somaliland Campaign in 1904, supplying landing parties that stormed and captured the forts at Illig, his ships' guns supporting the attack.[3] In June 1905 in recognition of his service in Somaliland he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.[8]

Atkinson-Willes was promoted vice admiral in 1905 and admiral in 1908. He retired in July 1912 and died in December 1921, aged 74.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d The County Families of the United Kingdom or Royal manual of the titled and untitled aristocracy of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, Volume ed.59, yr.1919
  2. ^ a b "Royal Navy Flag Officers 1904-1945". Archived from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d "The capture of the forts at Illig from the Mad Mullah, 21 April 1904", Paul G Lane. Orders & Medals Research Society Journal (Volume 59, number 2) June 2020. pp 152-156.
  4. ^ "No. 27288". The London Gazette. 22 February 1901. p. 1350.
  5. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36763. London. 9 May 1902. p. 10.
  6. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36762. London. 8 May 1902.
  7. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36869. London. 10 September 1902. p. 8.
  8. ^ "No. 27811". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 June 1905. p. 4548.
Military offices
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station
1903–1905 		Succeeded by