Rear-Admiral Sir Arthur Bromley, Eighth Baronet, K.C.M.G., K.C.V.O. (8 August, 1876 – 12 January, 1961)
Early Life and Career
Arthur Bromley was born on 8 August 1876 in East Stoke, the third son of Captain Sir Henry Bromley, Fifth Baronet. He was educated at Farnborough and entered the Royal Navy through the training ship Britannia on 15 January 1890. He left Britannia in December 1891, gaining two months' time on passing out.
Bromley was appointed to the first class protected cruiser Blake on the North America and West Indies Station on 2 February 1892 and was rated Midshipman on 15 November, having passed with a Second Class Certificate with 771 marks. On 24 May 1895 he was appointed to the corvette Ruby in the Training Squadron. Ruby paid off on 9 October and on the 10th he was appointed to the corvette Cleopatra in the same squadron. He passed his Seamanship examination with a First Class and 946 marks, and was appointed an Acting Sub-Lieutenant on 15 May 1896. He was confirmed in the rank of Sub-Lieutenant on 18 March 1897.
Bromley was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant dated 31 December 1898.
He was promoted to the rank of Commander from the Royal Yacht dated 31 August 1908.
Great War
He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June 1915 and on 5 July was appointed in command of the armed merchant cruiser Columbella in the Tenth Cruiser Squadron.
On 1 May 1916 he was appointed to Pembroke for command of the new special battlecruiser Courageous, being appointed to the ship on 8 September. In June he was lent in command of the armoured cruiser Bacchante to take her from the Nore to Liverpool. He was again in command of Courageous at the surrender of the German High Sea Fleet. Another source, however, indicates that he was appointed in command of Chatham in May 1916.
In 1919, Their Lordships would express Their appreciation "for the consistently good gunnery shown by Courageous whilst this officer was in command of that ship."
Post War
On 18 February 1919, Bromley left Courageous and was appointed in command of the light cruiser Cardiff. He was appointed an Additional Member of the Third Class, or Companion, of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (C.M.G.) on 21 June:
For valuable services in command of H.M. Ships Columbella ,Chatham, and Courageous and as Flag Captain to the Vice-Admiral, Light Cruiser Force.
He was appointed to Pembroke for command of the new cruiser Raleigh on 14 February 1920. He was due to take her out as flagship for Vice-Admiral Napier, now Commander-in-Chief on the North America and West Indies Station, but Napier died on 30 July. The Raleigh finally commissioned at Devonport on 19 April 1921 for service as flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir William C. Pakenham, Napier's successor.
On 8 August 1922 the Raleigh ran aground in thick fog on Point Amour while entering Fortean Bay. Ten men were killed, and the ship became a total loss. On 3 October Bromley left Quebec in the liner Empress of France for Britain. Commander Leslie C. Bott, O.B.E., his second-in-command, was tried by Court-martial on 26 October and severely reprimanded and dismissed H.M.S. Victory. Bromley was tried on the following day by a Court presided over by Rear-Admiral Hugh F. P. Sinclair, charged with negligently or by default stranding and losing his ship. In his defence he argued that had the charts he had been supplied with been accurate then his ship would not have stranded. The Court found the charge proved, and he was severely reprimanded and dismissed his ship.
He was placed on the Retired List, at his own request, dated 7 November. He was advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral on the Retired List on 8 July 1926.
He was Gentleman Usher-in-Ordinary to HM King George V in 1927 and was Ceremonial and Reception Secretary for the Dominion and Colonial Office between 1931 and 1952.
He was invested as KCMG in 1941.
He was invested as CVO in 1935, and became Gentleman Usher to HM King Edward VIII in 1936, and then to King George VI from 1937 to 1952, and to HM Queen Elizabeth II from 1952 to 1961.
He was made KCVO in the 1953 Coronation Honours.
He succeeded to the Baronetcy on 7 November 1957 and died on 12 January 1961.