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VICE-ADMIRAL SIR JOHN MICHAEL de ROBECK, K.C.B.

VICE-ADMIRAL SIR JOHN MICHAEL de ROBECK, K.C.B., received his Naval education on board the "Britannia," and entered the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1875. He became a Lieutenant on September 30th, 1885, a Commander on the June 22nd, 1897, and a Captain on January 1st, 1902.

From February 15th, 1911, to December 21st of the same year he was Inspecting Captain of Boys' Training Establishments. On December 1st, 1911, he became a Rear-Admiral. From April 8th, 1912, to May 1st, 1914, he was Admiral of Patrols, being the first occupant of that post.

On the outbreak of war he commanded a Cruiser Force, and on the retirement through illness of Vice-Admiral Carden in 1915 he was appointed acting Vice-Admiral in Command of the British Eastern Mediterranean Squadron at the Dardanelles, March 17th, and directed the Naval operations carried out in March and April of that year. It was during this period that the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force was landed and firmly established on the Gallipoli Peninsula. In his despatch published in the "London Gazette," July 6th, 1915, General Sir Ian Hamilton said, "Throughout the events I have chronicled, the Royal Navy has been father and mother to the Army. Not one of us realises how much he owes to Vice-Admiral de Robeck." Later in the year Sir Ian Hamilton wrote: "The sheet-anchor on which hung the whole of these elaborate schemes was the Navy. One tiny flaw in the mutual trust and confidence animating the two services would have wrecked the whole enterprise. Experts at a distance may have guessed as much: it was self-evident to the rawest private on the spot. But with men like Vice-Admiral de Robeck, Commodore Roger Keyes, Rear-Admiral Christian, and Captain F. H. Mitchell at our backs, we soldiers were secured against any such risk, and it will be seen how perfect was the precision the sailors put into their job."

Vice-Admiral de Robeck also commanded the Naval Forces which took part in the evacuation of the Gallipoli Peninsula between November 20th, 1915, and January 9th, 1916.

He was appointed a K.C.B. on January 1st, 1916, in recognition of the services he had rendered during the war.

He is a Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour, and holds the Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure , and the Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Italy.

On February 14th, 1887, he was promoted Lieutenant, becoming a Commander on January 1st, 1899. He served in command of a Destroyer Flotilla, and in the Royal Yacht and attained the rank of Captain on June 30th, 1903.

Between 1904 and 1907 he was Flag-Captain to Admiral Sir John Durnford on the Cape Station, and from 1907 to 1910 commanded the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth, and commanded the "Bellerophon" from 1910 to 1912.

He was appointed Aide-de-Camp to the King on January 14th, 1913, and on July 1st of the same year was appointed Commodore in command of the Second Light Cruiser Squadron, which command he held till December 1st.

On October 24th, 1913, he became a Rear-Admiral. He has served afloat in the war from December, 1914, to the present time, and for his services received the C.B. on June 3rd, 1916. He was also mentioned in despatches for his services in the Battle of Jutland, in which he commanded the Third Light Cruiser Squadron. The Squadron had a difficult r?le to perform throughout the battle. With the First Light Cruiser Squadron it formed the screen of Sir David Beatty's Battle Cruiser Squadrons at the opening of the battle, and later in the day protected the head of the line from torpedo attack by light cruisers and destroyers. It attacked the German Battle Cruisers with torpedoes and gun fire. "Rear-Admiral Napier deserves great credit for his determined and effective attack."

He holds the Order of St. Stanislaus , with swords.

He was promoted to Lieutenant on February 14th, 1889, having passed the examination with five First Class Certificates, and later specialised in Gunnery. He was promoted to Commander on January 1st, 1900, and on January 1st, 1904, he became a Captain. In 1905 he was Flag Captain to Lord Charles Beresford, and in November, 1910, was appointed Assistant Director of Naval Mobilisation. From January 8th, 1912, to August 1st, 1912, he acted as Assistant Director, Mobilisation Division, Admiralty War Staff.

During the action in Heligoland Bight on August 28th, 1914, Captain Brock commanded the "Princess Royal," and in the action off the Dogger Bank, January 24th, 1915, he commanded the same ship. When Sir David Beatty's flagship "Lion" was damaged he transferred his flag to the destroyer "Attack," and later the "Princess Royal." For his services Captain Brock was mentioned in despatches and awarded the C.B. He commanded a Battle Cruiser Squadron in the Battle of Jutland, was again mentioned in despatches and awarded the C.M.G. It was on these Battle Cruiser Squadrons, as Sir John Jellicoe remarked, that the brunt of the fighting fell, and Sir David Beatty reported the "able support" rendered him in the battle by their commanders.

He was Aide-de-Camp to the King from October 24th, 1913, to March 5th, 1915, when he became a Rear-Admiral.

REAR-ADMIRAL LIONEL HALSEY, C.B., C.M.G.

REAR-ADMIRAL LIONEL HALSEY, C.B., C.M.G., Third Sea Lord, was born in 1872, and joined H.M.S. "Britannia" in 1885. As a Naval Cadet he served in the "Agincourt," Flag-ship of Rear-Admiral the Hon. Edmund R. Fremantle, then second in command of the Channel Squadron. Becoming a Sub-Lieutenant in 1891, he subsequently served as Lieutenant and Flag-Lieutenant in several different ships.

During the South African War he took part in the defence of Ladysmith, where he had charge of the 4.7 gun in Princess Victoria Battery at Cove Hill Redoubt. He was also executive Officer to Captain Lambton towards the end of the siege, besides taking charge of all the Naval guns. For his services in this connection he was mentioned in despatches.

