Ernest Gaunt
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir Ernest Frederick Augustus Gaunt KBE
(1865–1940), a native of Australia
, was a Royal Navy
officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief of the Western Approaches.
in Victoria
, the son of William Henry Gaunt and Elizabeth Mary Palmer, Gaunt joined the Royal Navy
in 1878 at the age of 13. In 1881 he was a seaman
on HMS Wolverine
, by 1891 he was a lieutenant
on Belleisle
, and by 1896 he was 1st Lieutenant on the armoured cruiser HMS Narcissus
. In 1898 and 1899 Gaunt was 1st Commissioner for Weihawei
and Administrator for Liukungtao, China
. In 1900, he was Commissioner and Superintending transport officer Weihawei, China, at the time of the Boxer Rebellion
. In 1903, he commanded a landing party from the HMS Mohawk
at Durbo in Swaziland
.
In 1913, he became Commodore
of the Royal Naval Barracks in Chatham, England, and in 1913 and 1914, he was aide-de-camp
to King George V
. In 1916, during World War I
, he commanded 1st Battle Squadron in the Battle of Jutland
as Rear Admiral; his flagship was Colossus
. From 1917 to 1919, he was Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station
and in 1921 to 1922, he was Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches
. In 1925 he retired, and was knighted. He died in Chelsea, London
, England
.
His bother, Guy Gaunt
, was also an Admiral of the Royal Navy, and later became a Conservative
Member of Parliament
. Their sister, Mary Elizabeth Bakewell Gaunt, was a well-known author in Australia and wrote several travel books.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(1865–1940), a native of 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...
, was 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 who went on to be Commander-in-Chief of the Western Approaches.
Naval career
Gaunt was born in BeechworthBeechworth, Victoria
Beechworth is a well-preserved historical town located in the north-east of Victoria, Australia, famous for its major growth during the gold rush days of the mid-1850s...
in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, the son of William Henry Gaunt and Elizabeth Mary Palmer, Gaunt joined 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...
in 1878 at the age of 13. In 1881 he was a seaman
Seaman
Seaman is one of the lowest ranks in a Navy. In the Commonwealth it is the lowest rank in the Navy, followed by Able Seaman and Leading Seaman, and followed by the Petty Officer ranks....
on HMS Wolverine
HMS Wolverine (1863)
HMS Wolverine was a Jason-class corvette, of the Royal Navy, built at the Woolwich Dockyard and launched on 29 August 1863. Initially commissioned for the North America and West Indies Station, she commenced service on the Australia Station on 7 September 1875 as the flagship, under the command of...
, by 1891 he was a 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 Belleisle
HMS Belleisle (1876)
HMS Belleisle was one of the four ships currently under construction for foreign navies in British shipyards which were purchased by the British government for the Royal Navy in 1878, at the time of the Russian war scare....
, and by 1896 he was 1st Lieutenant on the armoured cruiser HMS Narcissus
HMS Narcissus (1886)
HMS Narcissus was a ship of the Orlando-class of first-class cruisers built in the yards of Earle of Hull and launched on December 15, 1886. Future Admiral Ernest Gaunt served aboard her in 1896 as First Lieutenant. She was sold for scrapping on September 11, 1906.-References:* Roger Chesneau and...
. In 1898 and 1899 Gaunt was 1st Commissioner for Weihawei
Weihai
Weihai is a city in eastern Shandong Province, People's Republic of China. It is the easternmost prefecture-level city of the province and a major seaport. Between 1898 and 1930, the town was a British colony known as Weihaiwei or the Weihai Garrison , and sometimes as Port Edward...
and Administrator for Liukungtao, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. In 1900, he was Commissioner and Superintending transport officer Weihawei, China, at the time of the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
. In 1903, he commanded a landing party from the HMS Mohawk
HMS Mohawk (1886)
HMS Mohawk was an Archer-class torpedo cruiser of the Royal Navy, built by J. & G. Thompson at Glasgow and launched on 6 February 1886....
at Durbo in Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
.
In 1913, he became 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...
of the Royal Naval Barracks in Chatham, England, and in 1913 and 1914, he was aide-de-camp
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 King George V
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....
. In 1916, during World War I
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...
, he commanded 1st Battle Squadron in 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...
as Rear Admiral; his flagship was Colossus
HMS Colossus (1910)
HMS Colossus of the British Royal Navy was the nameship of her class of dreadnought battleships.She was launched on 9 April 1910 and commissioned in 1911. Although very similar to Neptune she was not part of Neptunes class as Colossus and her sister-ship, Hercules, had greater armour...
. From 1917 to 1919, he was Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station
East Indies Station
The East Indies Station was a formation of the British Royal Navy from 1865 to 1941.From 1831 to 1865 the East Indies and the China Station were a single command known as the East Indies and China Station...
and in 1921 to 1922, he was Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches
Western Approaches
The Western Approaches is a rectangular area of the Atlantic ocean lying on the western coast of Great Britain. The rectangle is higher than it is wide, the north and south boundaries defined by the north and south ends of the British Isles, the eastern boundary lying on the western coast, and the...
. In 1925 he retired, and was knighted. He died in Chelsea, London
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
His bother, Guy Gaunt
Guy Gaunt
-External links:...
, was also an Admiral of the Royal Navy, and later became a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. Their sister, Mary Elizabeth Bakewell Gaunt, was a well-known author in Australia and wrote several travel books.