George Edwin Patey
Encyclopedia
Admiral
Sir George Edwin Patey KCMG
, KCVO
(24 February 1859 – 5 February 1935) was a senior officer in the Royal Navy
.
, United Kingdom. His father, also named George Edwin Patey, was a Royal Navy officer too. Patey entered the Royal Navy as a cadet on 15 January 1872, aged 12.
Patey served as a midshipman
aboard HMS Shah
as part of the British Pacific Squadron under Admiral de Horsey
during the Battle of Pacocha
, an action in company with the corvette HMS Amethyst on 29 May 1877 with the Peruvian armoured turret ship Huáscar
which had been taken over by rebels opposed to the Peruvian Government and, it was feared, could be used to attack British shipping. He was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant
on 21 March 1878, and while upon the voyage home HMS Shah was diverted to South Africa
to assist in the Anglo-Zulu War
. Patey served in the naval brigade
which was formed to fight ashore, for which he received the Zulu Medal
.
Promoted to Lieutenant
on 10 August 1881, he went to gunnery school at HMS Excellent between February 1889 and February 1892. Assigned to naval intelligence, he was promoted to Commander
on 31 December 1894 and became Assistant Director of Naval Intelligence. Serving upon HMS Barfleur
as part of the British Mediterranean Squadron, he participated in the Allied occupation of Candia
, Crete
on 15 February 1897, and was part of the International Squadron blockading Crete during the Greco-Turkish uprising on Crete.
After being promoted to Captain
on 1 January 1900, he went on to serve as Assistant Director of Naval Intelligence until 5 May 1901. He was awarded the Order of the Redeemer
from George I
, King of Greece in 1903. In command of HMS Venerable
, he was appointed Member of the Royal Victorian Order by Edward VII
, King of the United Kingdom during his visit to Naples
on 23 April 1903. Later he went on to command HMS Implacable
between 1905 and 1907. He was awarded the Cross of the Order of the Naval Merit and Cross of the Order of Military Merit from Alfonso XII
, King of Spain. On 22 March 1908, he became a Naval Aide-de-camp
to King Edward VII.
On 2 January 1909, he was promoted to Rear Admiral
in the British Home Fleet
and was commander of the 2nd Battle Squadron
until 1911. He was appointed the first Rear Admiral Commanding His Majesty's Australian Fleet in 1913 and was awarded a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order on his flagship HMAS Australia
, when King George V
visited the Australian Fleet at Spithead
on 30 June 1913 to review the fleet and watch them depart for Australia.
At the outbreak of World War I
, he commanded the naval sqaudron as part of the New Zealand Samoa Expeditionary Force that captured
German Samoa
and the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force
that captured German New Guinea
. Sailed with HMAS Australia to join the 2nd Battlecruiser Squadron
at Rosyth
, Scotland
and on 8 February 1915, became the flagship of the Squadron. He was promoted to Vice Admiral on 21 September 1914 and became Commander-in-Chief, North America and West Indies Station the following year.
He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George on 1 January 1916. On 22 September 1916, he transferred to another ship of the Royal Navy
and command of His Majesty's Australian Fleet was transferred to Rear Admiral William Pakenham
.
He died on 5 February 1935.
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Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Sir George Edwin Patey KCMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, KCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(24 February 1859 – 5 February 1935) was a senior officer in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
Biography
Patey was born on 24 February 1859 at Montpellier, near PlymouthPlymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, United Kingdom. His father, also named George Edwin Patey, was a Royal Navy officer too. Patey entered the Royal Navy as a cadet on 15 January 1872, aged 12.
Patey served as a midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
aboard HMS Shah
HMS Shah (1873)
The first HMS Shah was a 19th century unarmoured iron hulled, wooden sheathed frigate of Britain's Royal Navy designed by Sir Edward Reed. She was originally to be named HMS Blonde but was renamed following the visit of the Shah of Persia in 1873....
as part of the British Pacific Squadron under Admiral de Horsey
Algernon Frederick Rous de Horsey
Admiral Sir Algernon Frederick Rous de Horsey KCB was a Royal Navy officer who served in the nineteenth century.-Early life:...
during the Battle of Pacocha
Battle of Pacocha
The naval Incident of Pacocha took place on 6 May 1877 when Nicolás de Piérola was leading a revolution to overthrow then Peruvian President Mariano Ignacio Prado. Piérola used the Peruvian monitor Huáscar as a raiding ship. She practiced sabotage primarily against the government forces of Peru...
