William Boyle, 12th Earl of Cork
Encyclopedia
Admiral of the Fleet
William Henry Dudley Boyle, 12th Earl of Cork, 12th Earl of Orrery GCB
GCVO
RN
(30 November 1873 – 19 April 1967) was a career Royal Navy
officer who had achieved the rank of full Admiral
before succeeding a cousin in 1934 to the family titles, chief of which is Earl of Cork
. He was, at the time, serving as Commander-in-Chief of the British Home Fleet (1933–1935). His life is of interest as he was a member of a somewhat impoverished branch of the British aristocracy and had an active career spanning some 54 years in the Royal Navy throughout the last years of the era when his country was the supreme naval power.
"Ginger" Boyle joined the navy at the age of 12, in 1886, training for two years on HMS Britannia
, a shore establishment. His first seagoing appointment was in 1888 to HMS Monarch
, a turret battleship. After serving in the Mediterranean, and back in England, he went out to China
for service during the First Sino-Japanese War
and then on to Australia
and patrols around the South Seas in HMS Lizard. He was promoted lieutenant
in 1895. He was in the China Squadron during the time of the Boxer Rebellion
.
In 1902, he married Lady Florence Keppel, beginning a long and happy union. Later that year he took up his first command, a torpedo boat destroyer, HMS Spitfire
, soon to be transferred to the destroyer, HMS Hazard
. His next appointment was as executive officer
of the cruiser HMS Astraea
which was transferred to the Mediterranean and then to the China Station.
Promoted commander
on 31 December 1906, he was soon assigned to the new battleship, HMS Hibernia
, attached to the Channel Fleet
. After a year ashore in the Admiralty
, Boyle was back to sea as commander on the armoured cruiser HMS Good Hope
, based with the Atlantic Fleet at Gibraltar
, commanded by Sir John Jellicoe
. Then back to the Home Fleet in command of the scout, HMS Skirmisher. Boyle was promoted captain
on 30 June 1913.
He was appointed British naval attache in Rome
in June 1913 and was still there at the outbreak of World War I
in July 1914. At this post, he was involved as an observer during the Second Balkan War
.
, HMS Fox
. But this proved to be an interesting backwater, as he was soon involved in supporting the Arab Revolt
. In 1916, he was senior Naval Officer, Red Sea Patrol.
Boyle was a participant in the conference held aboard HMS Dufferin that set the time of the start of the Arab Revolt. He led the bombardment of the Turkish held port of Jeddah
in June 1916, which, after a failed Arab attack, was continued for six days, leading to its surrender. This enabled artillery and other supplies to be sent to the Arabs. In July, it was the turn of the Turks at the port of Kunfuda, which surrendered after a brief bombardment. This meant the effective loss of control of southern Arabia by the Turks.
Most of the rest of his time in the Red Sea consisted of blockade of the coasts still held by the Turks, varied by attacks to capture remaining enemy held ports. The port of Salif
was taken in July 1917.
During this time, he worked closely with T. E. Lawrence
, (Lawrence of Arabia), although he did not like him very much at first. He also worked with Sir Mark Sykes and his French counterpart, M. Picot of Sykes-Picot Agreement
fame.
. Later that month, he led her in a brief action against German battleships and cruisers in the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight
. During the battle Repulse briefly engaged two German battleships, SMS Kaiser
and SMS Kaiserin
.
. Then, after a short spell on half pay, he joined the Atlantic fleet in 1923 as a rear admiral, flying his flag aboard the battleship HMS Resolution. Another period on half pay was followed by command from 9 September 1926, of the First Cruiser Squadron of the Mediterranean Fleet, under Admiral Sir Roger Keyes. He flew his flag aboard HMS Frobisher
.
.
in Greenwich
. He was made KCB in 1931 and became an admiral
in 1932. In March 1933, he took up command of the Home Fleet, flying his flag aboard the battleship HMS Nelson. He took down his flag on 31 August 1936, at the age of 63.
Meanwhile, in 1934, he succeeded his cousin as Earl of Cork and Orrery and Baron Boyle of Marston. Through the latter title he became a member of the House of Lords
and inherited a small estate in the English county of Somerset
with its country home, Marston House.
