Guy Gaunt
Encyclopedia
Sir Guy Reginald Archer Gaunt, KCMG, (25 May 1870 – 18 May 1953) was an Australian born officer of the Royal Navy
, counter-intelligence officer and a British
Conservative Party
politician.
Gaunt was born in Ballarat
, Australia
to William Henry Gaunt and his wife Elizabeth Mary. Gaunt's brother Ernest Gaunt
was also an admiral. Their sister, Mary Elizabeth Bakewell Gaunt, was a well-known author in Australia and wrote several travel books. He was educated at Melbourne Grammar School
from 1881 to 1883.
, but transferred to the Royal Navy
in 1885.
Gaunt served as a lieutenant on several vessels in the Pacific Ocean
, and was promoted to the rank of Commander
in 1901. He became a Captain
in 1907, commanding a series of cruisers and the battleships HMS Majestic
and HMS Thunderer
. He saw action in the Philippines
in 1897 and Samoa in 1901.
In 1914 Gaunt was appointed naval attaché to the United States
, and was instrumental in infiltrating the Hindu-German Conspiracy during the war. Gaunt headed the intelligence network operated by Courtenay Bennett's intelligence and liased with the Czech intelligence network operated by E.V. Voska. On learning of the plot from the Czech European network at the outbreak of the war, Voska passed on the information to Gaunt and to Tomáš Masaryk
who further passed on the information the American authorities. Voska's American network was a counter-espionage network of nearly 80 members who, as Habsburg
subjects, were presumed to be German supporters but were involved in spying on German and Austrian diplomats.
When the U.S. entered the World War I
in 1917, Gaunt was appointed as liaison officer. In 1918 he served on convoys across the Atlantic and in June was appointed to the naval intelligence staff at the Admiralty. He retired from the navy in October 1918 with the rank of Rear Admiral
and was subsequently promoted to full Admiral
. He was knighted as KCMG in 1918.
(MP) for the Buckrose constituency
in the East Riding of Yorkshire
at the 1922 general election
, replacing the Liberal
Algernon Moreing
.
Gaunt resigned from the House of Commons
in 1926, when he was he was cited as co-respondent in the divorce case between Sir Richard Cruise and his wife.
She divorced him in 1927 following the scandal with Lady Cruise, and he retired to Tangier
. He later remarried on 1 December 1932 a 35-year-old widow, Sybil Victoria Joseph, née Grant White and had two daughters. He returned to live in Cobham
, Surrey
and died at Woking Hospital in 1953. He was cremated.
Gaunt's autobiography, The yield of the years, was published in 1940. His brother Ernest Gaunt
was also an Admiral of the Royal Navy; his sister, Mary Gaunt
, was a novelist.
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...
, counter-intelligence officer and 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...
Conservative Party
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...
politician.
Gaunt was born in Ballarat
Ballarat, Victoria
Ballarat is a city in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately west-north-west of the state capital Melbourne situated on the lower plains of the Great Dividing Range and the Yarrowee River catchment. It is the largest inland centre and third most populous city in the state and the fifth...
, 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...
to William Henry Gaunt and his wife Elizabeth Mary. Gaunt's brother Ernest Gaunt
Ernest Gaunt
Admiral Sir Ernest Frederick Augustus Gaunt KBE , a native of Australia, was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief of the Western Approaches.-Naval career:...
was also an admiral. Their sister, Mary Elizabeth Bakewell Gaunt, was a well-known author in Australia and wrote several travel books. He was educated at Melbourne Grammar School
Melbourne Grammar School
Melbourne Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school predominantly for boys, located in South Yarra and Caulfield, suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
from 1881 to 1883.
Naval career
His parents wanted him to become a lawyer, but he chose to go to sea. He began training for the merchant navyMerchant Navy
The Merchant Navy is the maritime register of the United Kingdom, and describes the seagoing commercial interests of UK-registered ships and their crews. Merchant Navy vessels fly the Red Ensign and are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency...
, but transferred to 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 1885.
