Years of service 1902 - 1943 Died January 24, 1943 Rank Admiral Battles and wars World War I, World War II | Name Studholme Brownrigg Service/branch Royal Navy Allegiance United Kingdom | |
Born 3 September 1882 ( 1882-09-03 ) Commands held HMS Courageous
Nore Command Battles/wars World War I
World War II Awards Order of the British Empire, Order of the Bath, Distinguished Service Order | ||
Admiral Sir Henry John Studholme Brownrigg KBE CB DSO (3 September 1882 – 24 January 1943) was a Royal Navy officer who was Commander-in-Chief, The Nore.
Naval career
Brownrigg joined the Royal Navy in 1902.
He served in World War I and took part in the Battle of Jutland in 1916, as executive officer of HMS Barham (with rank of Commander). He went on to be Chief of Staff at the Africa Station and, from 1925, Deputy Director of the Gunnery Division. He became Director of the Gunnery Division in 1926 and Chief of Staff at Plymouth in 1927. He was made Captain of HMS Courageous in 1929 and then joined the staff of the Director of Naval Ordnance in 1931.
He became Rear Admiral commanding 3rd Cruiser Squadron in 1933 and Vice-Admiral Mediterranean Fleet in 1935. He was Admiral commanding the Reserves from 1936 and Commander-in-Chief, The Nore from January to December 1939. He served in World War II as officer commanding the Home Guard at Chatham from 1940 to 1941. He came out of retirement to take charge of convoys. He sailed as Commodore of Convoy ON 16 in SS Ville de Tamatave (a ship captured from the Vichy French in 1941), departing Liverpool on 12 January 1943 en route for New York. The convoy ran into a violent storm in the North Atlantic towards the evening of 23 January. Messages were received from the Ville de Tamatave indicating that she had lost her rudder and, an hour later, that she was sinking. The other ships were not able to render assistance, and Ville de Tamatave was lost with all hands, including Brownrigg, on 24 January 1943.