In July 1937, he became Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
, a shore position.
Cork was strongly supported by Sir Reginald Tyrwhitt
and Sir Roger Keyes for the position of First Sea Lord
, in 1937, to succeed Sir Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield
, but the appointment went elsewhere. Keyes described him as "...full of character, determination and sound common sense."
In 1938, Cork was advanced to the rank of Admiral of the Fleet
, the highest naval rank whose members are always on the active list. He gave up command on 30 June 1939, and retired, aged 66.
Admiral Sir Reginald Tyrwhitt
who was his Commander-in-chief in China in the 1920s described Boyle as "...simply splendid. I think he is absolutely first class." Among his other admirers were Roger Keyes and Winston Churchill
.
Rather like Keyes and Tyrwhitt, Boyle was a fighting sailor, likely to shine most in wartime. His failure to achieve the highest position in the 1930s was likely because he was seen as too prickly to serve a peacetime government intent upon economy and appeasement of the European dictators.
started, Lord Cork offered his services but was told there was nothing for him. However, on 21 September 1939, Winston Churchill
recalled him to the Admiralty
with quarters and a nucleus staff to undertake a study of a Baltic Sea
offensive to take place by March 1940. The proposed offensive was called Project Catherine
.
This was a project dear to Churchill's heart, reminiscent of World War I plans to send a British fleet into the Baltic
and land forces in conjunction with the Russians on the Pomerania
n coast of Germany. This time, however, Russia
was not an ally, and the goals were more modest.
The Admiralty plans division gave an immediate response to a 6 September query from Churchill on a possible Baltic offensive stating that the operation justified detailed planning, but that Italy and Japan must be neutral for this to proceed and that the danger from air attack appeared prohibitive.
Churchill hoped that a British fleet in the Baltic could dominate the Sea, cutting off the flow of iron ore from Sweden
and generally isolating Germany from Scandinavian trade. It would have the bonus of securing the Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian trade for Britain and intercepting German seaborne trade with the Soviet Union
.
In the first volume of his history of World War II, The Gathering Storm, Churchill described Lord Cork as "...an officer of the highest attainments and distinction...".
Lord Cork got to work immediately and presented his preliminary appreciation on 26 September. Both he and Churchill agreed that especially modified battleships were necessary, with extra protection against air and submarine attack. Since the timelines were too short for new construction, it was proposed to modify two or three of Britain's oldest capital ships, the Revenge-class battleships
. Super bulges along the water line would protect against torpedo attack, while extra armour plating on the decks would provide protection against aerial bombs. The earliest time British dockyards could complete this work was the late spring of 1940.
Cork's preliminary study described the operation as hazardous, but perfectly feasible. It was assumed that he would be the fleet commander. He asked for a margin of at least 30% over the German fleet on account of expected losses in the passage through the narrow seas off Denmark
. Three months supply of fuel was to be taken along as well as three 8" cruisers and two 6" cruisers, two flotilla
s of the newest destroyer
s, a detachment of submarine
s and repair ships and depot ships.
It was hoped that the presence of a powerful British fleet dominating the Baltic for three months would prompt Sweden to offer the British a naval base, or failing that, the fleet would withdraw before the fuel ran out.
However, Lord Cork's study also stated the absolute need to assemble his fleet and finish training by mid February 1940. Since the modifications to the Revenge-class battleships could not be completed by then, the project was cancelled as impractical. A growing appreciation of the danger to naval ships from aircraft dampened enthusiasm for a revival of the project, until events in Finland, Denmark and Norway
in February to May 1940 rendered the plan obsolete.
to assist the Finns in the Winter War
they were waging against a Soviet attack launched on 30 November 1939. But Sweden
refused permission for the force to transit its territory and the expedition was called off.
in Norway. He did his best in difficult circumstances. Because of his senior rank, he was de facto commander of the whole expedition, military as well as naval and he was formally appointed supreme commander of allied forces on 21 April. In time, the Allied forces available for the landing at Narvik consisted of British, French, Polish and Norwegian soldiers and sailors. Cork received verbal instructions from Winston Churchill
while driving with him to Parliament (where Cork sat in the House of Lords
) to "...act with all promptitude..." in order to "...turn the enemy out of Narvik...". He flew his flag from the cruiser
, HMS Aurora
.
