Louis Keppel Hamilton
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir Louis Henry Keppel Hamilton KCB
, DSO
(31 December 1890 – 27 June 1957) was a senior Royal Navy
officer who was Flag Officer
in Malta
(1943–1945) and later served as First Naval Member & Chief of Staff
of the Royal Australian Navy
. During his early career he was generally known as L. H. Keppel Hamilton.
, who was Second Sea Lord
during the First World War, by his marriage to Maria Walpole Keppel, a daughter of Admiral of the Fleet
Sir Henry Keppel
. He grew up at Anmer Hall near King's Lynn
in Norfolk
. Two of his middle names were in honour of his notable grandfather, Henry Keppel. His paternal grandfather, Captain
Henry George Hamilton (1808–1879), was also a Royal Navy
officer, while his great grandfather, William Richard Hamilton
(1777–1859), was an Under-Secretary at the Foreign Office, British Minister to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
, and an archaeologist.
An uncle, his mother's brother, became Admiral Sir Colin Richard Keppel
. His grandfather's two eldest brothers were Augustus Keppel, 5th Earl of Albemarle
and George Keppel, 6th Earl of Albemarle
.
in 1908 with the rank of Midshipman
. On 30 June 1911, he was promoted Sub-Lieutenant
, and on 30 June 1913 Lieutenant
.
During the Great War
, Hamilton saw actice service in the West Africa Campaign
, on the Niger River
and in the German
colony of Kamerun
. He commanded the Niger river flotilla which drove the Germans out of Dehane in December 1914, then led a party from the coast which transported a naval 12-pounder gun
taken out of HMS Challenger
on an epic journey of 640 miles along the Niger and Benue
rivers, then sixty miles overland, to assist Brigadier-General Cunliffe in the taking of Garoua
from a German garrison. Garua fell in June 1915. In September 1915 he was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order
"for his services in the operations in the Cameroons" and was also awarded the Order of Saint Stanislaus
of Russia
, 3rd class.
He saw active service again in the Second World War, including taking part in the Allied reactions to the German invasion of Norway in 1940 (as commander of HMS Aurora
), for which he was awarded the Norwegian War Cross, and the protection of Arctic convoys
. In 1942, he was a Rear Admiral commanding the First Cruiser Squadron (CS1), which consisted of the British cruisers and , the American cruisers and , and four destroyers. In that role, he was one of the senior officers of the disastrous Convoy PQ 17.
Between 1943 and 1945, Hamilton was Flag Officer
in Malta, and while there was knighted by being appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. After the War, he served as Chief Naval Advisor to the Government of Australia
and was First Naval Member & Chief of Staff
of the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board
, effectively head of the Royal Australian Navy
, from 1945 to 1948.
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...
, DSO
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...
(31 December 1890 – 27 June 1957) was a senior 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 who was Flag Officer
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
(1943–1945) and later served as First Naval Member & Chief of Staff
Chief of Navy (Australia)
The Chief of Navy is the most senior appointment in the Royal Australian Navy, responsible to the Chief of the Defence Force and the Secretary of Defence...
of the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
. During his early career he was generally known as L. H. Keppel Hamilton.
Background and early life
Hamilton was the first of the two sons of Admiral Sir Frederick HamiltonFrederick Hamilton (Royal Navy officer)
|-...
, who was Second Sea Lord
Second Sea Lord
The Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command , commonly just known as the Second Sea Lord , is one of the most senior admirals of the British Royal Navy , and is responsible for personnel and naval shore establishments.-History:In 1805, for the first time, specific functions were...
during the First World War, by his marriage to Maria Walpole Keppel, a daughter of Admiral of the Fleet
Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)
Admiral of the fleet is the highest rank of the British Royal Navy and other navies, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-10. The rank still exists in the Royal Navy but routine appointments ceased in 1996....
Sir Henry Keppel
Henry Keppel
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Keppel, GCB, OM was a British admiral, son of the 4th Earl of Albemarle and of his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Lord de Clifford.-Naval career:...
. He grew up at Anmer Hall near King's Lynn
King's Lynn
King's Lynn is a sea port and market town in the ceremonial county of Norfolk in the East of England. It is situated north of London and west of Norwich. The population of the town is 42,800....
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. Two of his middle names were in honour of his notable grandfather, Henry Keppel. His paternal grandfather, 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...
Henry George Hamilton (1808–1879), was also a 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, while his great grandfather, William Richard Hamilton
William Richard Hamilton
William Richard Hamilton, FRS, was a British antiquarian, traveller and diplomat. He was son of Rev. Anthony Hamilton, Archdeacon of Colchester and Anne, daughter of Richard Terrick, Bishop of London....
(1777–1859), was an Under-Secretary at the Foreign Office, British Minister to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, commonly known as the Two Sicilies even before formally coming into being, was the largest and wealthiest of the Italian states before Italian unification...
