LONG ACTIVE CAREER

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 100, 30 April 1927, Page 9

LONG ACTIVE CAREER

ADMIRAL SIR CHARLES MADDEN

Admiral Sir Charles E. Madden is the son of the late Captain Madden, of the Lancashire Regiment, and brother-in-law to Lady Jellicoe, having married her sister in 1905. He was born in 1862 and entered the iNavy in 1875. At an-early stage in his career-, when an acting-sub-lieuten-ant in H.M.S. Euby, he saw active service in the Egyptian War of 1882, earning the Egyptian Medal and Khedive's Bronze Star. On promotion to lieutenant he specialised in the torpedo branch of the service, and in due course,becanie First Lieutenant of the principal torpedo school, H.M.S. Vernori. This brought him promotion to commander in 1896. From 1902-1904 he served as flag-cap-tain to Bear-Admiral Sir William Fawkes, commanding the cruiser squadron, the flagship being H.M.S. Good Hope, which • was afterwards sunk at Coronei. ASSISTANT TO FISHER. In 1906 he was naval assistant to Admiral Sir John Fisher, the First Sea Lord, and was made a C.V.O. on the occasion of King ( Edward's review of the Home Fleet in the Solent in August, 1907. Tftat same month he was appointed captain of the famous battleship H.M.S. Di-eadnought, and chief of staff to the Cpinmander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet, Vice-Admiral Sir Francis Bridgemun. He served again at the Admiralty in 1908 as private secretary to the First Lord, and subsequently, in 1910-11, as Fourth Sea Lord. He was an aide-de-camp to His Majesty the King from 1910 until his promotion to rear-admiral in 1911. In 1912 he hoisted his flag aa rearadmiral in the First Division of the Home Fleet, then under the command of Vice-Admiral Sir George Callaghau. In the next two years he commanded successively the Third and Second Cruiser Squadrons. On the outbreak of war, when Admiral Jellicoo became Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet, Bear-Ad-miral Madden, was selected by him to be his Chief of Staff. In June, 1915, ■while serving in H.M.S. Iron Duke in that capacity, he was given the acting rank of vice-admiral. He was Lord Jellieoe's close adviser and principal assistant throughout the anxious months when the Grand Fleet was straining at the leash, yet unable to bring the enemy to account, while its own harbours were ill-protected against submarines. At Jutland he was by his 1 chief's side throughout the action. In his dispatch on that great battle, Lord Jellicoe writes:— BRILLIANT WORK AT JUTLAND. "I cannot close the dispatch without recording the brilliant work of my Chief of the Staff, Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Madden, X.0.8., C.V.O. Throughout a period of, twenty-one months of war, his services have been' of inestimable value. His good judgment, his long experience in fleet, special gifts for organisation, and his capacity for unlimited work have all been of the greatest assistance to me, and have relieved me of much of the anxiety inseparable from the conduct of the fleet during the war. In the stages leading up to the fleet action, and during and after the action, he was always at hand to assist, and his 'judgment' never at fault. I owe him more than I can say." When Lord Jellieoe left the Grand Fleet to becomo First Soa Lord, and was relieved by the then Admiral, Sir David Boatty, Admiral Madden was appointed Second-in-Command of that fleet. In this capacity he served until Admiral Beatty himself loft to become First Sea Lord, after the Avmistico. The Grand Fleet was then much reduced and became tho Atlantic Fleet, and Admiral Madden was appointed its Commander-in-Chiof. This appointment he held until August, 1922, when ho was relieved by Sir John do Bobeck. He thns held the unique record of having served afloat continuously as a flag officer for over ten years, moro than four of which were during hostilities. STRICT DISCIPLINARIAN. Unlike the general run of naval officers nowadays, Admiral Madden -wears a beard and moustache, trimmed in orthodox fashion. He has a quiet, slightly reserved manner, and is known to bo a strict disciplinarian. The very heavy responsibilities which rested on his shoulders for so long have left their mark in a somewhat serious demeanour. For all that he is much liked by those who know him and have had most to do with him, and his professional ability is very generally' recognised. The Navy knows him as a "white man," who has never spared himself in the call of duty. Like his brother-in-law, his devotion to his family is second only to that of the service. A tired man at tho end of his long term afloat, he has recovered his vitality and energy in the restful surroundings of his country homo, and amidst the youthful society of his two sons and four daughters.