, an action in company with the corvette HMS Amethyst on 29 May 1877 with the Peruvian armoured turret ship Huáscar
Huáscar
Huáscar Inca was Sapa Inca of the Inca empire from 1527 to 1532 AD, succeeding his father Huayna Capac and brother Ninan Cuyochi, both of whom died of smallpox while campaigning near Quito.After the conquest, the Spanish put forth the idea that Huayna Capac may have...
which had been taken over by rebels opposed to the Peruvian Government and, it was feared, could be used to attack British shipping. He was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
on 21 March 1878, and while upon the voyage home HMS Shah was diverted to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
to assist in the Anglo-Zulu War
Anglo-Zulu War
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.Following the imperialist scheme by which Lord Carnarvon had successfully brought about federation in Canada, it was thought that a similar plan might succeed with the various African kingdoms, tribal areas and...
. Patey served in the naval brigade
Naval Brigade
A Naval Brigade is a body of sailors serving in a ground combat role to augment land forces.-Royal Navy:Within the Royal Navy, a Naval Brigade is a large temporary detachment of Royal Marines and of seamen from the Royal Navy formed to undertake operations on shore, particularly during the mid- to...
which was formed to fight ashore, for which he received the Zulu Medal
South Africa Medal (1877)
The South Africa Medal was instituted in 1879 and was awarded by the British Government to members of the British Army and Royal Naval Brigade involved in a series of South African tribal wars between 1877 to 1879, but most notably for the Anglo-Zulu War made famous by the films Zulu and Zulu...
.
Promoted to Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
on 10 August 1881, he went to gunnery school at HMS Excellent between February 1889 and February 1892. Assigned to naval intelligence, he was promoted to Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
on 31 December 1894 and became Assistant Director of Naval Intelligence. Serving upon HMS Barfleur
HMS Barfleur (1892)
HMS Barfleur was a predreadnought second-class battleship of the Royal Navy. She was part of the three-ship Centurion class, designed for long-range patrolling of the United Kingdom's far-flung empire. She mainly saw service in the Mediterranean and Home Fleet, along with Service at China Station,...
as part of the British Mediterranean Squadron, he participated in the Allied occupation of Candia
Heraklion
Heraklion, or Heraclion is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete, Greece. It is the 4th largest city in Greece....
, Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
on 15 February 1897, and was part of the International Squadron blockading Crete during the Greco-Turkish uprising on Crete.
After being promoted to Captain
Captain (Royal Navy)
Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
on 1 January 1900, he went on to serve as Assistant Director of Naval Intelligence until 5 May 1901. He was awarded the Order of the Redeemer
Order of the Redeemer
The Order of the Redeemer , also known as the Order of the Savior, is an order of Greece. The Order of the Redeemer is the oldest and highest decoration awarded by the modern Greek state.- History :...
from George I
George I of Greece
George I was King of Greece from 1863 to 1913. Originally a Danish prince, George was only 17 years old when he was elected king by the Greek National Assembly, which had deposed the former king Otto. His nomination was both suggested and supported by the Great Powers...
, King of Greece in 1903. In command of HMS Venerable
HMS Venerable (1899)
HMS Venerable was a London class predreadnought battleship, a sub-class of the Formidable class battleships, and the third ship of the British Royal Navy to bear the name.-Technical Description:...