, and an archaeologist.
An uncle, his mother's brother, became Admiral Sir Colin Richard Keppel
Colin Richard Keppel
Admiral Sir Colin Richard Keppel GCVO, KCIE, CB, DSO was a British sailor and Extra Equerry to four kings.-Background:...
. His grandfather's two eldest brothers were Augustus Keppel, 5th Earl of Albemarle
Augustus Keppel, 5th Earl of Albemarle
Augustus Frederick Keppel, 5th Earl of Albemarle , styled Viscount Bury from 1804 until 1849, was an English nobleman....
and George Keppel, 6th Earl of Albemarle
George Keppel, 6th Earl of Albemarle
General George Thomas Keppel, 6th Earl of Albemarle DL, FGS, FSA , styled The Honourable from birth until 1851, was a British soldier, Liberal politician and writer.-Background and education:...
.
Naval career
Hamilton joined the Royal NavyRoyal 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...
in 1908 with the rank of 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...
. On 30 June 1911, he was promoted 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...
, and on 30 June 1913 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...
.
During the Great War
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...
, Hamilton saw actice service in the West Africa Campaign
West Africa Campaign (World War I)
The West Africa Campaign of World War I consisted of two small and fairly short military operations to capture the German colonies in West Africa: Togoland and Kamerun.-Overview:...
, on the Niger River
Niger River
The Niger River is the principal river of western Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in southeastern Guinea...
and in the German
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
colony of Kamerun
Kamerun
German Cameroon was a West African colony of the German Empire from 1884 to 1916 in the region of today's Republic of Cameroon.-History:-1800s:...
. He commanded the Niger river flotilla which drove the Germans out of Dehane in December 1914, then led a party from the coast which transported a naval 12-pounder gun
QF 12 pounder 18 cwt naval gun
The QF 12 pounder 18 cwt gun was a 3 inch high-velocity naval gun used to equip larger British warships such as battleships for defence against torpedo boats...
taken out of HMS Challenger
HMS Challenger (1902)
HMS Challenger was a second-class protected cruiser of the Challenger class of the Royal Navy.Commissioned on 30 May 1904, she commenced duty on the Australia Station. She was paid off into reserve on 10 October 1912 before recommissioning during the First World War...
on an epic journey of 640 miles along the Niger and Benue
Benue River
The Benue River is the major tributary of the Niger River. The river is approximately 1,400 km long and is almost entirely navigable during the summer months...
rivers, then sixty miles overland, to assist Brigadier-General Cunliffe in the taking of Garoua
Garoua
Garoua is the capital of the North Province of Cameroon, lying on the Benue River. The city had 235,996 inhabitants at the 2005 Census, and is an important river port.- Overview :...
from a German garrison. Garua fell in June 1915. In September 1915 he was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order
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...
"for his services in the operations in the Cameroons" and was also awarded the Order of Saint Stanislaus
Order of Saint Stanislaus
The Order of Saint Stanislaus , also spelled Stanislas, was an Order in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and The Kingdom of Poland between 1765 and 1831 and of Russian Empire from 1831 to 1917.-History of the Order of Saint Stanislaus:Stanisław August Poniatowski, King of Poland, established the...
of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, 3rd class.
He saw active service again in the Second World War, including taking part in the Allied reactions to the German invasion of Norway in 1940 (as commander of HMS Aurora
HMS Aurora (12)
HMS Aurora was an Arethusa-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by Portsmouth Dockyard , with the keel being laid down on the 27 July 1935. She was launched on the 20 August 1936, and commissioned 12 November 1937....
), for which he was awarded the Norwegian War Cross, and the protection of Arctic convoys
Arctic convoys of World War II
The Arctic convoys of World War II travelled from the United Kingdom and North America to the northern ports of the Soviet Union—Arkhangelsk and Murmansk. There were 78 convoys between August 1941 and May 1945...
. In 1942, he was a Rear Admiral commanding the First Cruiser Squadron (CS1), which consisted of the British cruisers and , the American cruisers and , and four destroyers. In that role, he was one of the senior officers of the disastrous Convoy PQ 17.
Between 1943 and 1945, Hamilton was Flag Officer
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
in Malta, and while there was knighted by being appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. After the War, he served as Chief Naval Advisor to the Government of Australia
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
and was First Naval Member & Chief of Staff
Chief of Navy (Australia)
The Chief of Navy is the most senior appointment in the Royal Australian Navy, responsible to the Chief of the Defence Force and the Secretary of Defence...
of the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board
Australian Commonwealth Naval Board
The Australian Commonwealth Naval Board was the governing authority over the Royal Australian Navy from its inception and through World Wars I and II. The board was established on 1 March 1911 and consisted of civilian members of the Australian government as well as naval flag officers....
, effectively head of the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
, from 1945 to 1948.