Lord Cork was in favour of an immediate storming of Narvik using both military and naval forces, but the more cautious army commander, General P. J. Mackesy, insisted on an indirect approach. Narvik was eventually taken by the Allies, but events in France caused the government to order its evacuation in June 1940.
Lord Cork was 66 and his front line service was over on his return. A position as flag officer commanding in Shetland began in July 1940. He was busy trying to put together some sort of defence against a not so unlikely German invasion. He was there until November, when the danger of invasion had subsided. A brief mission to Gibraltar
followed and then service in the Home Guard. He retired on his 68th birthday.
Lord Cork served as a trustee of the National Maritime Museum
from 1939 to 1947 and was President of the Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa Training Ship from 1943 to 1953. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography says that "...right up to the end of his very long life he had a commanding presence, walking upright with his shoulders back."
He and his wife of sixty years, a daughter of the 7th Earl of Albemarle
, had no children, and his titles passed to a nephew, Patrick Reginald Boyle. He was vigorous to the end.
He died in his home in London
on 19 April 1967, at the age of 93, surviving his wife by four years, and is buried at Frome
in Somerset
, England.
Never a wealthy man, probate of his will was granted on 23 August 1967, at 7,381 pounds sterling (£100,000 in 2009 value (calculated using measuringworth.com ref))
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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....
William Henry Dudley Boyle, 12th Earl of Cork, 12th Earl of Orrery GCB
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...
GCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
RN
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...
(30 November 1873 – 19 April 1967) was a career 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 had achieved the rank of full Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
before succeeding a cousin in 1934 to the family titles, chief of which is Earl of Cork
Earl of Cork
Earl of the County of Cork, usually shortened to Earl of Cork, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1620 for the Anglo-Irish politician Richard Boyle, 1st Baron Boyle...
. He was, at the time, serving as Commander-in-Chief of the British Home Fleet (1933–1935). His life is of interest as he was a member of a somewhat impoverished branch of the British aristocracy and had an active career spanning some 54 years in the Royal Navy throughout the last years of the era when his country was the supreme naval power.
Early career
Boyle was the second of four sons in a family of nine, born to Colonel Gerald Edmund Boyle, a grandson of the 8th Earl of Cork, and to Lady Elizabeth Theresa Pepys, daughter of the 1st Earl of Cottenham."Ginger" Boyle joined the navy at the age of 12, in 1886, training for two years on HMS Britannia
HMS Britannia (1820)
HMS Britannia was a 120-gun first-rate ship-of-the-line of the Royal Navy, laid down in 1813 and launched on 20 October 1820.Commissioned in 1823, she saw service in the Mediterranean from 1830-1 and in 1841...
, a shore establishment. His first seagoing appointment was in 1888 to HMS Monarch
HMS Monarch (1868)
HMS Monarch was the first sea-going warship to carry her guns in turrets, and the first British warship to carry guns of calibre.-Design:...
, a turret battleship. After serving in the Mediterranean, and back in England, he went out to 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...
for service during the First Sino-Japanese War
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan, primarily over control of Korea...
and then on to 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...
and patrols around the South Seas in HMS Lizard. He was promoted 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...
in 1895. He was in the China Squadron during 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 1902, he married Lady Florence Keppel, beginning a long and happy union. Later that year he took up his first command, a torpedo boat destroyer, HMS Spitfire
HMS Spitfire (1895)
HMS Spitfire was one of two s which served with the Royal Navy. She was launched on June 7, 1895 by Armstrong Mitchell & Co. at Newcastle upon Tyne and sold off in 1912. Her fate is unknown.-References:...
, soon to be transferred to the destroyer, HMS Hazard
HMS Hazard
Seven ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Hazard:*HMS Hazard was a 14-gun sloop launched in 1711. She was wrecked in 1714 off Boston, New England....
. His next appointment was as executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
of the cruiser HMS Astraea
HMS Astraea (1893)
HMS Astraea was an Astraea class second class cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built towards the end of the nineteenth century, and survived to serve in the First World War.-Construction and commissioning:...
which was transferred to the Mediterranean and then to the China Station.
