DEATH RECALLS FAMOUS QUARREL

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6884, 13 April 1929, Page 5

DEATH RECALLS FAMOUS QUARREL

Admiral Bridgeman Showed How Winston Gmrchi!! Blundered LONDON, Mar. 4.

The death of Sir Francis Bridgenian recalls his famous quarrel with Mr. Churchill which resulted in the Admiral's sudden retirement as First Sea Lord in December, 1912. Mr. Churchill, who was then First Lord of the Admiralty, declared in the House of Commons that the Admiral’s retirement was "solely due to illhealth,” but admitted that it was be, and not Sir Francis, who had suggest-, ed the abandonment of his post. Mr. Churchill's statement was challenged bv Lord Charles Bevesford, and it subsequently appeared that Admiral Bridgcman was in perfect health, and that he was, in effect, dismissed by Mr. Churchill because he differed fundamentally with the First Lord on technical questions relating to the manning of the fleet. Quarrel Renewed. This old quarrel was renewed in

April, 1923, when Sir Francis refuted at some length the attack made, on A.dmiral Cradock in Mr. Churchill s book, "The World's Crisis,” which had then been just published. Mr. Churchill sought to show that the disaster which befell Admiral Cradock at Coroncl, off the coast of South America, in September. 1914, was due to his failure to obey Mr. Churchill’s order. Sir Francis Bridgeman showed that the Admiralty orders were impossible, and that if carried out they' would have resulted in the annihilation of the British fleet in the Pacific at the hands of Von, Spee. Admiral Bridgpman entered tnc Navy in 1862, and became lieutenant in 1873, when he gained much experience on the China station. Ho was promoted commander in 1884, and captain in 1890. He was flag captain to Sir Michael Culme-Seymour from 1890 to 1892 in the Channel, and in 1896 in the Mediterranean, where he served for a timo in the ill-fated Camperdown, which afterwards rammed the Victoria off Tripoli. A.D.O. to Queen Victoria.

Sir Francis was Naval A.D.C. to Queen Victoria in 1901, and afterwards to King Edward. He attained flag rank in 1904 as second in command of the Channel Fleet under Lord Charles Beresford, and was subsequently transferred to the Atlantic Fleet tinder Admiral Sir IV. H. May. In 1906 he was appointed to the Mediterranean as rearadmiral, although it was a vice-admi-ral’s command, and in the following

year he was given command of the newly eroated Homo Fleet, and promoted vice-admiral . He became Second Sea Lord in 1909, and in December, 1911, was requested by Mr. Churchill, then newby appointed First Lord, to take the post of First Sea Lord in succession to Admiral of the Fleet Sir A. K. Wilson. He retired from the service in December. 1913, on attaining tbo age limit of sixty-five. Sir Francis married in 18S9 a daughter of the late Mr. Thomas Shiffncr, of Wcstergate, Sussex, and was created 1v.C.8. in 1908.