Page:Admirals of the British Navy.djvu/44

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IX REAR-ADMIRAL LIONEL HALSEY, C.B., C.M.G. KAR- ADMIRAL LIONEL HALSEY, C.B., C.M.G. , Third Sea Lord, was born in 1872, and joined H.M.S. " Britannia " in 1885. As a Naval Cadet he served in the " Agincourt," Flag-ship of Rear- Admiral the Hon. Edmund R. Fremantle, then second in command of the Channel Squadron. Becoming a Sub-Lieutenant in 1891, he subsequently served as Lieutenant and Flag-Lieutenant in several different ships. During the South African War he took part in the defence of Ladysmith, where he had charge of the 4.7 gun in Princess Victoria Battery at Cove Hill Redoubt. He was also executive Officer to Captain Lambton (now Admiral Sir Hedworth Meux) towards the end of the siege, besides taking charge of all the Naval guns. For his services in this connection he was mentioned in despatches. On January ist, 1901, he was specially promoted to Commander. In 1912 he became Captain of the " New Zealand," the first capital ship built at the charge of a Dominion Government. In the following year Captain Halsey received the C.M.G. From September, 1914, till he became Rear- Admiral in April, 1917, he was Aide-de-Camp to the King- Captain Halsey was mentioned in despatches for his services in the actions at Heligoland and the Dogger Bank. He became Captain of the Fleet and Commodore. First Class, in 1915. After the Battle of Jutland, Admiral Jellicoe wrote as follows : " My special thanks are due to Commodore Lionel Halsey, C.M.G., the Captain of the Fleet, who also assists me in the working of the Fleet at sea, and to whose good organization is largely due the rapidity with which the Fleet was