Admiral Cyril Samuel Townsend CMG (6C14)
| Date of Birth: | 28 June 1875 |
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| Date of Death: | 31 Mar 1949 |
| Generation: | 7th |
| Residence: | Bishopstoke, Hants |
| Father: | Vice Admiral Sir Samuel Philip Townsend [6C01] |
| Mother: | Bridges, Emma Maria |
| Spouse: |
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| Issue: | |
| See Also: | Table VIC ; Scrapbook ; Lineage ; Ancestors' Tree ; Descendents' Tree |
Notes for Admiral Cyril Samuel Townsend CMG. See also.
Married 30 October 1905. Mary Elizabeth Moseley (1) was the daughter of Captain William Moseley, 60th Rifles, of Leaton Hall, Bobbington, Staffs.
Cyril started his education at Stubbington House, Fareham and from there went to the Royal Naval College (RNC) Osborne (2), Isle of Wight. He joined Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) Dartmouth as a cadet on 15 January 1889.
Cyril was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant on 14 July 1894 and Lieutenant on 14 January 1896 (3). During his early years he served on the Canopus class battleship HMS Goliath 1902 - 03 and on the armoured cruiser HMS Euryalus 1905 – 06. He was promoted to Commander on 31 December 1906 (4) and from August 1908 to August 1910 was Executive Officer Gunnery on the Duncan Class battleship HMS Duncan. Following this he served for a short time on HMS Edward VII and then as Executive Officer on the newly launched Colossus Class battleship HMS Hercules
Prior to being promoted Captain on 31 December 1913 Cyril attended a Staff Training Course. In 1915 he was Beachmaster West Beach at Gallipoli and was Mentioned in Despatches. In 1916 he was appointed to command the newly launched HMS Constance which was a Cambrian Class Light Cruiser in the 4th Light Cruiser Squadron operating in the North Sea. Mentioned in Despatches (5) for his action at the Battle of Jutland he remained in command until 1919. In August 1917 his Commanding Officer, Commodore Le Mesurier, wrote "A v.g. light cruiser captain with much experience. Has assisted me greatly in general organisation of the squadron."
Cyril was appointed Captain of the Gunnery School at Chatham in 1919 and remained there until 1921. Following this he was appointed to command the Revenge class battleship HMS Resolution which formed part of the 2nd Battle Squadron of the North Atlantic Fleet. In 1922 he took up the shore-based appointment of Commodore RN Barracks, Portsmouth and during his time there he was appointed a Naval Aide-de-Camp to King George V in October 1923 (6). Cyril remained at Portsmouth until he was promoted to Rear Admiral on 19 July 1924 (7).
Appointed Head of the British Naval Mission to Greece in 1925 Cyril was awarded the Cross of Knight Commander of the Order of the Redeemer (8) for his services. He finished his career as Rear Admiral commanding Gibraltar 1927-29. Promoted Vice Admiral on 24 May 1929 (9), Cyril left the service the following day and was appointed Admiral (Retired) on 1 September 1933 (10).
In 1912 (11) he was awarded the Order of the Crown of Italy for services during the Messina earthquake in December 1908 and the CMG in 1918 (12) for “valuable service during the war”.
During his retirement Cyril lived at The Old Rectory, Bishopstoke, Hants.
See Who's Who 1929 and Who Was Who 1941-1950.
Eileen Marianne was living at Beauford, Chillaton, Lifton, Devon when she died.
(1) Mary was born on 28 April 1879 in London and died on 30 March 1950.
(2) Cadets joined RNC Osborne aged 13 for two years before going to BRNC Dartmouth for the remainder of their training. RNC Osborne closed in 1923.
(3) London Gazette 26705 of 14 January 1896.
(4) London Gazette 27982 of 1 January 1907.
(5) London Gazette 29751 of 15 September 1916.
(6) London Gazette 32874 page 7212 dated 26 October 1923.
(7) London Gazette 32959 page 5638 dated 25 July 1924.
(8) London Gazette 33210 of 12 October 1926.
(9) London Gazette 33504 page 3756 dated 7 June 1929.
(10) London Gazette 33975 page 5801 dated 5 September 1933.
(11) London Gazette 28599 of 16 April 1912.
(12) London Gazette 30723 of 31 May 1918.