The Lord Wester Wemyss | |
---|---|
Born | London, United Kingdom | 12 April 1864
Died | 24 May 1933 Cannes, France | (aged 69)
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | Royal Navy |
Years of service | 1877–1919 |
Rank | Admiral of the Fleet |
Commands held | First Sea Lord East Indies & Egyptian Squadron 12th Cruiser Squadron 2nd Battle Squadron HMS Implacable HMS Suffolk |
Battles/wars | Second Boer War First World War |
Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Member of the Royal Victorian Order Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour (France) Croix de guerre (France) Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown (Romania) Navy Distinguished Service Medal (United States) |
Admiral of the Fleet Rosslyn Erskine Wemyss, 1st Baron Wester Wemyss, GCB, CMG, MVO (12 April 1864 – 24 May 1933), known as Sir Rosslyn Wemyss between 1916 and 1919, was a Royal Navy officer. During the First World War he served as commander of the 12th Cruiser Squadron and then as Governor of Moudros before leading the British landings at Cape Helles and at Suvla Bay during the Gallipoli campaign. He went on to be Commander of the East Indies & Egyptian Squadron in January 1916 and then First Sea Lord in December 1917, in which role he encouraged Admiral Roger Keyes, Commander of the Dover Patrol, to undertake more vigorous operations in the Channel, ultimately leading to the launch of the Zeebrugge Raid in April 1918.
Wemyss served in the First World War, initially as commander of the 12th Cruiser Squadron in the Channel Fleet and then, after being despatched to Lemnos with a brief to prepare the harbour of Moudros for operations against the Dardanelles in February 1915, as Governor of Moudros.[11] He commanded a squadron for the British landings at Cape Helles on 25 April 1915 and also gave support for the British landings at Suvla Bay on the Gallipoli Front on 9 August 1915.[11] When the Gallipoli Campaign was abandoned he was responsible for the successful re-embarkation of troops from Suvla Bay and from Ari Burnu on 20 December 1915.[11] He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1916 New Year Honours.[17]
Wemyss became Commander of the East Indies & Egyptian Squadron in January 1916 where he supported military operations on the Palestine Front.[11] He encouraged the Arab Revolt under Emir Faisal and T. E. Lawrence: the latter said that "Wemyss acted godfather til the Arabs were on their feet".[18] Promoted to vice-admiral on 6 December 1916,[19] he was appointed a Commander of the French Legion of Honour on 23 March 1917[20] and a Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown of Italy on 11 August 1917.[21]
Returning to the Admiralty, Wemyss was appointed Second Sea Lord in September 1917 and then Deputy First Sea Lord in October 1917.[22] Following Sir Eric Geddes's decision to dismiss the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, Wemyss was appointed Jellicoe's replacement in December 1917.[22] As First Sea Lord he encouraged Admiral Roger Keyes, Commander of the Dover Patrol, to undertake more vigorous operations in the Channel, ultimately leading to the launch of the Zeebrugge Raid in April 1918.[22] He was advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 1918 Birthday Honours[23] and represented Britain at the Armistice in November 1918.[22] He was awarded the Grand Cross of the French Legion of Honour on 17 January 1919[24] and the French Croix de Guerre on 15 February 1919.[25] He was also promoted to full admiral on 21 February 1919,[26] awarded the Grand Cross of the Romanian Order of the Crown on 17 March 1919[27] and presented with the American Distinguished Service Medal on 16 September 1919.[28]
Wemyss was the senior British representative at the signing of the armistice that ended active hostilities in the war.[29] It was Wemyss who made the decision, much to the anger of British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, to have the ceasefire to come into effect at 11.00 a.m. Lloyd George wanted it to take place at 2.30 p.m. so that he could make the announcement in the House of Commons. Wemyss realised that 11 a.m on the 11th day of the 11th month had a strong, poetic quality about it; besides, by 2.30 p.m. more soldiers could be unnecessarily killed.[30] After attending the Paris Peace Conference as Britain's naval representative and arranging for the end of the food blockade and hence unblocking the negotiations,[31] Wemyss resigned in November 1919 following persistent calls for Sir David Beatty to be given his job.[32]
Wemyss was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 1 November 1919. In retirement he wrote his memoirs under the title The Navy in the Dardanelles Campaign and became a Non-Executive Director of Cable & Wireless.[32] He lived in Cannes where he died in his garden on 24 May 1933.[32] He was buried at Wemyss Castle, his ancestral home.[32]
On 21 December 1903 Wemyss married Victoria Morier, daughter of Sir Robert Morier; they had one daughter, Alice Elizabeth Millicent Erskine-Wemyss.[33]