Percy Withers

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Captain Percy Withers (23 September, 1875 – 2 February, 1946) was an officer in the Royal Navy. Though he held important commands during the war, his naval service was unusual for a string of medical issues.

Life & Career

Withers entered the navy with the July 1889 intake term at the training ship H.M.S. Britannia, scoring lowest of 48 candidates on entry with 871 marks.[1]

Withers was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 14 June, 1897.[2]

In July 1899, his gums became ulcerated after a tooth extraction, causing him to be unfit for four and a half weeks.[3]

Lieutenant Withers was found to have lacked forethought and business management acumen in an affair of an ablebodied seaman's embezzlement from a canteen.[4]

Withers was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1908.[5]

He failed to complete a course at the Royal Navy War College 9 February – 28 May, 1909.

In November, 1910 he was found fit at Portland Hospital after a cataract issue.[6]

He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1915.

Withers was appointed in command of the scout cruiser Active in April 1916, and fought in her at the Battle of Jutland.

In July, 1920, Withers had hepatitis and enteritis while Commodore in Hong Kong. A series of wires sent home indicate an appendectomy and arduous recovery. At the end of the year, he was sent home in S.S. Bremen, arriving home on 18 February, 1921. He would be evaluated several times and not be found fit before 7 June.[7]

Percy Withers retired on 14 July, 1922.[8] He requested promotion to Rear-Admiral on the Retired List, but was denied.

Withers succumbed to pneumonia in 1946.

See Also

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Hugh K. Arbuthnot
Captain of H.M. T.B. 73
8 Jul, 1896[9] – before 18 Aug, 1896[10]
Succeeded by
Ivor F. Chichester
Preceded by
Cyril Asser
Captain of H.M.S. Foyle
25 Feb, 1909[11][12] – 1 Jun, 1910[13]
Succeeded by
Henry C. D. Field
Preceded by
Henry C. D. Field
Captain of H.M.S. Kennet
1 Jun, 1910[14] – 25 Nov, 1910[15]
Succeeded by
Richard M. King
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Cameleon
25 Nov, 1910[16][17] – 19 Sep, 1911[18]
Succeeded by
Hugh J. Tweedie
Preceded by
James R. P. Hawksley
Captain of H.M.S. Active
3 Apr, 1916[19] – Dec, 1916[20]
Succeeded by
Neston W. Diggle
Preceded by
Charles D. Roper
Captain (D), Fourth Destroyer Flotilla
6 Jul, 1916[21] – 7 Jan, 1917[22]
Succeeded by
Arthur E. Wood
Preceded by
Arthur E. Wood
Captain of H.M.S. Hecla
Dec, 1916[23] – 7 Jan, 1917[24]
Succeeded by
John B. Sparks
Preceded by
Charles D. Johnson
Captain (D), Sixth Destroyer Flotilla
7 Jan, 1917[25] – 10 Jan, 1918[26]
Succeeded by
Wilfred Tomkinson
Preceded by
Alan G. Hotham
Assistant Director of Naval Equipment
10 Jan, 1918[27] – 7 May, 1919[28]
Succeeded by
Claud H. Sinclair
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Colombo
7 May, 1919[29][30] – after Dec, 1919[31]
Succeeded by
Arthur H. Walker

Footnotes

  1. "Cadetships In The Navy." The Times (London, England), Thursday, Jun 27, 1889; pg. 11; Issue 32736.
  2. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  3. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  4. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  5. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  6. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  7. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  8. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  9. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  10. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  11. The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 319.
  12. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  13. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  14. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  15. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  16. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  17. The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 291.
  18. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  19. The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 391b.
  20. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  21. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  22. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  23. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  24. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  25. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  26. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  27. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  28. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  29. The Navy List. (October, 1920). p. 748.
  30. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.
  31. Withers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 141.