John Gaimes
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-Commander John Austin Gaimes, DSO
, was a submarine commander for the Royal Navy
. He died 20 January 1921, at the age of 33, when the HMS K5
sank with the loss of all hands during a mock battle in the Bay of Biscay
.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, was a submarine commander for 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...
. He died 20 January 1921, at the age of 33, when the HMS K5
HMS K5
HMS K5 was one of the K-class submarines that served in the Royal Navy from 1917-1921. She was lost with all hands when she sank en route to a mock battle in the Bay of Biscay.-War service:...
sank with the loss of all hands during a mock battle in the Bay of Biscay
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
.
History of service
- 1901, posted to the training shipHMS BritanniaHMS Prince of Wales (1860)HMS Prince of Wales was one of six 121-gun screw-propelled first-rate three-decker line-of-battle ships of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 25 January 1860...
. - Served as second-in-commandSecond-in-commandThe Second-in-Command is the deputy commander of any British Army or Royal Marines unit, from battalion or regiment downwards. He or she is thus the equivalent of an Executive Officer in the United States Army...
of the destroyer HMS SyrenHMS Syren (1900)HMS Syren was one of two s which served with the Royal Navy. She was launched by Palmers in 1900, served in home waters and was sold off, after the First World War, in 1920....
for a year. - Volunteered for British submarine command in 1908, appointed January 1909.
- Served on the C-class submarinesBritish C class submarineThe British C class submarines were the last class of petrol engined submarines of the Royal Navy and marked the end of the development of the Holland-class in the Royal Navy...
. - Appointed command of HMS A9HMS A9HMS A9 was an early Royal Navy submarine.She was a member of Group Two of the first British A-class of submarines ....
on 5 October 1911. - A year later, appointed command of HMS B9HMS B9HMS B9 was a Royal Navy B class submarine, built at Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness, launched 24 January 1906 and completed 28 April 1906.B9 was deployed to the Mediterranean soon after the outbreak of World War I. Due to the lack of spare parts this group of submarines were not used after September 1915...
. - March 1913, captained HMS C37HMS C37HMS C37 was a British C class submarine built by Vickers, Barrow. She was laid down on 7 April 1909 and was commissioned on 31 March 1910.-Service history:...
in Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. - 10 April 1917, commanded submarine in Harwich flotillaHarwich ForceThe Harwich Force was a squadron of the Royal Navy, formed during the First World War, that went on to play a significant role in the war.-History:...
. - Located the secret HeligolandHeligolandHeligoland is a small German archipelago in the North Sea.Formerly Danish and British possessions, the islands are located in the Heligoland Bight in the south-eastern corner of the North Sea...
passage, marked out by buoys for German warships to follow. - June 1918, awarded the Distinguished Service OrderDistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(DSO) for war services. - After World War IWorld War IWorld 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...
, commanded submarines attached to depot shipDepot shipA depot ship is a ship which acts as a mobile or fixed base for other ships and submarines or supports a naval base. Depot ships may be specifically designed for their purpose or be converted from another purpose...
HMS DolphinHMS DolphinNumerous Royal Navy vessels have been named HMS Dolphin after the dolphin.* The first seven Dolphins were small ketches and fireships., launched in 1731, was a 20-gun post ship, renamed Firebrand in 1755 and Penguin in 1757., launched in 1751, was a 24-gun post ship...
at PortsmouthPortsmouthPortsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. - November 1919, appointed to cruiser HMS InconstantHMS Inconstant (1914)HMS Inconstant was an Arethusa-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy launched on 6 July, 1914 at William Beardmore and Company shipyard....
for steam-driven vessels of the K-classBritish K class submarineThe K class submarines were a class of steam-propelled submarines of the Royal Navy designed in 1913. Intended as large, fast vessels which had the endurance and speed to operate with the battle fleet, they gained notoriety, and the nickname of Kalamity class, for being involved in many accidents....
in the First Flotilla. - 1 April 1920, appointed command of HMS K5HMS K5HMS K5 was one of the K-class submarines that served in the Royal Navy from 1917-1921. She was lost with all hands when she sank en route to a mock battle in the Bay of Biscay.-War service:...
.