Dudley Pound
Navy Distinguished Service Medal (United States) |
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Early life
Born the son of Alfred John Pound, an Eton-educated[1] barrister, by his marriage to Elizabeth Pickman Rogers, an American from Boston,[2] Pound's maternal grandfather was Richard Saltonstall Rogers,[3] but was also descended on his mother's side from Dudley Leavitt Pickman, an early Salem, Massachusetts, merchant.[4][5][6] He was educated at Fonthill School in East Grinstead, Sussex.[7]
Early career
Pound joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in the training ship
Pound joined the staff at the Ordnance Department of the Admiralty in January 1909 and then, having been promoted to commander on 30 June 1909,[11] he transferred to the battleship HMS Superb in the Home Fleet in May 1911.[8] He joined the staff of the Royal Naval War College in early 1913 and then transferred to the battleship HMS St Vincent in the Home Fleet in April 1914.[8]
First World War
Pound served throughout the First World War. After being promoted to
Interwar career
Pound was appointed a Companion of the
First Sea Lord
Pound became First Sea Lord in June 1939[22] and was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 31 July 1939.[23] His health was doubtful even then, but other experienced admirals were in even poorer health.[24] He also became First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp to the King in October 1941.[25]
There are sharply divided opinions of Pound as First Sea Lord during the early years of the
Pound refused a peerage but was appointed to the Order of Merit on 3 September 1943, four years after the outbreak of the war.[31][32]
Resignation and death
Pound suffered from hip degeneration, which kept him from sleeping, causing him to doze off at meetings.
Family
In 1908 Pound married Betty Whitehead; they had two sons and a daughter.[8]
Popular culture
In the 2024 movie The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare a character named Admiral Pound is portrayed as being in favor of negotiating surrender with the Germans while being opposed to the Special Operations mission depicted.[35]
References
- ^ The Eton Register, Part III: 1862–1868. Eton College, Old Etonian Association, Spottiswoode & Co., Ltd., Eton. 1906.
- ^ "Royal Navy's Test". Time. 22 April 1940. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
- required.)
- ^ Hurd, p. 233
- ^ Heathcote, p. 214
- ^ "Marriages" (PDF). The Colonist. 4 January 1876. p. 6. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
- ^ "Biographical material collected by Donald McLachlan relating to Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound". Archivesearch. Churchill Archives Centre, Cambridge. Archived from the original on 4 October 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Heathcote, p. 215
- ^ "No. 26901". The London Gazette. 19 October 1897. p. 5725.
- ^ "No. 27000". The London Gazette. 30 August 1898. p. 5195.
- ^ "No. 28263". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 June 1909. p. 4857.
- ^ a b c d e f Heathcote, p. 216
- ^ UK National Archives ADM 1/8539/253 Capabilities of distantly controlled boats. Reports of trials at Dover 28 – 31 May 1918
- ^ "No. 31379". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 May 1919. p. 7045.
- ^ "No. 33015". The London Gazette. 27 January 1925. p. 591.
- ^ "No. 33139". The London Gazette. 5 March 1926. p. 1650.
- ^ "No. 33606". The London Gazette. 16 May 1930. p. 3069.
- ^ "No. 33946". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 June 1933. p. 3801.
- ^ "No. 34125". The London Gazette. 18 January 1935. p. 458.
- ^ "No. 34420". The London Gazette. 23 July 1937. p. 4733.
- ^ "No. 34585". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1938. p. 3.
- ^ a b c Heathcote, p. 217
- ^ "No. 34651". The London Gazette. 4 August 1939. p. 5393.
- ^ a b Kennedy, p. 107
- ^ "No. 35309". The London Gazette. 14 October 1941. p. 5962.
- ^ James Levy, "Lost Leader: Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles Forbes and the Second World War", Mariner's Mirror (2002) 88#2 pp 186–195
- ^ Stanley, p. 90
- ISBN 0-14-139133-2, p. 65
- ^ a b c d Heathcote, p. 218
- ISBN 978-1598844573. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ "No. 36158". The London Gazette. 3 September 1943. p. 3935.
- ^ Stanley, p. 91
- ^ "Books, Arts & Curiosities – "If We Lose at Sea, We Lose…" – Churchill's Anchor: The Biography of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound OM, GCB, GCVO". 7 May 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ "Sir Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers Pound". CWGC Casualty Record. He is named on the CWGC Cremation Memorial there.
- ^ "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare". IMDB. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
Sources
- Heathcote, Tony (2002). The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 – 1995. Pen & Sword Ltd. ISBN 0-85052-835-6.
- Hurd, Duane Hamilton (1887). History of Essex County, Massachusetts. J. W. Lewis & Co., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- Kennedy, Ludovic (1975). Pursuit: The Sinking of the Bismarck. Fontana Press. ISBN 978-0006340140.
- Nailor, Peter. "Great Chiefs of Staff – Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound, OM, GCB GCVO", RUSI Journal: Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies (1988) 133#1 pp 67–70.
- Stanley, Martin (2006). The Order of Merit. I.B. Tauris & Co. Ltd., London. ISBN 978-1860648489.
Further reading
- Brodhurst, Robin (2000). Churchill's Anchor: A Biography of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound. Pen & Sword. ISBN 978-0850527650.
- Murfett, Malcolm (1995). The First Sea Lords from Fisher to Mountbatten. Westport. ISBN 0-275-94231-7.
External links
- The Dreadnought Project: Dudley Pound
- Newspaper clippings about Dudley Pound in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW