Richard Faulkner Herbert Hartland-Mahon

From The Dreadnought Project
Jump to navigationJump to search

Captain (retired) Richard Faulkner Herbert Hartland-Mahon, R.N. (7 April, 1874 – 3 September, 1936) served in the Royal Navy. He was an inventive officer, and received cash awards for devising methods to align torpedo tubes by theodolite in 1922.

Life & Career

The son of a Major Richard James (Hartland) Mahon and Charlotte Mary Faulkner, Hartland-Mahon, Richard's great-grandfather was Richard Bourne, R.N., a founder of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, popularly known as P. & O.. The family name had originally been Mahon before his father adopted Hartland around 1869, though it may not have been his legal name.[1]

Richard gained twelve months' time on passing out of Britannia.[2]

Hartland-Mahon was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 14 April, 1896.[3]

In April 1905 he submitted ideas in how to attack (or conduct attacks using) submersible boats. These were not adopted, however. In August 1905, he acted as Interpreter during a visit of the French Fleet.[4]

In 1907, he helped revise the Torpedo Manual.[5]

In 1908, he was placed in command of a squadron of eighteen torpedo boats. During this time, one of his boats, T.B. 14, engaged in some dangerous firing which resulted in some projectiles falling on Bembridge. Some time thereafter, T.B. 3 grounded, seemingly as Hartland-Mahon had not corrected charts. This earned him the Admiralty's severe displeasure, and he was superseded in command and given T.B. 13 instead.[6]

Hartland-Mahon was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1908.[7]

During the Great War, he commanded a pair of Armed Merchant Cruisers until being replaced, sick, in command of Patia in October 1915. He then worked in Boom Defence until May 1916 and was then placed in charge of Brightlingsea Base until 8 August, 1919.

Post-War

Hartland-Mahon was promoted to the rank of Captain on 1 July, 1922.[8]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
John D. Allen
Captain of H.M. T.B. 86
10 Jul, 1900[9]
Succeeded by
George T. C. P. Swabey
Preceded by
Arthur E. Phillipps
Captain of H.M.S. Dreadnought
27 Aug, 1904[10] – 3 Jan, 1905
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
The Hon. Matthew R. Best
Captain of H.M.S. Ferret
3 Jan, 1905[11] – 1 Jan, 1906
Succeeded by
John B. Stevenson
Preceded by
Noel S. Tindall
Captain of H.M.S. Porcupine
6 Jun, 1907 – 13 May, 1908
Succeeded by
Paul Whitfield
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M. T.B. 13
13 May, 1908[12] – 21 Jan, 1909
Succeeded by
Maurice B. R. Blackwood
Preceded by
?
Captain of H.M. T.B. 25
22 Jan, 1909 – 22 Jul, 1909
Succeeded by
Reginald C. L. Owen
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Digby
23 Nov, 1914[13] – 27 Aug, 1915
Succeeded by
Arthur G. Warren
Preceded by
Gerald W. Vivian
Captain of H.M.S. Patia
27 Aug, 1915 – 8 Oct, 1915
Succeeded by
Vincent L. Bowring

Footnotes

  1. Emails from Annette Miller, 20201120 and 202021124.
  2. Hartland-Mahon Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/448. f. 499.
  3. Hartland-Mahon Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/448. f. 499.
  4. Hartland-Mahon Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/448. f. 499.
  5. Hartland-Mahon Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/448. f. 499.
  6. Hartland-Mahon Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/448. f. 499.
  7. Hartland-Mahon Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/448. f. 499.
  8. Hartland-Mahon Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/448. f. 499.
  9. "The Naval Manoeuvres." The Times (London, England), Thursday, July 5, 1900, Issue 36186, p.10.
  10. The Navy List. (October, 1904). p. 304.
  11. The Monthly Navy List. (December, 1905). p. 313-15.
  12. The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 400.
  13. The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 401i.