OBITUARY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 127, 11 March 1936, Page 6

OBITUARY

FLEET-ADMIRAL EARL BEATTY. FAMOUS NAVAL COMMANDER. LEADERSHIP IN GREAT WAR. (United Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.15 p.m.) LONDON, March 10. Admiral of the Fleet Earl Beattie is dead, figed 64. David Beatty was horn at Borodale, County Wexford, Ireland, m !»'*• Within 35 years of his entering the Navy he had attained the leadership of the Grand Fleet and an earldom. Practically all his service was at sea, but after being with the Nile gunboats he took part in the battles of the A bara and Omdurman. During the sup pression of the Bl«ei rising he was wounded, and he won promotmn to captain at the record age of 29. Aitei successively commanding three cruisers and the battleship Queen he flew his flag as rear-admiral in the Abouku in 1912. His advancement, which was not helped by influence, was very rapidWhen given the choice oi a distinction or promotion, he always chose the latter fo rhe forsaw a war with Germany and wanted to hold a. command in it. To legalise his promotion to flag, lanU a special Order-in-Council had to be passed, as he had not spent the statutory time in command of a ship at sea. At the Admiralty he acted, while a captain, as naval adviser to the I'list Lord, in which capacity he served in 1912 at the Malta conference, which decided to reorganise the Mediterranean Fleet. In 1913 he was appointed to the command of the fastest and most powerful scouting force ever launched, hoisting his flag in the Lion. His part in the Great War is well known. In December, 1916, Earl Beatty succeeded Earl Jellicoe as Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet, and received the surrender of the German Navy on November 21, 1918'. Raised to the peerage as Earl Beatty of the North Sea, he received the thanks of Faliament and a grant of £IOO,OOO and was awarded the Order of Merit, and other honours. He was also made Grand Admiral and First Sea Lord, in which capacity lie began to re-organise the naval staff on lines that would give the younger school of thought and experience a chance to make itself felt. Earl Beatty 7 attended the Washington Naval Disarmament Conference. By the beginning of 1927, when he retired he had set up a record by holding the postion of First Sea Lord for seven y T ears, the maximum period allowed by the regulations. Admiral Beatty was promoted Admiral of the Fleet in April, 1919. Earl Beatty in 1901 married a daughter of Mr Marshall Field, of Chicago. He leaves two sons, his wife having predeceased him. His heir is Viscount Borodale. ~ VERY REV. DR. DAVID KENNEDY. WELLINGTON, March 10. The death has occurred of the Very Rev. Dr. David Kennedy, formerly Provincial of the Marist Older in Australia and New Zealand.