Promoted 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...
on 31 December 1906, he was soon assigned to the new battleship, HMS Hibernia
HMS Hibernia (1905)
HMS Hibernia was a King Edward VII-class predreadnought battleship of Britain's Royal Navy. Like all ships of the class she was named after an important part of the British Empire, namely Ireland....
, attached to the Channel Fleet
Channel Fleet
The Channel Fleet was the Royal Navy formation of warships that defended the waters of the English Channel from 1690 to 1909.-History:The Channel Fleet dates back at least to 1690 when its role was to defend England against the French threat under the leadership of Edward Russell, 1st Earl of...
. After a year ashore in the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
, Boyle was back to sea as commander on the armoured cruiser HMS Good Hope
HMS Good Hope (1901)
HMS Good Hope was a 14,100-ton Drake-class armoured cruiser of the British Royal Navy; she was originally planned to be named Africa, but was renamed before she was launched...
, based with the Atlantic Fleet at Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, commanded by Sir John Jellicoe
John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe
Admiral of the Fleet John Rushworth Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe, GCB, OM, GCVO was a British Royal Navy admiral who commanded the Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland in World War I...
. Then back to the Home Fleet in command of the scout, HMS Skirmisher. Boyle was promoted 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...
on 30 June 1913.
He was appointed British naval attache in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in June 1913 and was still there at the outbreak of 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 July 1914. At this post, he was involved as an observer during the Second Balkan War
Second Balkan War
The Second Balkan War was a conflict which broke out when Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, on 29 June 1913. Bulgaria had a prewar agreement about the division of region of Macedonia...
.
The Red Sea
Chafing as an attache while the war waged, Boyle finally was released on 11 November 1915 to the command of an old and slow second class cruiser in the Red SeaRed Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
, HMS Fox
HMS Fox (1893)
HMS Fox was a second class protected cruiser of the Astraea-class of the Royal Navy. The class represented an improvement on previous types, 1,000 tons displacement larger with better seaworthiness due to improved hull design...
. But this proved to be an interesting backwater, as he was soon involved in supporting the Arab Revolt
Arab Revolt
The Arab Revolt was initiated by the Sherif Hussein bin Ali with the aim of securing independence from the ruling Ottoman Turks and creating a single unified Arab state spanning from Aleppo in Syria to Aden in Yemen.- Background :...
. In 1916, he was senior Naval Officer, Red Sea Patrol.
Boyle was a participant in the conference held aboard HMS Dufferin that set the time of the start of the Arab Revolt. He led the bombardment of the Turkish held port of Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
in June 1916, which, after a failed Arab attack, was continued for six days, leading to its surrender. This enabled artillery and other supplies to be sent to the Arabs. In July, it was the turn of the Turks at the port of Kunfuda, which surrendered after a brief bombardment. This meant the effective loss of control of southern Arabia by the Turks.
Most of the rest of his time in the Red Sea consisted of blockade of the coasts still held by the Turks, varied by attacks to capture remaining enemy held ports. The port of Salif
Salif
Salif , real name Salif Wonka, is a French rapper based in Boulogne-Billancourt. He is of Malian and Guadeloupean origin. His musical career began at the age of thirteen when he and EXS formed the rap duo Nysay in 1995. Salif released his first solo album, Tous Ensemble - Chacun Pour Soi, in 2001...
was taken in July 1917.
During this time, he worked closely with T. E. Lawrence
T. E. Lawrence
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence, CB, DSO , known professionally as T. E. Lawrence, was a British Army officer renowned especially for his liaison role during the Arab Revolt against Ottoman Turkish rule of 1916–18...
, (Lawrence of Arabia), although he did not like him very much at first. He also worked with Sir Mark Sykes and his French counterpart, M. Picot of Sykes-Picot Agreement
Sykes-Picot Agreement
The Sykes–Picot Agreement of 1916 was a secret agreement between the governments of the United Kingdom and France, with the assent of Imperial Russia, defining their respective spheres of influence and control in Western Asia after the expected downfall of the Ottoman Empire during World War I...
fame.
The North Sea
In November 1917, Boyle returned home to command the battlecruiser, HMS RepulseHMS Repulse (1916)
HMS Repulse was a Renown-class battlecruiser of the Royal Navy built during the First World War. She was originally laid down as an improved version of the s. Her construction was suspended on the outbreak of war on the grounds she would not be ready in a timely manner...
