The Promotion of David Beatty to Rear-Admiral

摘要

On 1 January 1910 Captain David Beatty, mvo, dso (1871–1936), was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral in the Royal Navy, aged just 38.1 He was the youngest flag officer in decades, at a time when the average age at promotion to rear-admiral was 49.2 Beatty had been awarded early promotion to the ranks of lieutenant, commander, and captain; the latter for gallantry during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, in which he was severely wounded.3 Until he recovered from his injuries he was unable to go to sea and as a result did not hold a command afloat until June 1902. He commanded the cruiser Juno in the Cruiser Squadron from June to December 1902, before going on half pay for 11 months.4 He then commanded the cruiser Arrogant in the Mediterranean from November 1903 to September 1904. In October he was given command of the cruiser Suffolk on the same station, which command he held until September 1905. After another long spell ashore he was appointed Naval Adviser to the Army Council in December 1906, which he served as until December 1908, when the position was abolished. He then went straight to sea again in command of the battleship Queen in the Atlantic Fleet.