Benjamin Bathurst (Royal Navy officer)

Sir Benjamin Bathurst
Born	(1936-05-27) 27 May 1936
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1953–1995
Rank	Admiral of the Fleet
Commands held	First Sea Lord Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff Commander-in-Chief Fleet Second Flotilla 5th Frigate Squadron HMS Ariadne 819 Naval Air Squadron
Battles/wars	Bosnian War
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

Admiral of the Fleet Sir David Benjamin Bathurst GCB, DL (born 27 May 1936) is a former Royal Navy officer. After training as a pilot and qualifying as a helicopter instructor, Bathurst commanded a Naval Air Squadron and then two frigates before achieving higher command in the Navy. He served as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff from 1993 to 1995: in that capacity he advised the British Government on the deployment of Naval Support including Sea Harriers during the Bosnian War.

Early life

Bathurst is the son of Peter Bathurst and his wife Lady Elizabeth Ann Bathurst (née Temple-Gore-Langton).^[1] Generally known by his middle name of Benjamin,^[2] Bathurst was educated at Eton and the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth.^[3]

Naval career

The frigate HMS Ariadne which Bathurst commanded in the mid 1970s

Bathurst joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1953 and became a midshipman on 1 September 1955.^[4] During his early career he served in the minesweeper HMS Woolaston and, following promotion to sub-lieutenant on 1 January 1957 and to lieutenant on 1 February 1959,^[5] he qualified as a pilot in 1960.^[4] He next served in the ship's flight on the destroyer HMS Devonshire and then qualified as a helicopter instructor in 1964.^[4] He served as an exchange officer with the Royal Australian Navy in 1965 and, following promotion to lieutenant commander on 1 February 1967,^[6] he became senior pilot of 820 Naval Air Squadron on the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle.^[4] He was given command of 819 Naval Air Squadron in February 1969 and then joined the Directorate of Naval Recruiting at the Ministry of Defence in early 1970.^[4] Promoted to commander on 30 June 1970, he became executive officer on the destroyer HMS Norfolk in February 1971.^[4] He joined the Directorate of Naval Air Warfare at the Ministry of Defence in February 1973.^[4]

Promoted to captain on 31 December 1974, Bathurst took command of a Leander class frigate, HMS Ariadne in March 1975.^[4] He became Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord in May 1976 and Commanding Officer of HMS Minerva as well as Captain of the 5th Frigate Squadron in September 1978.^[4] He attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in 1981 and became Director of Naval Air Warfare at the Ministry of Defence in January 1982.^[4]

Sea Harrier, an aircraft type deployed by Bathurst during the Bosnian War

Promoted to rear admiral on 10 October 1983,^[7] on appointment as Flag Officer Second Flotilla, Bathurst went on to be Director General Naval Manpower and Training at the Ministry of Defence in May 1985.^[4] He was promoted to vice admiral on 22 December 1986,^[8] on appointment as Chief of Fleet Support.^[4] He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1987 Birthday Honours,^[9] and promoted to full admiral on 21 April 1989, on appointment as Commander-in-Chief Fleet which also carried with it the NATO appointments of Commander-in-Chief, Channel and Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Atlantic.^[4] Advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 1991 New Year Honours,^[10] he became Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff in March 1991 and First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff in March 1993.^[11] As First Sea Lord he advised the British Government on the deployment of Naval Support including Sea Harriers during the Bosnian War.^[12] He was promoted Admiral of the Fleet on 10 July 1995 on his retirement.^[11]

Later career

In retirement Bathurst became a Non-Executive Director of British International Helicopters.^[13] He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Somerset on 27 August 1996^[14] and became Vice-Lord Lieutenant on 18 February 1999.^[15] He is a younger brother of Trinity House and a Liveryman of Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators.^[3] His interests include gardening, shooting and fishing.^[3]

