Robert Cunliffe (Royal Navy officer)

Robert Cunliffe
Born15 March 1895
Woolwich, Kent, England
Died29 November 1990 (1990-11-30) (aged 95)
Pakenham, Suffolk, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Service / branch Royal Navy
Years of service1912–1946
RankCommodore
CommandsHMS Milford
Dover Command
HMS Illustrious
Battles / warsWorld War I
World War II
AwardsCommander of the Order of the British Empire

Commodore Robert Lionel Brooke Cunliffe CBE (15 March 1895 – 29 November 1990) was a Royal Navy officer who became Commander-in-Chief, Dover.

Cunliffe joined the Royal Navy in September 1912.[1] He was present at the Battle of Jutland in June 1916 during the First World War.[2] He became commanding officer of the sloop HMS Milford in December 1937.[1] He also served during the Second World War as Captain of the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, from December 1939, Commander-in-Chief, Dover, from April 1942 and captain of the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious from August 1942.[3] He went on to be Commodore, Royal Naval Barracks, Devonport in August 1944 before retiring in January 1946.[4] While serving in the Royal Navy, Cunliffe played first-class cricket for the Royal Navy Cricket Club, making ten appearances between 1914–1929.[5] He scored 335 runs at an average of 20.93, which included three half centuries and a high score of 87.[6] With the ball, he took 16 wickets with his leg break googly bowling, with best figures of 5 for 78.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b "Robert Lionel Brooke Cunliffe, RN". U Boat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  2. ^ Marder, p. 147
  3. ^ "Captains commanding Royal Navy warships" (PDF). Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  4. ^ "Senior Royal Navy appointments" (PDF). Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  5. ^ "First-Class Matches played by Robert Cunliffe". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  6. ^ "First-class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Robert Cunliffe". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  7. ^ "First-class Bowling For Each Team by Robert Cunliffe". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 December 2019.

Sources

Military offices
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, Dover
1942 		Succeeded by