On January 1st, 1901, he was specially promoted to Commander. In 1912 he became Captain of the "New Zealand," the first capital ship built at the charge of a Dominion Government. In the following year Captain Halsey received the C.M.G. From September, 1914, till he became Rear-Admiral in April, 1917, he was Aide-de-Camp to the King.

Captain Halsey was mentioned in despatches for his services in the actions at Heligoland and the Dogger Bank. He became Captain of the Fleet and Commodore, First Class, in 1915. After the Battle of Jutland, Admiral Jellicoe wrote as follows:--"My special thanks are due to Commodore Lionel Halsey, C.M.G., the Captain of the Fleet, who also assists me in the working of the Fleet at sea, and to whose good organization is largely due the rapidity with which the Fleet was fuelled and replenished with ammunition on return to its bases. He was of much assistance to me during the action."

Commodore Halsey received the C.B. on June 3rd, 1916, becoming Fourth Sea Lord in December of the same year, and Third Sea Lord in May, 1917. He is a Commander of the Legion of Honour, and holds the Russian Order of St. Vladimir .

From December, 1911, to December, 1913, he was a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty. In June, 1913, he became Rear-Admiral, and in December was appointed to command the Third Cruiser Squadron.

Rear-Admiral Pakenham was present at the Battle of Jutland and received a K.C.B. on May 31st, 1916, for his services on that occasion.

When Admiral Sir David Beatty was given the command of the Grand Fleet in succession to Admiral Sir John Jellicoe in November, 1916, Admiral Pakenham was selected to assume the command of the Battle Cruiser Force, and was promoted to Acting Vice-Admiral on June 19th, 1917.

On December 31st, 1903, he became a Commander, and was in the "Renown" during the voyage of the Prince and Princess of Wales to India, October, 1905, to May, 1906. On June 30th, 1907, he became a Captain. From June, 1909, to June, 1911, he commanded the Third Torpedo Boat Destroyer Flotilla.

From August, 1911, to May, 1912, he was Captain of H.M.S. "Actaeon," the Torpedo School Ship at Sheerness, then the Headquarters of the infant Naval Air Service. He gained the pilot's certificate of the Royal Aero Club in May, 1912, flying a Short biplane, and before the end of the month became first Commandant of the Central Flying School, Salisbury Plain.

This School, inaugurated in 1912, was open to both Naval and Military aviators, and was, in consequence, an institution demanding special qualifications from the Officer in command. The new experiment proved a complete success under Captain Paine.

In 1915 Captain Paine became a Commodore , and in 1917 he was appointed Director of Naval Air Service and Fifth Sea Lord. The skill, versatility and usefulness of the Naval Air Service have rivalled those of the military airmen. The naval airmen have had to discover their true r?le and make their traditions. When their record can be known the success of Commodore Paine will be fully appreciated. He received a C.B. on January 1st, 1914. He is also a Commander of the Legion of Honour.

COMMODORE SIR REGINALD YORKE TYRWHITT, K.C.B., D.S.O.

COMMODORE SIR REGINALD YORKE TYRWHITT, K.C.B., D.S.O., was born in 1870 and entered the "Britannia" as a cadet in 1885, becoming a Lieutenant on August 25th, 1892.

As Lieutenant of H.M.S. "Cleopatra" in 1894 he was one of a landing party, composed of seamen and marines, under Lieutenant Colmore, who went to protect the inhabitants of Bluefields, Nicaragua. This expedition saved the lives of the inhabitants, who expressed their gratitude in a letter of thanks.

Having become a Captain on June 30th, 1908, Captain Tyrwhitt commanded the Second Flotilla from August, 1912, to November, 1913, when he was appointed Captain of the First Fleet Flotillas and was advanced to the rank of Commodore , in April, 1914.

At the outbreak of war, Commodore Tyrwhitt was in command of the Harwich Force consisting of the First, Second, and Tenth Flotillas. He took part in the actions in the Heligoland Bight and off the Dogger Bank and in many minor actions in 1914-17.

For his services in the action in the Heligoland Bight he was awarded the C.B. The "London Gazette" stated that his attack was delivered with great skill and gallantry. Commodore Tyrwhitt also received the thanks of the Admiralty for the manner in which he lead his forces.

In December, 1914, he was advanced to Commodore . In June, 1916, he received the D.S.O., and in April, 1917, he was appointed A.D.C. to the King, and for services rendered during the War received the K.C.B. on July 25th, 1917.

Commodore Tyrwhitt is a Commander of the Legion of Honour and Chevalier of the Military Order of Savoy.

The Western Front

DRAWINGS BY MUIRHEAD BONE

"They illustrate admirably the daily life of the troops under my command."

--F.M. SIR DOUGLAS HAIG, K.T.

In Monthly Parts, Price 2/- net.

Mr. Muirhead Bone's drawings are reproduced in the following form, apart from "The Western Front" publication:--

WAR DRAWINGS

Size 20 by 15 inches. Ten Plates in each part, 10/6 net.

MUNITION DRAWINGS

Size 31 1/2 by 22 inches. Six Plates in portfolio, 20/- net.

WITH THE GRAND FLEET

Size 31 1/2 by 22 inches. Six Plates in portfolio, 20/- net.

"TANKS"

Size 28 by 20 1/4 inches. Single Plate, 5/- net.

BRITISH ARTISTS AT THE FRONT

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