Alexander Ramsay (Royal Navy officer)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1919)​
RelationsAlexander Ramsay of Mar (son)
John Ramsay, 13th Earl of Dalhousie (father)
Lady Ida Louise Bennet (mother)

First World War. During the 1920s and 1930s, he held several important naval aviation
commands.

Early life and career

Alexander was born in London as the third son of

lieutenant on 29 May 1902,[5] and later the same year was posted to the cruiser HMS Flora as she was commissioned for the Pacific Station.[6]

In October 1911, he became a naval aide-de-camp to the Duke of Connaught, then Governor General of Canada.[1] He returned to active naval duty in 1913 as the gunnery officer of the battlecruiser Indefatigable in the Mediterranean.[1]

Ramsay took part in several important naval operations of the

First World War. He took part in the first phase of the bombardment of the Dardanelles forts in November 1914,[1] and later at Gallipoli. He received the Distinguished Service Order for his conduct there. Ramsay rose to the rank of commander in late 1914 and became flag commander of the Second Squadron in 1916.[1] He gained promotion to captain in 1919 and served as the naval attaché in Paris for the next three years.[1]

Marriage into the Royal Family

On 27 February 1919, the then-Captain Ramsay married

British Royal Family.[7] He had proposed to her while staying with J. K. L. Ross at his fishing lodge on the bay of St. Anns, Nova Scotia
.

On the day of the wedding, Princess Patricia voluntarily relinquished the title of "Princess of Great Britain and Ireland" and the style "Royal Highness", and assumed by Royal Warrant the style "Lady Patricia Ramsay" with precedence before the Marchionesses of England. Despite his wife's relinquishment of her royal title, the couple remained members of the British Royal Family. They attended major royal events for the next forty years, including the 1947 wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten.[8]

They had one son, Alexander Ramsay of Mar.

Aviation commands and flag rank

In 1928, Ramsay assumed command of the aircraft carrier HMS Furious in the Atlantic Fleet.[1] He gained promotion to rear admiral in 1933 and for the next five years commanded the aircraft carriers in the fleet.[1] He was advanced to vice-admiral in January 1936.[9]

Ramsay served as commander-in-chief,

Second World War. He was promoted to admiral in December 1939 and retired at his own request in 1942.[1][10]

Honours

Ramsay was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in March 1916. The citation reads, "Flag Commander to Vice-Admiral de Robeck, and has done exceptionally good service throughout the operations."[11]

He was made a

Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB),[13]
which was advanced to Knight Commander of the same Order (KCB) on 11 May 1937, "on the occasion of His Majesty's Coronation".[14]

On 6 July 1938 he was received by King

Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO).[15]

Death and burial

Ramsay died at his home, Ribsden Holt, Windlesham, Surrey, on 8 October 1972.[16] He is buried in the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore.[17]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
  2. ^ "No. 27389". The London Gazette. 20 December 1901. p. 8981.
  3. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36628. London. 3 December 1901. p. 6.
  4. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36642. London. 19 December 1901. p. 7.
  5. ^ "No. 27452". The London Gazette. 8 July 1902. p. 4375.
  6. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36902. London. 18 October 1902. p. 9.
  7. ^ "Princess Patricia To Wed Earl's Son. King George's Cousin Betrothed to Com. A.R.M. Ramsay, R.N., Dalhousie Heir. Sponsor of a Regiment. Honorary Colonel in Chief of "Princess Pats" Is a Great Favorite in Canada and England". The New York Times. 28 December 1918.
  8. ^ Royal Collection: Seating plan for the Ball Supper Room
  9. ^ "No. 34240". The London Gazette. 7 January 1936. p. 133.
  10. ^ "Sir Alexander Ramsay" in The Times (Tuesday, 10 October 1972), p. 17.
  11. ^ Supplement to The London Gazette, 14 March, 1916, p. 2870
  12. ^ Supplement to The London Gazette, 3 June, 1932, p. 3573
  13. ^ Supplement to The London Gazette, 1 January, 1934, p. 3
  14. ^ Supplement to The London Gazette, 11 May, 1937, p. 3078
  15. ^ "Court Circular" in The Times (Thursday, 7 July 1938), p. 19. The London Gazette, 29 July, 1938, p. 4877
  16. ^ "Sir Alexander Ramsay" in The Times (Tuesday, 10 October 1972), p. 17; "Deaths" in The Times (Tuesday, 10 October 1972), p. 28
  17. ^ "Royal Burials in the Chapel since 1805". College of St George - Windsor Castle. Retrieved 5 March 2023.

External links

Military offices
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station
1936–1938 		Succeeded by
Vacant
Title last held by
Sir Godfrey Paine 		Fifth Sea Lord
1938–1939 		Succeeded by
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