. Later that month, he led her in a brief action against German battleships and cruisers in the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight
Second Battle of Heligoland Bight
The Second Battle of Heligoland Bight was a naval engagement during the First World War. On 17 November 1917, German minesweepers clearing a path through the British minefield in the Heligoland Bight near the coast of Germany were intercepted by two British light cruisers, and , performing...
. During the battle Repulse briefly engaged two German battleships, SMS Kaiser
SMS Kaiser (1911)
SMS Kaiser "SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" was the lead ship of the of battleships of the German Imperial Navy. Kaiser was built by the Imperial Dockyard at Kiel, launched on 22 March 1911 and commissioned on 1 August 1912. The ship was equipped with ten guns in five twin turrets, and...
and SMS Kaiserin
SMS Kaiserin
SMS Kaiserin "SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" was the third vessel of the of battleships of the German Imperial Navy. Kaiserins keel was laid in November 1910 at the Howaldtswerke dockyard in Kiel. She was launched on 11 November 1911 and was commissioned into the fleet on 15 May 1913...
.
Battle fleet
After the war ended, he had a staff position ashore and then went on to command the battlecruiser HMS TigerHMS Tiger (1913)
The 11th HMS Tiger was a battlecruiser of the Royal Navy, built by John Brown and Company, Clydebank, Scotland, and launched in 1913. Tiger was the most heavily armoured battlecruiser of the Royal Navy at the start of the First World War although she was still being finished when the war began...
. Then, after a short spell on half pay, he joined the Atlantic fleet in 1923 as a rear admiral, flying his flag aboard the battleship HMS Resolution. Another period on half pay was followed by command from 9 September 1926, of the First Cruiser Squadron of the Mediterranean Fleet, under Admiral Sir Roger Keyes. He flew his flag aboard HMS Frobisher
HMS Frobisher (D81)
HMS Frobisher was a Hawkins-class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built at Devonport Dockyard and launched on 20 March 1920.-Interwar career:...
.
Temporary duty in China during the troubles
But, trouble in China meant his squadron was soon sent there where the Nationalists were fomenting anti-British riots. It seemed at one point that war with Nationalist China might break out, and Boyle thought he might have to attack Nationalist positions in Canton. Part of his time was taken up with suppressing piracy. His squadron was among the last to use the British leased port of Weihaiwei on the Yellow SeaYellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...
.
Senior command in the peace time navy
In December 1928, he took up command of the reserve fleet, followed soon after by a stint as President of the Royal Naval CollegeOld Royal Naval College
The Old Royal Naval College is the architectural centrepiece of Maritime Greenwich, a World Heritage Site in Greenwich, London, described by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation as being of “outstanding universal value” and reckoned to be the “finest and most...
in Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
. He was made KCB in 1931 and became an admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
in 1932. In March 1933, he took up command of the Home Fleet, flying his flag aboard the battleship HMS Nelson. He took down his flag on 31 August 1936, at the age of 63.
Meanwhile, in 1934, he succeeded his cousin as Earl of Cork and Orrery and Baron Boyle of Marston. Through the latter title he became a member of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
and inherited a small estate in the English county of Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
with its country home, Marston House.
In July 1937, he became Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Portsmouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the post.-History:...
, a shore position.
Cork was strongly supported by Sir Reginald Tyrwhitt
Reginald Tyrwhitt
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Reginald Yorke Tyrwhitt, 1st Baronet, GCB, DSO was a senior officer of the Royal Navy in World War I who commanded light forces stationed at Harwich on the east coast of England during the first part of the war.-Naval career:Tyrwhitt entered the Navy as a cadet in July, 1885...
and Sir Roger Keyes for the position of First Sea Lord
First Sea Lord
The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service; it was formerly known as First Naval Lord. He also holds the title of Chief of Naval Staff, and is known by the abbreviations 1SL/CNS...
, in 1937, to succeed Sir Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield
Admiral of the Fleet The Rt Hon. Sir Alfred Ernle Montacute Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, GCB, OM, KCMG, CVO, PC was a Royal Navy officer and held the position of First Sea Lord from 1933 to 1939...
