Roy Bacchus

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Captain (retired) Roy Bacchus, D.S.O. (24 April, 1883 – 23 June, 1951) was an officer in the Royal Navy. He spoke some French and received muted praise from his superiors. His naval career appears to have passed without mishap.

Life & Career

Roy Bacchus was the son of Captain and Honorary Major Robert S. Bacchus and was born in Betchworth.

He underwent examinations for in July, 1897 and gained entrance to Britannia's term of August, 1897, his 1319 marks placing him nineteenth among the sixty-three candidates accepted as naval cadets.[1] He gained three month's time on passing out of Britannia and receiving his first appointment to the Mediterranean's second class protected cruiser Venus on 15 January, 1899.[2]

In February, 1905, he was unfit at Plymouth Hospital, owing to lingering effects of an old appendectomy. He was found fit on 16 May and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1905.[3]

Bacchus was appointed in command of the destroyer Bat on 20 February, 1912.[4]

Bacchus was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 June, 1913.[5]

Bacchus was appointed in command of the destroyer Cygnet on 16 December, 1913, but either Captain Johnson or Admiral de Robeck suggested he should go in a big ship that same month.[6]

He was appointed in command of the destroyer Grampus (formerly the Nautilus) in June, 1914.[7]

Bacchus was awarded a D.S.O. for his services during the landings at Gallipoli on 25/26 April, 1915 as he carried out minesweeping operations while under heavy fire. It was invested upon him by the King at Buckingham Palace on 27 May, 1916.[8]

Bacchus left Grampus when he was appointed to command the new Napier on 6 January, 1916.[9]

Bacchus was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1917. He was superseded in command of Napier on 29 January, 1918 and shortly thereafter appointed to Satellite for navigation duties and for duty with the Senior Naval Officer, Tyne.[10]

Post-War

Bacchus was appointed in command of the destroyer Sceptre on 4 November, 1919.[11]

Bacchus was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 21 June, 1922. On 3 February, 1925 he was appointed District Officer, H.M. Coast Guard, Newcastle. On 1 January, 1926 he was promoted to Inspector, C.G., and appointed to Tynemouth.[12]

Bacchus was promoted to the rank of Captain on the Retired List on his forty-fifth birthday on 24 April, 1928.[13]

World War II

In 1938 Bacchus started working with the Coast Guard's Coast Watching Organisation and was not available for naval service during the conflict.[14]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
William J. Whitworth
Captain of H.M.S. Bat
20 Feb, 1912[15][16] – 16 Dec, 1913[17]
Succeeded by
Desmond Maxwell
Preceded by
Claude L. Bate
Captain of H.M.S. Cygnet
16 Dec, 1913[18][19] – 10 Jun, 1914[20]
Succeeded by
Orrell Bake
Preceded by
Claud F. Allsup
as Captain of H.M.S. Nautilus
Captain of H.M.S. Grampus
Jun, 1914[21][22] – 6 Jan, 1916[23]
Succeeded by
Richard M. Welby
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Napier
6 Jan, 1916[24][25] – 29 Jan, 1918[26]
Succeeded by
Edward R. M. Geake
Preceded by
Herbert Scott
Captain of H.M.S. Seawolf
27 Jan, 1919[27] – 1 Oct, 1919[28]
Succeeded by
Ralph W. Wilkinson
Preceded by
Ralph W. Wilkinson
Captain of H.M.S. Sceptre
5 Nov, 1919[29] – 4 Nov, 1921[30]
Succeeded by
Charles H. Jones

Footnotes

  1. "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Friday, Aug 13, 1897; pg. 8; Issue 35281.
  2. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  3. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  4. The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 282.
  5. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  6. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  7. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 325.
  8. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  9. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  10. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  11. The Navy List. (December, 1920). p. 861.
  12. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  13. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  14. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  15. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  16. The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 282.
  17. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  18. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  19. The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 300a.
  20. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  21. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  22. The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 394l.
  23. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  24. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  25. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 395v.
  26. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  27. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  28. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  29. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.
  30. Bacchus Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/59. f. 462.