1. Doveton Sturdee went on to command the 3rd Cruiser Squadron and then the 2nd Cruiser Squadron.
26 Facts About Doveton Sturdee
1. 2.
Just before the start of the First World War Sturdee became Chief of War Staff at the Admiralty.
3.
On 8 December 1914, while coaling at Stanley, Doveton Sturdee encountered von Spee and the subsequent action became known as the Battle of the Falkland Islands.
4.
Doveton Sturdee took part in the bombardment of Alexandria in July 1882 during the Anglo-Egyptian War.
5.
Doveton Sturdee's handling of this situation, which involved a tense stand-off with the German representatives, earned him his promotion to captain on 30 June 1899, and his appointment as a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1900 New Year Honours list on 1 January 1900.
6.
Doveton Sturdee was appointed an aide-de-camp to the King on 26 October 1907.
7.
Doveton Sturdee was promoted to rear-admiral on 12 September 1908.
8.
Doveton Sturdee wrote to Jack Sandars, an adviser to the Opposition leader Arthur Balfour, expressing doubt that the 10,000 yard range of HMS Dreadnought's 12-inch guns would be of much use, as visibility did not extend more than 6,000 yards in the North Sea on 25 days out of 30.
9.
Doveton Sturdee appears at that time to have favoured caution before committing too many resources to all-big-gun battleships.
10.
Doveton Sturdee became President of the Submarine Committee of the Admiralty in early 1911.
11.
Doveton Sturdee benefited from the decision by the incoming First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, in late 1911 to pass over twenty admirals to promote Jellicoe to command of the 2nd Battle Squadron, freeing up a promotion logjam.
12.
Doveton Sturdee went on to become commander of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet, with his flag in Shannon again, in 1913.
13.
Doveton Sturdee was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 3 June 1913.
14.
Doveton Sturdee criticised the high cost of the Polyphemuses, as well as their low freeboard and vulnerability to enemy destroyers.
15.
On 9 August 1914, with Britain now at war with Germany, Churchill instructed Battenberg and Doveton Sturdee to draw up plans to seize Ameland in the Dutch Frisian Islands.
16.
Doveton Sturdee objected to the Order in Council about blocking trade with Germany through neutral countries.
17.
Doveton Sturdee had appointed Battenberg and Sturdee and so bears some responsibility for their errors, but nonetheless the fault for the loss of the three cruisers lies with them.
18.
Doveton Sturdee was given command at Winston Churchill's insistence, because he did not at that time wish him to be scapegoated for Admiralty failings.
19.
Halpern comments that the decision was compounded by the fact that Fisher "detested" Doveton Sturdee and wanted to remove him from the Admiralty.
20.
On 8 December 1914, while coaling at Stanley, Doveton Sturdee encountered von Spee and the subsequent action became known as the Battle of the Falkland Islands.
21.
Doveton Sturdee was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George on 31 May 1916 and awarded the Cross of Commander of the French Legion of Honour on 15 September 1916.
22.
Doveton Sturdee was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on his retirement on 5 July 1921 and advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 1 January 1921.
23.
Doveton Sturdee was President of the Society for Nautical Research.
24.
In 1882 Doveton Sturdee married Marion Andrews : they had a son and a daughter.
25.
Doveton Sturdee retired to Camberley, in Surrey, and died there on 7 May 1925.
26.
Doveton Sturdee was buried in the churchyard of St Peter's Church in nearby Frimley.