, but the appointment went elsewhere. Keyes described him as "...full of character, determination and sound common sense."
In 1938, Cork was advanced to the rank 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....
, the highest naval rank whose members are always on the active list. He gave up command on 30 June 1939, and retired, aged 66.
Character and appearance
Ginger Boyle was every inch a sailor. A red headed firebrand, he was a short man with a short temper. He was fit and his appearance was distinguished by an ever present monocle. Formidable and a strict disciplinarian, he was well liked by the officers and men who served under him. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography describes him in the summer of 1939 as "...exceedingly fit and full of energy and drive."Admiral Sir Reginald Tyrwhitt
Reginald Tyrwhitt
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Reginald Yorke Tyrwhitt, 1st Baronet, GCB, DSO was a senior officer of the Royal Navy in World War I who commanded light forces stationed at Harwich on the east coast of England during the first part of the war.-Naval career:Tyrwhitt entered the Navy as a cadet in July, 1885...
who was his Commander-in-chief in China in the 1920s described Boyle as "...simply splendid. I think he is absolutely first class." Among his other admirers were Roger Keyes and Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
.
Rather like Keyes and Tyrwhitt, Boyle was a fighting sailor, likely to shine most in wartime. His failure to achieve the highest position in the 1930s was likely because he was seen as too prickly to serve a peacetime government intent upon economy and appeasement of the European dictators.
Baltic offensive plans: Project Catherine
When World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
started, Lord Cork offered his services but was told there was nothing for him. However, on 21 September 1939, Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
recalled him to the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
with quarters and a nucleus staff to undertake a study of a Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
offensive to take place by March 1940. The proposed offensive was called Project Catherine
Project Catherine
Operation Catherine was the name of a proposed Baltic Sea offensive by the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom to be undertaken in the spring of 1940. It aimed at interdicting German seaborne commerce with the Soviet Union, Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Latvia...
.
This was a project dear to Churchill's heart, reminiscent of World War I plans to send a British fleet into the Baltic
British submarine flotilla in the Baltic
A British submarine flotilla operated in the Baltic Sea for three years during the First World War. The squadron of nine submarines was attached to the Russian Baltic Fleet. The main task of the flotilla was to prevent the import of iron ore from Sweden to Imperial Germany...
and land forces in conjunction with the Russians on the Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
n coast of Germany. This time, however, 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...
was not an ally, and the goals were more modest.
The Admiralty plans division gave an immediate response to a 6 September query from Churchill on a possible Baltic offensive stating that the operation justified detailed planning, but that Italy and Japan must be neutral for this to proceed and that the danger from air attack appeared prohibitive.
Churchill hoped that a British fleet in the Baltic could dominate the Sea, cutting off the flow of iron ore from Sweden
Swedish iron ore during World War II
Swedish iron ore was an important economic factor in the European Theatre of World War II. Both the Allies and the Third Reich were keen on the control of the mining district in northernmost Sweden, surrounding the mining towns of Gällivare and Kiruna...
and generally isolating Germany from Scandinavian trade. It would have the bonus of securing the Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian trade for Britain and intercepting German seaborne trade with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
In the first volume of his history of World War II, The Gathering Storm, Churchill described Lord Cork as "...an officer of the highest attainments and distinction...".
Lord Cork got to work immediately and presented his preliminary appreciation on 26 September. Both he and Churchill agreed that especially modified battleships were necessary, with extra protection against air and submarine attack. Since the timelines were too short for new construction, it was proposed to modify two or three of Britain's oldest capital ships, the Revenge-class battleships
Revenge class battleship
The Revenge class battleships were five battleships of the Royal Navy, ordered as World War I loomed on the horizon, and launched in 1914–1916...
. Super bulges along the water line would protect against torpedo attack, while extra armour plating on the decks would provide protection against aerial bombs. The earliest time British dockyards could complete this work was the late spring of 1940.
Cork's preliminary study described the operation as hazardous, but perfectly feasible. It was assumed that he would be the fleet commander. He asked for a margin of at least 30% over the German fleet on account of expected losses in the passage through the narrow seas off Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. Three months supply of fuel was to be taken along as well as three 8" cruisers and two 6" cruisers, two flotilla
Flotilla
A flotilla , or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet. A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same class of warship, such as frigates, destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, gunboats, or minesweepers...
s of the newest destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s, a detachment of submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s and repair ships and depot ships.
