Lionel Halsey
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir Lionel Halsey GCMG
GCVO
KCIE
CB
ADC
(26 February 1872 – 26 October 1949) was a British
Royal Navy
officer and courtier
.
, the fourth son of Sir Thomas Frederick Halsey, 1st Baronet
. After primary education at Stubbington House, Fareham
, Hampshire
, he entered the Britannia
in January 1885. He was commissioned a Sub-Lieutenant
on 14 July 1891. In July 1893 he was posted to the Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert II
and was promoted Lieutenant
on 28 August 1893. He served with the Mediterranean Fleet and then on the North America and West Indies Station, before joining . In the South African War he commanded a battery
of naval guns in the Defence of Ladysmith, for which he was mentioned in dispatches
and promoted Commander
on 1 January 1901. He was posted to the cruiser
as Executive Officer
and served in her in the Mediterranean until June 1902. From November 1902 he served as Executive Officer in , flagship of the 1st Cruiser Squadron
.
In January 1905 Halsey was appointed Naval Member of the new Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Committee at the Admiralty
, and was promoted Captain
on 30 June 1905. In August 1905 he took command of Powerful, as flag captain
to Sir Wilmot Fawkes
as Commander-in-Chief
Australia Station
. In April 1911 he was given command of in the 4th Cruiser Squadron and in 1912 took over the new battle cruiser on her cruise around the world to "show the flag". It was during this cruise that Halsey was given a Māori war skirt which he wore during the naval battles at Heligoland and Dogger Bank
. He was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
(CMG) on 8 December 1913. On 19 September 1914 he was appointed a Naval ADC
to the King
.
in January 1915, for which he was again mentioned in dispatches. In June 1915 he became Captain of the Fleet
to Sir John Jellicoe
in with the rank of Commodore
1st Class. He was granted a special Good Service Pension in July 1915. He was present at the Battle of Jutland
, being mentioned in dispatches for a third time and appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath
(CB) on 3 June 1916 (in the King's Birthday Honours). On 15 September 1916 he was appointed an Officer of the Légion d'honneur
and was promoted to Commander in 1917.
On 4 December 1916 Halsey was appointed Fourth Sea Lord
at the Admiralty, becoming Third Sea Lord
in May 1917. In April 1917 he was promoted Rear-Admiral. In that same year, he was also awarded the Japan
ese Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star
, which represents the second highest of eight classes associated with the award. In September 1918 he returned to sea in the battle cruiser in command of the 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet and was present at the German surrender at Scapa Flow
. He was promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1918 and in 1919 received the Distinguished Service Medal
of the United States
. He served at the Admiralty from March to August 1919, when he became chief of staff to the Prince of Wales
for his tour of Canada
, the United States
, Australia
, New Zealand
, the West Indies, and other colonies in . For this he was appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
(KCVO) on 1 December 1919 and promoted Knight Grand Cross (GCVO) on 11 October 1920.
and Treasurer to the Prince of Wales. He became a member of the Prince's council in 1920, and an extra equerry
in 1921. He was promoted Vice-Admiral on 5 July 1921 and retired from the Navy on 1 November 1922. He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire
(KCIE) in 1922 after the Prince's visit to India
, promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) on 16 October 1925 following the Prince's visit to Africa and South America, and promoted Admiral
on 4 October 1926. In 1926 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
for the County of Bedford
. He was also awarded the Japan
ese Order of the Rising Sun
1st Class in 1922.
In 1936 he was dismissed from the staff of King Edward VIII, as the Prince of Wales had now become. This was probably due to his opposition to Wallis Simpson becoming queen. In 1937, however, he was appointed an extra equerry to the new King George VI
and took part in the coronation procession as acting Keeper of the Jewel House
. He died in 1949 at the age of 77.
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....
GCVO
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...
KCIE
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
ADC
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...
(26 February 1872 – 26 October 1949) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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...
officer and courtier
Courtier
A courtier is a person who is often in attendance at the court of a king or other royal personage. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
.
Early life and career
Halsey was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the fourth son of Sir Thomas Frederick Halsey, 1st Baronet
Frederick Halsey
Sir Thomas Frederick Halsey, 1st Baronet PC was an English Conservative Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1874 to 1906....
. After primary education at Stubbington House, Fareham
Fareham
The market town of Fareham lies in the south east of Hampshire, England, between the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth, roughly in the centre of the South Hampshire conurbation.It gives its name to the borough comprising the town and the surrounding area...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, he entered the Britannia
HMS 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...
in January 1885. He was commissioned a 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 14 July 1891. In July 1893 he was posted to the Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert II
HMY Victoria and Albert II
HMY Victoria and Albert, a 360 foot steamer launched 16 January 1855, was a Royal Yacht of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom until 1900, owned and operated by the Royal Navy. She displaced 2,470 tons, and could make 15 knots on her paddles...
and was promoted 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 28 August 1893. He served with the Mediterranean Fleet and then on the North America and West Indies Station, before joining . In the South African War he commanded a battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
of naval guns in the Defence of Ladysmith, for which he was mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
and promoted 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 1 January 1901. He was posted to the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
as Executive Officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
and served in her in the Mediterranean until June 1902. From November 1902 he served as Executive Officer in , flagship of the 1st Cruiser Squadron
1st Cruiser Squadron
The First Cruiser Squadron was a Royal Navy squadron of armored cruisers that saw service as part of the Mediterranean and Grand Fleets during the First World War. It was originally formed in 1909, but was renamed on 1 January 1913 to First Battle Cruiser Squadron...