Family

Bathurst married Sarah Christian Pandora Peto, daughter of Major John Peto and granddaughter of Sir Basil Peto, 1st Baronet, in 1959.^[1] They have one son (Major-General Benjamin Bathurst CBE) and three daughters.^[3]

References

1 2 "Admiral Sir David Benjamin Bathurst". The Peerage.com. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
↑ Mosley, p. 215
1 2 3 4 Who's Who 2010, A & C Black, 2010, ISBN 978-1-408-11414-8
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Heathcote, p.22
↑ The London Gazette: no. 41831. p. 6137. 29 September 1959. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 44238. p. 1153. 27 January 1967. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 49496. p. 12932. 3 October 1983. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 50740. p. 15867. 8 December 1986. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 50948. p. 2. 12 June 1987. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 52382. p. 2. 28 December 1990. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
1 2 Heathcote, p.23
↑ "British units deployed to Bosnia". Britain's Small Wars. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
↑ "Admiral Bathurst awarded honorary degree". University of Greenwich Biography. 19 July 2004. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
↑ The London Gazette: no. 54507. p. 11443. 27 August 1996. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
↑ The London Gazette: no. 55413. p. 2247. 25 February 1999. Retrieved 24 August 2012.

Sources

Heathcote, Tony (2002). The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734–1995. Pen & Sword Ltd. ISBN 0-85052-835-6.
Mosley, Charles (1999). Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, volume 1. Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd. ISBN 978-1579580834.

External links

Imperial War Museum Interview

Military offices
Preceded by Sir Anthony Tippet	Chief of Fleet Support 1986–1989	Succeeded by Sir Jock Slater
Preceded by Sir Julian Oswald	Commander-in-Chief Fleet 1989–1991	Succeeded by Sir Jock Slater
Preceded by Sir Richard Vincent	Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff 1991–1993	Succeeded by Sir Jock Slater
Preceded by Sir Julian Oswald	First Sea Lord 1993–1995	Succeeded by Sir Jock Slater

First Sea Lords of the Royal Navy

First Naval Lords (1828–1904)	Sir George Cockburn Sir Thomas Hardy The Hon. George Dundas Charles Adam Sir George Cockburn Sir Charles Adam Sir George Cockburn Sir William Parker Sir Charles Adam Sir James Dundas The Hon. Maurice Berkeley Hyde Parker The Hon. Maurice Berkeley The Hon. Sir Richard Dundas William Martin The Hon. Sir Richard Dundas The Hon. Sir Frederick Grey Sir Alexander Milne Sir Sydney Dacres Sir Alexander Milne Sir Hastings Yelverton Sir George Wellesley Sir Astley Key Sir Arthur Hood Lord John Hay Sir Arthur Hood Sir Richard Hamilton Sir Anthony Hoskins Sir Frederick Richards Lord Walter Kerr

First Sea Lords (1904–present)	Sir John Fisher Sir Arthur Wilson Sir Francis Bridgeman Prince Louis of Battenberg The Lord Fisher Sir Henry Jackson Sir John Jellicoe Sir Rosslyn Wemyss The Earl Beatty Sir Charles Madden, Bt Sir Frederick Field The Lord Chatfield Sir Roger Backhouse Sir Dudley Pound The Lord Cunningham of Hyndhope Sir John Cunningham The Lord Fraser of North Cape Sir Rhoderick McGrigor The Earl Mountbatten of Burma Sir Charles Lambe Sir Caspar John Sir David Luce Sir Varyl Begg Sir Michael Le Fanu Sir Peter Hill-Norton Sir Michael Pollock Sir Edward Ashmore Sir Terence Lewin Sir Henry Leach Sir John Fieldhouse Sir William Staveley Sir Julian Oswald Sir Benjamin Bathurst Sir Jock Slater Sir Michael Boyce Sir Nigel Essenhigh Sir Alan West Sir Jonathon Band Sir Mark Stanhope Sir George Zambellas Sir Philip Jones

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