George Atkinson-Willes

Sir George Atkinson-Willes
Born 13 July 1847
Died 25 December 1921(1921-12-25) (aged 74)
Allegiance United Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Navy
Years of service 1861–1912
Rank Admiral
Commands held HMS Comus
HMS Indefatigable
HMS Agamemnon
HMS Hero
HMS Howe
Home Fleet
East Indies Station
Battles/wars Somaliland Campaign
Awards Knight 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.

Naval career

Educated at Leamington College and at Burney's Royal Naval Academy in Gosport,[1] Atkinson-Willes joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1861[2] and took part in the Abyssinian Expedition in 1868.[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] Later the same year he was promoted to Rear Admiral,[2] and in May 1902 he became Second-in-Command of the Home Fleet.[4] 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.[5] The following year, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station.[1] He was at the head of a squadron of three ships which took part in the Somaliland Campaign in 1904.[6] He retired in 1912.[3]

Family

He married Alice Mort (1856-1938), daughter of Thomas Sutcliffe Mort.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 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. 1 2 3 Royal Navy Flag Officers 1904-1945
  3. 1 2 3 Dix Noonan Web
  4. ↑ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times (36763). London. 9 May 1902. p. 10.
  5. ↑ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times (36762). London. 8 May 1902.
  6. ↑ Hermes Class light cruisers built before World War I
Military offices
Preceded by
Sir Charles Drury		 Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station
1903–1905 		Succeeded by
Sir Edmund Poë
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