.
In January 1905 Halsey was appointed Naval Member of the new Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Committee at the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
, and was promoted 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 30 June 1905. In August 1905 he took command of Powerful, as flag captain
Flag captain
In the Royal Navy, a flag captain was the captain of an admiral's flagship. During the 18th and 19th centuries, this ship might also have a "captain of the fleet", who would be ranked between the admiral and the "flag captain" as the ship's "First Captain", with the "flag captain" as the ship's...
to Sir Wilmot Fawkes
Wilmot Fawkes
|-|-|-...
as Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
Australia Station
Australia Station
The Australia Station was the British—and later Australian—naval command responsible for the waters around the Australian continent.-History:In the early years following the establishment of the colony of New South Wales, ships based in Australian waters came under the control of the East Indies...
. In April 1911 he was given command of in the 4th Cruiser Squadron and in 1912 took over the new battle cruiser on her cruise around the world to "show the flag". It was during this cruise that Halsey was given a Māori war skirt which he wore during the naval battles at Heligoland and Dogger Bank
Battle of Dogger Bank (1915)
The Battle of Dogger Bank was a naval battle fought near the Dogger Bank in the North Sea on 24 January 1915, during the First World War, between squadrons of the British Grand Fleet and the German High Seas Fleet....
. He was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
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....
(CMG) on 8 December 1913. On 19 September 1914 he was appointed a Naval ADC
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 the King
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....
.
First World War
After the outbreak of the First World War, Halsey commanded the New Zealand at the Battle of Dogger BankBattle of Dogger Bank (1915)
The Battle of Dogger Bank was a naval battle fought near the Dogger Bank in the North Sea on 24 January 1915, during the First World War, between squadrons of the British Grand Fleet and the German High Seas Fleet....
in January 1915, for which he was again mentioned in dispatches. In June 1915 he became Captain of the Fleet
Captain of the fleet
In the Royal Navy of the 18th and 19th centuries a Captain of the Fleet could be appointed to assist an admiral when the admiral had ten or more ships to command....
to Sir John Jellicoe
John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe
Admiral of the Fleet John Rushworth Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe, GCB, OM, GCVO was a British Royal Navy admiral who commanded the Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland in World War I...
in with the rank of Commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
1st Class. He was granted a special Good Service Pension in July 1915. He was present at the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
, being mentioned in dispatches for a third time and appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(CB) on 3 June 1916 (in the King's Birthday Honours). On 15 September 1916 he was appointed an Officer of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
and was promoted to Commander in 1917.
On 4 December 1916 Halsey was appointed Fourth Sea Lord
Fourth Sea Lord
The Fourth Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Supplies was formerly one of the Naval Lords and members of the Board of Admiralty which controlled the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.-History:...
at the Admiralty, becoming Third Sea Lord
Third Sea Lord
The Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy was formerly the Naval Lord and member of the Board of Admiralty responsible for procurement and matériel in the British Royal Navy...
in May 1917. In April 1917 he was promoted Rear-Admiral. In that same year, he was also awarded the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star
Order of the Rising Sun
The is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese Government, created on April 10, 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun...
, which represents the second highest of eight classes associated with the award. In September 1918 he returned to sea in the battle cruiser in command of the 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet and was present at the German surrender at Scapa Flow
Scapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
. He was promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1918 and in 1919 received the Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He served at the Admiralty from March to August 1919, when he became chief of staff to the Prince of Wales
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
for his tour of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, the West Indies, and other colonies in . For this he was appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
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...
(KCVO) on 1 December 1919 and promoted Knight Grand Cross (GCVO) on 11 October 1920.
Post-war
In November 1920 Halsey was appointed ComptrollerComptroller
A comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the...
and Treasurer to the Prince of Wales. He became a member of the Prince's council in 1920, and an extra equerry
Equerry
An equerry , and related to the French word "écuyer" ) is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually upon a Sovereign, a member of a Royal Family, or a national...
in 1921. He was promoted Vice-Admiral on 5 July 1921 and retired from the Navy on 1 November 1922. He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
(KCIE) in 1922 after the Prince's visit to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) on 16 October 1925 following the Prince's visit to Africa and South America, and promoted Admiral
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"...
on 4 October 1926. In 1926 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for the County of Bedford
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
. He was also awarded the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese Order of the Rising Sun
Order of the Rising Sun
The is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese Government, created on April 10, 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun...
1st Class in 1922.
In 1936 he was dismissed from the staff of King Edward VIII, as the Prince of Wales had now become. This was probably due to his opposition to Wallis Simpson becoming queen. In 1937, however, he was appointed an extra equerry to the new King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
and took part in the coronation procession as acting Keeper of the Jewel House
Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom
The collective term Crown Jewels denotes the regalia and vestments worn by the sovereign of the United Kingdom during the coronation ceremony and at other state functions...
. He died in 1949 at the age of 77.