, he was appointed Member of the Royal Victorian Order by Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
, King of the United Kingdom during his visit to Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
on 23 April 1903. Later he went on to command HMS Implacable
HMS Implacable (1899)
HMS Implacable was a Formidable-class battleship of the British Royal Navy, the second ship of the name.-Technical Description:HMS Implacable was laid down at Devonport Dockyard on 13 July 1898 and launched on 11 March 1899 in a very incomplete state to clear the building way for construction of...
between 1905 and 1907. He was awarded the Cross of the Order of the Naval Merit and Cross of the Order of Military Merit from Alfonso XII
Alfonso XII of Spain
Alfonso XII was king of Spain, reigning from 1874 to 1885, after a coup d'état restored the monarchy and ended the ephemeral First Spanish Republic.-Early life and paternity:Alfonso was the son of Queen Isabella II of Spain, and...
, King of Spain. On 22 March 1908, he became a Naval Aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to King Edward VII.
On 2 January 1909, he was promoted to Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
in the British Home Fleet
British Home Fleet
The Home Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy which operated in the United Kingdom's territorial waters from 1902 with intervals until 1967.-Pre–First World War:...
and was commander of the 2nd Battle Squadron
2nd Battle Squadron (United Kingdom)
The British Royal Navy 2nd Battle Squadron was a naval squadron consisting of battleships. The 2nd Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet. After World War I the Grand Fleet was reverted back to its original name, the Atlantic Fleet...
until 1911. He was appointed the first Rear Admiral Commanding His Majesty's Australian Fleet in 1913 and was awarded a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order on his flagship HMAS Australia
HMAS Australia (1911)
HMAS Australia was one of three s built for the defence of the British Empire. Ordered by the Australian government in 1909, she was launched in 1911, and commissioned as flagship of the fledgling Royal Australian Navy in 1913...
, when King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
visited the Australian Fleet at Spithead
Spithead
Spithead is an area of the Solent and a roadstead off Gilkicker Point in Hampshire, England. It is protected from all winds, except those from the southeast...
on 30 June 1913 to review the fleet and watch them depart for Australia.
At the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he commanded the naval sqaudron as part of the New Zealand Samoa Expeditionary Force that captured
Occupation of German Samoa
The Occupation of Samoa was the takeover and subsequent administration of the Pacific colony of German Samoa in August 1914 by an expeditionary force from New Zealand called the Samoa Expeditionary Force and New Zealand's first action in World War I...
German Samoa
German Samoa
German Samoa was a German protectorate from 1900 to 1914, consisting of the islands of Upolu, Savai'i, Apolima and Manono, now wholly within the independent state Samoa, formerly Western Samoa...
and the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force
Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force
The Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force was a small volunteer force of approximately 2,000 men, raised in Australia shortly after the outbreak of the First World War to seize and destroy German wireless stations in German New Guinea in the south-west Pacific...
that captured German New Guinea
German New Guinea
German New Guinea was the first part of the German colonial empire. It was a protectorate from 1884 until 1914 when it fell to Australia following the outbreak of the First World War. It consisted of the northeastern part of New Guinea and several nearby island groups...
. Sailed with HMAS Australia to join the 2nd Battlecruiser Squadron
2nd Battlecruiser Squadron (United Kingdom)
The 2nd Battlecruiser Squadron was a Royal Navy squadron of battlecruisers that saw service as part of the Grand Fleet during the First World War.-August 1914:In August 1914, the 2nd Battlecruiser Squadron was in the Mediterranean, and consisted of:-1915:...
at Rosyth
Rosyth
Rosyth is a town located on the Firth of Forth, three miles south of the centre of Dunfermline. According to an estimate taken in 2008, the town has a population of 12,790....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and on 8 February 1915, became the flagship of the Squadron. He was promoted to Vice Admiral on 21 September 1914 and became Commander-in-Chief, North America and West Indies Station the following year.
He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George on 1 January 1916. On 22 September 1916, he transferred to another ship of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and command of His Majesty's Australian Fleet was transferred to Rear Admiral William Pakenham
William Christopher Pakenham
Admiral Sir William Christopher Pakenham, KCB, KCMG, KCVO was a British observer with the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Russo-Japanese War, during World War I he commanded the 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadron during the Battle of Jutland, and from December 1916 was Commander-in-Chief of the Battle...
.
He died on 5 February 1935.
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