Gaunt served as a lieutenant on several vessels in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, and was promoted to the rank of 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...
in 1901. He became a 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...
in 1907, commanding a series of cruisers and the battleships HMS Majestic
HMS Majestic (1895)
HMS Majestic was a Majestic-class predreadnought battleship of the Royal Navy.-Technical characteristics:HMS Majestic was laid down at Portsmouth Dockyard on 5 February 1894 and launched on 31 January 1895...
and HMS Thunderer
HMS Thunderer (1911)
HMS Thunderer was the third Orion class battleship built for the Royal Navy and was the last vessel to be constructed by Thames Iron Works. She was the last and largest warship ever built on the River Thames, and after her completion her builders declared bankruptcy.By a margin of £1000, she was...
. He saw action in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
in 1897 and Samoa in 1901.
In 1914 Gaunt was appointed naval attaché to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and was instrumental in infiltrating the Hindu-German Conspiracy during the war. Gaunt headed the intelligence network operated by Courtenay Bennett's intelligence and liased with the Czech intelligence network operated by E.V. Voska. On learning of the plot from the Czech European network at the outbreak of the war, Voska passed on the information to Gaunt and to Tomáš Masaryk
Tomáš Masaryk
Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk , sometimes called Thomas Masaryk in English, was an Austro-Hungarian and Czechoslovak politician, sociologist and philosopher, who as an eager advocate of Czechoslovak independence during World War I became the founder and first President of Czechoslovakia, also was...
who further passed on the information the American authorities. Voska's American network was a counter-espionage network of nearly 80 members who, as Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
subjects, were presumed to be German supporters but were involved in spying on German and Austrian diplomats.
When the U.S. entered the 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...
in 1917, Gaunt was appointed as liaison officer. In 1918 he served on convoys across the Atlantic and in June was appointed to the naval intelligence staff at the Admiralty. He retired from the navy in October 1918 with the rank of Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
and was subsequently promoted to full Admiral
Admiral (United Kingdom)
Admiral is a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-9, outranked only by the rank Admiral of the Fleet...
. He was knighted as KCMG in 1918.
Political career
Gaunt was elected as Member of ParliamentMember 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,...
(MP) for the Buckrose constituency
Buckrose (UK Parliament constituency)
Buckrose was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a county constituency comprising the northern part of the East Riding of Yorkshire, represented by one Member of Parliament, and was created for the 1885 general election.It was redefined in...
in the East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
at the 1922 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
, replacing the Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
Algernon Moreing
Algernon Moreing
Algernon Henry Moreing was a British politician who served as Member of Parliament for Buckrose 1918-22, and Camborne 1922-23 and 1924-29.Moreing was educated at Winchester School and Trinity College, Cambridge...
.
Gaunt resigned from the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
in 1926, when he was he was cited as co-respondent in the divorce case between Sir Richard Cruise and his wife.
Family
In 1904 at Hong Kong he married a widow, Mrs Margaret Elizabeth Worthington, daughter of Sir Thomas Wardle.She divorced him in 1927 following the scandal with Lady Cruise, and he retired to Tangier
Tangier
Tangier, also Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 . It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel...
. He later remarried on 1 December 1932 a 35-year-old widow, Sybil Victoria Joseph, née Grant White and had two daughters. He returned to live in Cobham
Cobham, Surrey
Cobham is a town in the Borough of Elmbridge in Surrey, England, about south-west of central London and north of Leatherhead. Elmbridge has been acclaimed by the Daily Mail as the best place to live in the UK, and Cobham is a prosperous part of the London commuter belt...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
and died at Woking Hospital in 1953. He was cremated.
Gaunt's autobiography, The yield of the years, was published in 1940. His brother Ernest Gaunt
Ernest Gaunt
Admiral Sir Ernest Frederick Augustus Gaunt KBE , a native of Australia, was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief of the Western Approaches.-Naval career:...
was also an Admiral of the Royal Navy; his sister, Mary Gaunt
Mary Gaunt
Mary Eliza Bakewell Gaunt was an Australian novelist.Mary was the eldest daughter of William Henry Gaunt, a Victorian county court judge, and was born in Chiltern, Victoria. She was educated at Grenville College, Ballarat and the University of Melbourne, being one of the first two women students...
, was a novelist.