It was hoped that the presence of a powerful British fleet dominating the Baltic for three months would prompt Sweden to offer the British a naval base, or failing that, the fleet would withdraw before the fuel ran out.
However, Lord Cork's study also stated the absolute need to assemble his fleet and finish training by mid February 1940. Since the modifications to the Revenge-class battleships could not be completed by then, the project was cancelled as impractical. A growing appreciation of the danger to naval ships from aircraft dampened enthusiasm for a revival of the project, until events in Finland, Denmark and Norway
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
in February to May 1940 rendered the plan obsolete.
The Finnish expedition
Later, Lord Cork was made force commander designate of a planned Anglo-French expeditionPlan R 4
Plan R 4 was the World War II British plan for an invasion of the neutral state of Norway in April 1940. Earlier the British had planned a similar intervention with France during the Winter War.-Background:...
to assist the Finns in the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
they were waging against a Soviet attack launched on 30 November 1939. But Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
refused permission for the force to transit its territory and the expedition was called off.
Narvik
At short notice, on 10 April 1940, Lord Cork (as he now was) was summoned to the Admiralty and given command of a hastily assembled naval force with a mission to retake from the Germans the strategic port of NarvikNarvik
is the third largest city and municipality in Nordland county, Norway by population. Narvik is located on the shores of the Narvik Fjord . The municipality is part of the Ofoten traditional region of North Norway, inside the arctic circle...
in Norway. He did his best in difficult circumstances. Because of his senior rank, he was de facto commander of the whole expedition, military as well as naval and he was formally appointed supreme commander of allied forces on 21 April. In time, the Allied forces available for the landing at Narvik consisted of British, French, Polish and Norwegian soldiers and sailors. Cork received verbal instructions from Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
while driving with him to Parliament (where Cork sat in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
) to "...act with all promptitude..." in order to "...turn the enemy out of Narvik...". He flew his flag from the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
, 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....
.
Lord Cork was in favour of an immediate storming of Narvik using both military and naval forces, but the more cautious army commander, General P. J. Mackesy, insisted on an indirect approach. Narvik was eventually taken by the Allies, but events in France caused the government to order its evacuation in June 1940.
Lord Cork was 66 and his front line service was over on his return. A position as flag officer commanding in Shetland began in July 1940. He was busy trying to put together some sort of defence against a not so unlikely German invasion. He was there until November, when the danger of invasion had subsided. A brief mission to Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
followed and then service in the Home Guard. He retired on his 68th birthday.
Last years
In 1941, Lord Cork led the inquiry into the action of Admiral James Somerville at the indecisive Battle of Spartivento. The Admiral was vindicated.Lord Cork served as a trustee of the National Maritime Museum
National Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England is the leading maritime museum of the United Kingdom and may be the largest museum of its kind in the world. The historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, it also incorporates the Royal Observatory, Greenwich,...
from 1939 to 1947 and was President of the Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa Training Ship from 1943 to 1953. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography says that "...right up to the end of his very long life he had a commanding presence, walking upright with his shoulders back."
He and his wife of sixty years, a daughter of the 7th Earl of Albemarle
William Keppel, 7th Earl of Albemarle
William Coutts Keppel, 7th Earl of Albemarle KCMG, PC , styled Viscount Bury between 1851 and 1891, was a British soldier and politician. He served in the British Army before entering parliament in 1857...
, had no children, and his titles passed to a nephew, Patrick Reginald Boyle. He was vigorous to the end.
He died in his home in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 19 April 1967, at the age of 93, surviving his wife by four years, and is buried at Frome
Frome
Frome is a town and civil parish in northeast Somerset, England. Located at the eastern end of the Mendip Hills, the town is built on uneven high ground, and centres around the River Frome. The town is approximately south of Bath, east of the county town, Taunton and west of London. In the 2001...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England.
Never a wealthy man, probate of his will was granted on 23 August 1967, at 7,381 pounds sterling (£100,000 in 2009 value (calculated using measuringworth.com ref))
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